why

Why oh why do dogs lay in the sun on a boiling hot day?I always get Lazy back into the house.My husband says that is how they cool themselves off..ok..explain that one to me????

[seeana]

I do know that dogs do not sweat but cool down by panting and get rid of the heat that way.But if you did not get her inside she would get sunstroke.I do not know who is more of a twit .....Lazy or your husband lol.

[ginger899]

You do right to limit the time laying in the sun. Dogs can easily get heat stroke and heat exhaustion and dehydration. Basking in the sun when it gets TOO hot is not a very good idea.
I've caught my dog doing it sometimes....but most of the time she knows when she's had enough and moves automatically to the shade.
A question. Just a thought. Does your dog stick close by you when you're outside? Mine is inclined to. If I am in the sun she'll come and sit or lay near me. If I'm in the shade, she'll get into the shade....etc. I often have to move into the shade to make sure she does.

[Jaybay]

ginger - my Dal does the same thing.  No thought at all for himself.  He MUST be near me no matter how uncomfortable the situation.  With temps right at 100 for the past week, I've been keeping the dog door closed during the afternoon.  That crazy animal would chase squirrels all day and keel over of heat stroke if I let him.

Both of our dogs like to bake in the sun, but I don't get it either when it gets this horribly hot.  We have a ton of white wing doves here and in the summer they do the same thing.  They gather on a sunny and broiling hot roof, press their bodies against it and unfold one wing.  After a few minutes they switch wings.  ??!!  I have no idea what it's all about, but am inclined to think it's their way of killing mites.  How they survive it is beyond me!