Anonymous
Post 07/30/2025 11:17     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
This is the OP. The dog seemed perfectly happy and also was fine when we got back. People and dogs used to live through hot summers with no AC. Think about living in Louisiana or Georgia or Florida before there was AC. They survived. I think a lot of people are confusing the PSAs about leaving animals alone in closed hot cars with being in the car with them, driving, with the windows down.

Anyway, I left him home for a couple of hours rather than subject him to that again. Who knows how miserable he was while home alone but he was fine when we got back. I guess I won't be taking him with us in the car again.
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2025 11:10     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
There is absolutely no reason to be taking a poodle (the length of the coat does not matter) in a car with no a/c on a day like today unless it's to the vet.
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2025 11:10     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
Anonymous wrote:Dogs are happy to be with you and will go along even when they suffer. Look at all those bike riders dragging dogs running alongside on hot asphalt trails.

This is so true. Dogs are really good at hiding when they are hurting or feeling unwell.
Anonymous
Post 07/30/2025 11:08     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
Dogs are happy to be with you and will go along even when they suffer. Look at all those bike riders dragging dogs running alongside on hot asphalt trails.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2025 18:51     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
Anonymous wrote:
Think about it. Wind cools you down by removing sweat from your skin. It reduces the heat index, not the actual air temperature. The air temp does not actually change!

Do dogs have exposed skin? Very little.

Will the wind penetrate well through all that fur? Depends on the thickness of the fur.

Conclusion: The effect of cooling wind will be greatly reduced on a dog compared to a human, especially if the coat is long and dense.

In my opinion, for a poodle with a normally woolly coat, cooling will be significantly reduced.

Maybe the dog thinks the car ride is fun, but they don't know it's dangerous. You should know better than to subject them to potentially dangerous heat and dehydration.



Yes, but dogs are different. Dogs pant to cool down because they can't sweat like we do. When they breathe fast with their tongue out, moisture in their mouth and tongue evaporates, which helps release heat from their body.

But also, I already posted that it's too hot. I doubt the dog will die or anything, but the dog is definitely uncomfortable.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2025 17:23     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
Anonymous wrote:
Think about it. Wind cools you down by removing sweat from your skin. It reduces the heat index, not the actual air temperature. The air temp does not actually change!

Do dogs have exposed skin? Very little.

Will the wind penetrate well through all that fur? Depends on the thickness of the fur.

Conclusion: The effect of cooling wind will be greatly reduced on a dog compared to a human, especially if the coat is long and dense.

In my opinion, for a poodle with a normally woolly coat, cooling will be significantly reduced.

Maybe the dog thinks the car ride is fun, but they don't know it's dangerous. You should know better than to subject them to potentially dangerous heat and dehydration.





Also, remember dogs can't sweat.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2025 17:21     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
The fact that you are asking the question suggests you know this is a BAD idea.

Dogs CANNOT talk.

It's TOO hot and air quality stinks.

If you want to drive without a/c for 50 minutes, that is your choice.

Do NOT expose an innocent dog to your stupidity.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2025 17:16     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC

Think about it. Wind cools you down by removing sweat from your skin. It reduces the heat index, not the actual air temperature. The air temp does not actually change!

Do dogs have exposed skin? Very little.

Will the wind penetrate well through all that fur? Depends on the thickness of the fur.

Conclusion: The effect of cooling wind will be greatly reduced on a dog compared to a human, especially if the coat is long and dense.

In my opinion, for a poodle with a normally woolly coat, cooling will be significantly reduced.

Maybe the dog thinks the car ride is fun, but they don't know it's dangerous. You should know better than to subject them to potentially dangerous heat and dehydration.



Anonymous
Post 07/29/2025 17:02     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
Anonymous wrote:Wait, what? The other responses on this thread are bananas.

Most dogs have loved car rides since forever, and when I was a kid, most cars didn't have AC. Not in the Stone Age, in the late 80s/early 90s. Being in a moving car without AC with the windows down is a dramatically different experience than being in a house or other enclosed space without AC. I feel like, once the car cools down and you get going, a car with the windows down on a 100 degree sunny day is the equivalent of like 75-80 degrees. Hot, but not uncomfortable or dangerous. And it's not like he's a Newfoundland, he's a poodle with a short hair cut.

Is he happy and hanging his head out the window loving life? Then do it! Give him water before you leave and upon return.

If he's curled up in the back seat, then he's a dog that doesn't like car rides. I wouldn't.



I agree with this - folks here have lost their minds.

If you are driving with the windows down, the dog will likely be just fine. The only exception would be if the dog is an extreme Brachycephalic type such as French or English Bulldog and/or is extremely overweight.

Anonymous
Post 07/29/2025 17:02     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
There's also an air quality alert.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2025 17:01     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Wait, what? The other responses on this thread are bananas.

Most dogs have loved car rides since forever, and when I was a kid, most cars didn't have AC. Not in the Stone Age, in the late 80s/early 90s. Being in a moving car without AC with the windows down is a dramatically different experience than being in a house or other enclosed space without AC. I feel like, once the car cools down and you get going, a car with the windows down on a 100 degree sunny day is the equivalent of like 75-80 degrees. Hot, but not uncomfortable or dangerous. And it's not like he's a Newfoundland, he's a poodle with a short hair cut.

Is he happy and hanging his head out the window loving life? Then do it! Give him water before you leave and upon return.

If he's curled up in the back seat, then he's a dog that doesn't like car rides. I wouldn't.


