# Do dogs get grumpy in the heat?



## Jobeth (May 23, 2010)

My dog and 5 month puppy have been getting on much better and are playing together now. The last couple of days he has grumbled at her if she has gone near whilst he has been sleeping. He is also choosing to sleep on the floor for most of the night rather than sleeping on the bed with her there. He usually makes sure he is at the opposite end and moves if she gets close and he wants to be left alone. I'm assuming it is the hot weather (he doesn't like it much) and not because she is either coming in to season early or that she has outgrown her 'puppy license'?


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## lucylastic (Apr 9, 2011)

I'm not sure that grumpy is the right word but yes, if they are uncomfortable or unhappy about something, they will often say so. By whatever means works best for them at that time. In this case by giving a grumble. Nothing wrong with that IMO.


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## springerpete (Jun 24, 2010)

It's probably a combination of the two things, your dog may be a bit testy because of the sudden change in the weather, and it may well be that the time has come for the pup to learn a few manners, they can take liberties at that age, I'm sure it will sort itself out.


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## Jobeth (May 23, 2010)

Probably not the right word but he just seems grumpy! She isn't as bothered by heat and is just as bouncy and it doesn't help. I'm making sure he gets time away from her as it is just a grumble with a smack on the nose with his paw at the moment if she pushes it. When I first got her he would pin her down and I'd hate for that to start again.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Dogs can get snappy with discomfort or if they are feeling unwell, so I should imagine they can get snappy when they are feeling hot and uncomfortable too.
As you said he is not laying in the bed because he is too warm he must be feeling it. It worse still if its humid as well as hot, the only real way to cool down in to pant, the air is pulled across the mucos membranes and tounge in the mouth and then that cools the blood in the capillaries, the cooled blood then has to circulate round the whole body, they have to have evaporation as part of the process too and when its very humid that hampers the evaporation process making it even harder. I would say he is probly hot and bothered, making him more reactive.


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

My older bitch is normally very tolerant, but today she's told all 3 of the others off for the slightest things. So I bought them a pool so they could play together but stay cool.


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

Yes it probably is due to the heat. Most dogs don't like it and will try and find the coolest spot to lie on.

It certainly makes me very 'grumpy' and I wasn't best pleased on Saturday when we were kept waiting for an hour by two handlers for run-offs, having stood judging in it all day....!!


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