Georgia summers and a working dog: a practical heat plan

A UGA Today piece quotes Dr. Benjamin Brainard of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. His points, in short:

• Dogs cool mostly by evaporation from the tongue, so high humidity makes cooling less effective.
• A car stays far hotter than the outside air even with the windows down.
• Dogs not used to hot, humid weather tire faster, and some keep playing while overheated, so the owner has to call time.
• Older and overweight dogs need more breaks and more water.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture's July 2025 release adds the basics: plenty of shade, fresh water, and less time outdoors in the hottest part of the day.

1. Move the hard work to the edges of the dayEarly morning or after sundown, on grass or dirt where you can.
2. Water everywhereIn the yard, in the car, at the trailhead, in the crate.
3. Read the dog, not the clockHeavy panting, glazed eyes or unsteadiness mean stop and cool the dog.
4. Keep indoor time realOn the worst days, the dog belongs in air conditioning, not on the patio.

The UGA vet suggests checking that a dog can swim before any lake or boat day and using a life jacket in deep water. He also notes that snakes are more active in summer, which matters on wooded trails.

Short-muzzled breeds are listed as especially vulnerable to heat. Most protection candidates have longer noses, but age, weight and conditioning still shift the risk.

Ask how the dog has been worked and housed in warm weather, and whether it has spent time in conditions like yours. A dog raised in a cool, dry climate may need a longer adjustment.