Please support this letter to AKC's president and board of directors outlining the dangers of extreme heat for dogs and people at sanctioned trials and events.  It features a proposal to develop an extreme heat/weather policy as well as requiring weather risk assessment and mitigation planning for any sanctioned trial or championship event.  This should be largely completed by AKC who then offers education, training, and support to clubs hosting trials.  I have offered free time and expertise to help develop educational material as well as help with writing policy and support materials.  The issue with extreme heat was most recently highlighted at the 2026 AKC National Agility Championship that was held outdoors on sand in the sun during 99+ degree temperatures without access to air conditioning or any cooled tent space.  Please read the letter, add your signature, and share with others.  Thank you!!  -- Eileen

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To Ms. Gina DiNardo and Board of Directors at the American Kennel Club:

 

Many of us are concerned about AKC dog sports events being held in extreme weather conditions that place humans and dogs at risk, especially in cases of extreme heat that unnecessarily place dogs and people at risk for heat-related illnesses including heat stroke.  AKC is without any policies to set limitations on the temperatures or weather conditions during which events are permitted to be held.  AKC does not require any prior mitigation planning for national-level events or sanctioned trials to ensure that trial chairpersons are both able and prepared to make proper accommodations to ensure safety for human and dog competitors in the case of extreme weather, such as extreme heat, cold, wind, or rain.  Dogs place a lot of trust in their human owners/caretakers to only put them in conditions that are safe for the physiological and psychological well-being.  They lack the agency to simply walk away and escape adverse environmental conditions.  In turn, WE place a LOT of trust in organizations, like AKC, to prioritize safety at events including agility.  Many situations carry risk, but most risk can be minimized or avoided with careful planning.  

Hyperthermia

Hyperthermia – an abnormally high body temperature – is caused by either environmental heat that the dog absorbs from the air, ground, or sun, or it is the result of internal heat production through exertion (Hemmelgarn & Gannon, 2013; Hall et al., 2020).  Companion dogs have been selected for physical traits that reduce their abilities to regulate temperature effectively in hot climates.  Their core body temperature of around 101.5ᵒF is warmer than humans so there is less internal heating that needs to occur to reach potentially fatal heatstroke levels of 105.8ᵒF (or 104ᵒF in humans).  Unlike humans, dogs lack sweat glands except on their paw pads.  The main way that dogs lose heat is dissipating it through the vascular system in the skin surface into the surrounding environment.  This accounts for about 70% of the heat loss when the air temperature is cooler than the body temperature.  Hot environmental temperatures that approach the core body temperature negate this main method of cooling so dogs must rely on panting, which normally only accounts for 25% of heat loss.  If humidity levels are high over 35%, panting effectiveness is reduced, and it is ineffective if humidity is over 80% (Lewis, 1976; Flourney et al., 2003; Davis et al., 2017).  Heavy panting increases the metabolic rate which also produces internal heat (Davis et al., 2017; Soroko et al., 2021).  The action of heavy panting can further contribute to dehydration and the onset of heat-related illness.  Dehydration levels of dogs exposed to radiant heat loss were found to be comparable to that of dogs engaging in heavy exercise (Nascimento et al., 2025; O’Connor, 1977).

Heat-Related Illness 

Current research demonstrates that humans have significant advantages over dogs with their abilities to tolerate hot weather.  Heat-related illness is a spectrum that varies in both the severity of core body temperature increase as well as the physiological damage that occurs.  At its mildest, heat stress can occur with excessive thirst, soft stool, and muscle cramps that can manifest as reluctance to move or slight limping from dehydration and sodium depletion.  Slightly increased core body temperatures can result in heat exhaustion encompassing more serious symptoms such as muscle tremors, weakness, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.  Heatstroke is the most serious, and often fatal, manifestation that can occur quickly.  This includes collapse, drooling, red/purple gums, seizures, coma, neurological, renal and cardiovascular symptoms and multi-organ shutdown.  Heatstroke is often fatal and can occur very quickly without prior clinical signs being apparent (Hemmelgarn & Gannon, 2013; Young & Jandrey, 2020).  High-drive working dogs typically hide signs of exhaustion and stress, so they will simply continue exercising until collapse (Mills et al., 2020).  

