Moving to Florida and concerned about Rudy

[Rudy]

We currently live in Ohio and are planning on moving to SW Florida in the Fall. This has been a dream of ours for a long time. Most of my family lives there and our daughter is 3 years old so a good time to move before she starts school.

I'm really concerned how Rudy will adjust to Florida. First of all, the HEAT! I'm sure those of you who live in colder climates know how much our labs love the cold weather and how they sometimes "struggle" with the heat. To top it off, Rudy has EIC. We manage her EIC very well, but that means very limited activity on hotter days. We will have a pool so that will be one form of exercise for her.

My other concern is that we will be living on a canal that has a seawall. Like most labs, Rudy loves the water. Obviously I don't want her in that water for many reason, one of which is her inability to get out because of the seawall. Very very few homes on the water have a physical fence, but with a toddler and a dog I see no other option. We also plan to place an invisible fence directly in front of the fence as an extra layer of protection.

Let me also say that I'm fully aware that there are gators in Florida and there are many instances of them attacking dogs. Because our canal is saltwater there should be a very limited amount of gators and from what I've been told, with the type of seawall we will have, they can not get into our yard. We will NEVER let Rudy swim in any body of water besides our pool.

Ugh, I'm just feeling guilty. I know this will change Rudy's lifestyle and she will have a hard time adjusting.

If anyone lives in Florida or a hot climate and has advice I would greatly appreciate it!

[kelsyg]

When I moved to Florida from NY with my black Lab/Chow (think chow coat), I was also worried. But Kelsy took to central air conditioning and tile floors, immediately! You learn to take your long walks in the early am and evening, and that gust of cool dry air when we walked in the door was heaven to her! We put a fence in immediately and my dogs love hanging outside in the shade. Your dog just wants to be with you and will adjust just as you will.
Another plus is that many more businesses and restaurants are dog friendly.
Can't wait to see those beach pictures!
Good luck, I hope you love Florida.

[csblabmom]

Hi there. I live in N FL with 4 labs (1 of which has EIC also). As far as the heat, mine are pretty lazy in the summer. Short games of fetch in the back yard or swimming is about it and even then early morning or late evening.
Gators and snakes will be your 2 biggest concerns outside. We have a fairly small fenced back yard and I stay with the dogs while there out there- constantly on the look out. Pygmy rattlers are common here and they tend to look like sticks.
I will tell you that the Buoy has more bouts of EIC in the heat than when it is cooler. Even 10 minutes of fetch in 90 degree weather can set him off. Good luck on your move!

[voodoo]

Chili loves the AC and tile floors in the southwest heat!

[Sam I Am]

My dogs do just fine in the house, even the husky. They do most of their outdoor playing in the evenings. Definitely fence the yard asap. I would be more worried about the dog or child falling in and not being able to climb back out over the seawall.

[SunDance]

My first Lab, Brutus, had serious problems with the heat....that was how we got him. He was 3 years old and his owner was moving to Florida. Bru had had heartworms/treatment....maybe that's what caused the intolerance, we don't know....but his owner didn't want to take any chances.

Good thing we got him....he really did have serious issues with heat. His first seizure....we didn't recognize it at the time....was on a coolish July night...in the 60's...on a short walk. He definitely wouldn't have been OK outdoors in a Southern climate.

I'd definitely invest in a cooling jacket for any walking, especially with Rudy's specific concern.

Hope it'll be OK for her!

[arentspowell]

I've lived in Florida my whole life. I think the dogs adjust as quickly as people who move down here. Many of my friends that are originally from up north complain about being cold in 60 degree weather after a few months just like the native floridians. It gets hot during the summer but as long as the dogs don't get left out all day they will be fine. You will probably want to wait till at least 4-5 before going on any long walks during the summer.

You are right about the alligators but the concern is with fresh bodies of water. Alligators don't live in the ocean. Daisy loves when we take her to the beach. Sharks aren't really a concern as long as you aren't in the water around dusk, that's when they move in close to the shore. They also come in close to the shore in the colder months but we never go to the beach before May anyway.

What part of SW Florida are you moving to?

[Rudy]

Thank you so much for the replies! I can't thank you enough for your words of encouragement because the whole move has put me over the top

Rudy's EIC is strictly driven by playing fetch, she goes out of her mind mentally and physically! Even on a 70 degrees day here in Ohio we can only toss the ball a few times. Of course she doesn't want to stop, but I know what will happen if she keeps going! Thinking fetch might be very limited. But she does do really well going for runs with me (5 miles every morning) so I'm hoping that we can go super early in the morning.

And I totally agree about the canal and her not being able to get out because there's no getting out with a seawall. We will be sure to install a ladder on the dock just in case it ever happens so we can jump in and bring her out!

The FL critters scare the crap out of me so I'm sure I will be on guard all the time.

Thanks for the suggestion of cooling jacket, that's a great idea.

To the FL folks, I have a super dumb question! I can't wait to take Rudy to the beach, but I'm nervous about her running right into the ocean. I'm not scared that she'll just go swimming out to see, but wouldn't dogs get super sick if they consume the saltwater?

[Sam I Am]

That's not a dumb question at all! Yes, they would get sick from drinking saltwater. Luckily most dogs just don't do it once they get a small taste.

[arentspowell]

Thank you so much for the replies! I can't thank you enough for your words of encouragement because the whole move has put me over the top Rudy's EIC is strictly driven by playing fetch, she goes out of her mind mentally and physically! Even on a 70 degrees day here in Ohio we can only toss the ball a few times. Of course she doesn't want to stop, but I know what will happen if she keeps going! Thinking fetch might be very limited. But she does do really well going for runs with me (5 miles every morning) so I'm hoping that we can go super early in the morning. And I totally agree about the canal and her not being able to get out because there's no getting out with a seawall. We will be sure to install a ladder on the dock just in case it ever happens so we can jump in and bring her out! The FL critters scare the crap out of me so I'm sure I will be on guard all the time. Thanks for the suggestion of cooling jacket, that's a great idea. To the FL folks, I have a super dumb question! I can't wait to take Rudy to the beach, but I'm nervous about her running right into the ocean. I'm not scared that she'll just go swimming out to see, but wouldn't dogs get super sick if they consume the saltwater?

They get BIG TIME cannon butt! Daisy doesn't drink it on purpose but she ends up swallowing a whole bunch retrieving her bumper in the water. It's not a big deal though, we try to clean up what we can and cover the rest with a big pile of sand. It's usually subsided by the time we are ready to go home. We also make sure to bring a big jug of water for the dogs while we're out so they have access to fresh water.