Back in the day, OP, dogs died of heat exhaustion and dehydration and that was that. People also died from not putting on seat belts.

Now we know better. Don't kid yourself that a car ride with open windows in these temps is safe for a dog. They might like it... but it's not safe.



PP here. I literally never in my entire childhood of dogs in cars in the summer with no A/C heard of a dog dying from this experience. Have you ever driven in a car on a hot summer day with the windows down and the A/C off? It's not hot or unpleasant, except for your hair whipping around your face.

We're also not talking about him living in the car. We're talking about a less than one hour car ride. People and dogs can be a little warm for an hour and it's not dangerous!

I'm verklempt that people think this is dangerous. Have none of you ever done this? Is that why you're confused? I feel like I'm in one of those episodes of the Twilight Zone where I'm the same and everyone else is different!!


In these temps, you're wrong and we're right. If the air temp was 80F and 35% humidity, then yes, you would be right. But it's not. It's 94F, feels like 103F with the humidity. No amount of filthy wind whipping around your face makes it safe.

Just because you don't know any dog that died from a hot car ride, doesn't mean it was good for them to get so dehydrated. And you didn't see them come home, slurp a whole lot of water at once, and die from bloat.

You're such an idiot. I bet you hate these modern times and the "safety culture".

Anonymous
Post 07/29/2025 16:55     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
WTF its way too hot!
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2025 16:54     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Wait, what? The other responses on this thread are bananas.

Most dogs have loved car rides since forever, and when I was a kid, most cars didn't have AC. Not in the Stone Age, in the late 80s/early 90s. Being in a moving car without AC with the windows down is a dramatically different experience than being in a house or other enclosed space without AC. I feel like, once the car cools down and you get going, a car with the windows down on a 100 degree sunny day is the equivalent of like 75-80 degrees. Hot, but not uncomfortable or dangerous. And it's not like he's a Newfoundland, he's a poodle with a short hair cut.

Is he happy and hanging his head out the window loving life? Then do it! Give him water before you leave and upon return.

If he's curled up in the back seat, then he's a dog that doesn't like car rides. I wouldn't.


Back in the day, OP, dogs died of heat exhaustion and dehydration and that was that. People also died from not putting on seat belts.

Now we know better. Don't kid yourself that a car ride with open windows in these temps is safe for a dog. They might like it... but it's not safe.



PP here. I literally never in my entire childhood of dogs in cars in the summer with no A/C heard of a dog dying from this experience. Have you ever driven in a car on a hot summer day with the windows down and the A/C off? It's not hot or unpleasant, except for your hair whipping around your face.

We're also not talking about him living in the car. We're talking about a less than one hour car ride. People and dogs can be a little warm for an hour and it's not dangerous!

I'm verklempt that people think this is dangerous. Have none of you ever done this? Is that why you're confused? I feel like I'm in one of those episodes of the Twilight Zone where I'm the same and everyone else is different!!

It's hot and unpleasant. Also you're inhaling a ton of pollution. I would not subject my dog to this.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2025 16:47     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Wait, what? The other responses on this thread are bananas.

Most dogs have loved car rides since forever, and when I was a kid, most cars didn't have AC. Not in the Stone Age, in the late 80s/early 90s. Being in a moving car without AC with the windows down is a dramatically different experience than being in a house or other enclosed space without AC. I feel like, once the car cools down and you get going, a car with the windows down on a 100 degree sunny day is the equivalent of like 75-80 degrees. Hot, but not uncomfortable or dangerous. And it's not like he's a Newfoundland, he's a poodle with a short hair cut.

Is he happy and hanging his head out the window loving life? Then do it! Give him water before you leave and upon return.

If he's curled up in the back seat, then he's a dog that doesn't like car rides. I wouldn't.


Back in the day, OP, dogs died of heat exhaustion and dehydration and that was that. People also died from not putting on seat belts.

Now we know better. Don't kid yourself that a car ride with open windows in these temps is safe for a dog. They might like it... but it's not safe.



PP here. I literally never in my entire childhood of dogs in cars in the summer with no A/C heard of a dog dying from this experience. Have you ever driven in a car on a hot summer day with the windows down and the A/C off? It's not hot or unpleasant, except for your hair whipping around your face.

We're also not talking about him living in the car. We're talking about a less than one hour car ride. People and dogs can be a little warm for an hour and it's not dangerous!

I'm verklempt that people think this is dangerous. Have none of you ever done this? Is that why you're confused? I feel like I'm in one of those episodes of the Twilight Zone where I'm the same and everyone else is different!!
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2025 16:40     Subject: Dogs In The Car -- No AC
Anonymous wrote:Wait, what? The other responses on this thread are bananas.

Most dogs have loved car rides since forever, and when I was a kid, most cars didn't have AC. Not in the Stone Age, in the late 80s/early 90s. Being in a moving car without AC with the windows down is a dramatically different experience than being in a house or other enclosed space without AC. I feel like, once the car cools down and you get going, a car with the windows down on a 100 degree sunny day is the equivalent of like 75-80 degrees. Hot, but not uncomfortable or dangerous. And it's not like he's a Newfoundland, he's a poodle with a short hair cut.

Is he happy and hanging his head out the window loving life? Then do it! Give him water before you leave and upon return.

If he's curled up in the back seat, then he's a dog that doesn't like car rides. I wouldn't.


Back in the day, OP, dogs died of heat exhaustion and dehydration and that was that. People also died from not putting on seat belts.

Now we know better. Don't kid yourself that a car ride with open windows in these temps is safe for a dog. They might like it... but it's not safe.