Serious Risk Factors

Collapse and/or coma are the most common sign upon admission to a veterinary hospital for suspected heatstroke.  Hall et al.’s (2020) research study found that purebred dogs have a higher risk of heat stroke than crossbreed dogs.  Brachycephalic dogs had the highest risk of all of heatstroke.  French bulldogs have been the number once breed registered with AKC over the past four years in the United States, making this an even higher concern for teams in AKC competitive events.  Additionally, Belgian Malinois, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Border Collies, and English Springer Spaniels are considered at high risk for heatstroke and over-represented in existing research, likely due to their large body mass, and exuberant, high drive nature that may inhibit warning signs and self-regulation when faced with exhaustion.  Male dogs are also much more likely than females to suffer serious heat-related illness (Bruchyim et al., 2006; Hall et al., 2020).  Well-conditioned field and hunting dogs have been recorded at heatstroke temperature hyperthermia during warm ambient temperatures and intermittent intense exercise, such as agility and hunt/field trial training, in research studies without displaying observable clinical signs.  It is well-documented in numerous studies that short duration intensity exercise causes a significant rise in dogs’ core body temperature, even in ambient conditions, but this is even more apparent in conditions with hot air temperatures (Steiss et al., 2004; Robbins et al., 2017).  Intense exercise, such as running, creates a strong convection of heat in the muscles that rapidly raises surface and core body temperatures (Vainionpää, 2012; Soroko et al. 2021).  Hall et al.’s (2020) research study highlighted that the predominant cause of heat related illnesses in their UK-based study was exertion (74.2%).  Confinement in a hot car comprised only 5.2% of heat related illness events.  Surprisingly, most dogs treated for an exertion-triggered heat illness had only engaged in light exercise (e.g. walking).  This highlights the public misconception of dogs’ ability to tolerate exercise in hot conditions (Hall et al., 2020).  This makes it all the more imperative that AKC sets specific heat limits because simply monitoring a dog for heat stress signs in these extreme conditions is not effective.  

Smooth, short coats absorb more radiant heat from the surrounding environment than thick, dense coats, leading to higher surface temperatures than dogs with thick coats (Kwon & Brundage, 2019).  However, thick and dark fur coats prevent vasodilation in the skin and essentially trap heat that is generated internally through exertion and metabolic processes from escaping through the skin surface (Soroko et al., 2021).  Cooling through panting occurs due to warm air being evaporatively cooled as it passes through the wet surface of the nasal turbinates and mucosa, but this surface area is drastically narrowed and smaller in brachycephalic dogs.  These tiny stenotic nares and narrowed nasal turbinates in brachycephalic dogs, in addition to other common brachycephalic structural abnormalities such as an elongated soft palate, can partially block the airway and further limit their abilities to cool themselves through panting (Young & Jandrey, 2020; Nascimento et al., 2025; Flourney et al., 2003; Drake & Klingenburg, 2008).  Humans have a cooler base body temperature and have sweat glands over their entire body that allow them to efficiently cool and dissipate heat, making it harder to reach heatstroke temperature (Lim, 2020).  Yet, temperatures around 100ᵒF are still very dangerous for humans to endure, and especially while engaging in outdoor athletic activity under the sun (Coris et al., 2004).  

Another dangerous risk factor at trials is lack of ventilation.  Dogs are often crated and left unattended at trial events.  Owners frequently cover the crates with blankets to block the dog from seeing stressful visual stimuli.  This lack of ventilation traps heat and reduces air flow to the dog, which can also result in hyperthermia and heat related illness (Moon et al., 2021; Hemmelgarn & Gannon, 2013).  When dogs are left unattended, no one is observing them for signs of heat stress or heat stroke, which is also problematic when operating in extreme weather conditions.

Cooling vests do not necessarily protect against exposure to heat stress that is occurring repeatedly over multiple days.  Detection dogs in Slotta-Bachmayr et al.’s (2024) study demonstrated signs of heat stress at temperatures averaging below 82 degrees with continuously rising body temperatures – including the following morning -- despite wearing cooling vests during search periods that occurred in ambient outdoor conditions over multiple days.  The dogs’ abilities to cope with warm temperatures were degraded as fieldwork continued over multiple days, resulting in heat stroke in one of the dogs, and all dogs showed signs of heat-related stress.  These temperatures in all of the above-mentioned research studies are drastically cooler than the temperatures in which AKC is conducting outdoor sport trials such as the 2026 Agility National Championship.  NAC occurred during a National Weather Service’s Heat Advisory of “Extreme Caution” that applies to temperatures of 90-103 degrees Fahrenheit and can be extremely high-risk heat exposure for dogs, even during the night time without sun exposure (Moon et al., 2021).  Heat stroke occurs very quickly, so owners must be preventive since working dogs may hide signs of pain, stress, or exhaustion (Mills et al., 2020).  

Decreased Performance, Lack of Clinical Signs, and Long Term Effects

Elevated core body temperature is serious for dogs’ health.  It also a factor that decreases performance in a working dog as dehydration occurs, blood flow is diverted from the internal organs to the skin surface to dissipate heat, and the organs are deprived for the blood flow and oxygen they need to carry out normal functioning.  Gut motility can slow and internal organs can become inflamed.  Muscles fatigue and may fail to properly repair (Hemmelgarn & Gannon, 2013; Hall et al., 2020).  This highlights that exercise does not need to be excessive for core body temperature to raise to high levels, and that clinical symptoms may not always manifest early since some dogs’ core body temperatures raised to heatstroke levels for a period of time without displaying clinical signs (Robbins et al., 2017; Steiss et al., 2004).  It is important to ensure that dogs can cool their core temperature properly following intense exercise.  This requires access to cooled air in extreme conditions since heat dissipation through the skin surface and panting decrease significantly as air temperatures rise (Flourney et al., 2003; Lewis, 1976).  Most of all, it is simply important to avoid putting people and dogs in extreme environmental conditions where they may easily incur possible heat-related illness when engaging in the AKC sponsored activity.  This is possible with required mitigation planning.

Dog Sports Trials in Extreme Heat

Most recently, AKC was without an advanced plan when extreme heat conditions occurred during the 2026 National Agility Championship with temperatures reaching 99+ᵒF.  A National Weather Service Extreme Heat Advisory was instituted in the area of the event that urged all humans and animals to remain indoors in air-conditioned spaces during the daytime for health and safety.  The National Agility Championship was on a sand/felt surface under full sun (no cover) with no shade except for the tent space AKC is bringing.  Ultimately, there were no swamp-cooled tents to provide a cooler air temperature for humans or dogs, no access to air conditioning unless someone had their own private RV or trailer, no switching of run times to early morning or night to avoid heat, and no official monitoring of dogs for heat-related illness when running in these extreme conditions without access to proper cooling.  There were paramedics on site to monitor people, but no official veterinarian on site to monitor the dogs.  AKC organizers provided no acknowledgement of the extreme heat, no education for attendees on the dangers of heat  to dogs and how to help their dogs stay safe and cool, and no education on observable signs to monitor for possible heat related illness in dogs.  AKC took no steps to inform attendees of the situation, did not heed NWS advisories, did not provide attendees (or trial chairpersons) with knowledge to help competitors and their dogs stay safe, and made little/no provision for anyone’s safety.

Several days before NAC, numerous competitors reached out to the trial secretary and trial chairpersons to express concerns and learn about what accommodations would be made to ensure safety in these extreme conditions since official emails had provided no acknowledgement of the extreme heat and no listed accommodations beyond limited shade tents and water hoses.  However, they received no response – I am the only one I am aware of who received a response.  After numerous emails, I received responses two days before the check-in day: the trial chairpersons were not making any additional accommodations from their original plan. Two of the three responses were very belittling and referred to the situation as "warm weather". The gaslighting and downplaying of the seriousness of the weather was immediately apparent.  I made a Facebook post regarding my frustration with AKC’s lack of response to these dangerous heat conditions that led to myself and many others to pull our dogs from NAC.  Competitors commented on how they had experienced AKC agility, conformation, and FastCat trials in 95-100+ᵒF temperatures.  The situation at NAC and with AKC-sanctioned trials in extreme weather conditions is unfortunately common without a set heat policy by the organization.

As a registered 501(c)4, AKC posits itself as both a promoter of dog sports, but also canine health, welfare, and responsible dog ownership.  One of AKC’s core values listed on the AKC website is protecting dogs’ health and well-being.  People believe that if AKC is hosting a competition event then it is generally safe for themselves and their individual dog to attend, especially given that AKC holds itself as a supreme resource of education on canine health.  People fly in from around the country for these events and cannot bring extensive amounts of hot weather appropriate gear with them on planes.  Even if they could, both they and their dogs would still be exerting themselves excessively in extreme hot conditions and sun, creating a high risk of hyperthermia and heat stroke.  These are all-breed competitions and dogs’ tolerances of extreme heat vary widely.  At NAC, many dogs still had their winter coats and were coming from 20ᵒF temperatures back home.  They were not acclimated to high heat conditions.  

Since the event began (and the social media post circulated), organizers opened a horse sprayer station to wet the dogs and kiddie pools of water available to dogs after their runs.  However, this is insufficient to maintain dog and human safety in extreme 99+ᵒF temperatures over multiple days where competitors are typically on-site with their dogs being exposed to the hot air temperatures for 9-12 hours per day.  It demonstrates a clear lack of organizational planning for contingencies such as hot weather.  Furthermore, it highlights an educational gap in AKC leadership and the public about the dangers of extreme hot weather for both dogs and humans.  Sometimes, no amount of cooling gear is going to make it safe for dogs and people to engage in sport activity outdoors during extreme weather conditions.  AKC sport events are not supposed to be a “survivor” type competition to see who can emerge unscathed from the extreme heat AND do well at the competition.  They are supposed to be all-breed and promote canine health, responsible ownership, and dog-human companionship.  Based on the peer-reviewed information provided above, the conditions at this event were insanely risky for any dog to be partaking.

When signing up for a national competition event, competitors place trust in the AKC organization that they will make safe and reasonable accommodations for the humans and all breeds of dogs, including those competitors who travel from outside the local area. Weather can change, but we expect that AKC organizers will adjust plans appropriately for safety, as the institutional keepers and promoters of knowledge on canine health -- instead of placing all of the responsibility on competitors.  Attending an event should not be a choice between risking heatstroke or not -- basically having to decide whether to subject one’s animal to potential cruelty/welfare issues with environmental conditions that are severely high risk to the human and dog.  With any competition, people frequently spend several hundred dollars (or more) to travel to the event.  They expect it will, at a minimum, be safe to attend and engage in the listed sport activity.  With a national competition like the AKC National Agility Championship, competitors have often spent between ten and twenty thousand dollars on trials over a year-long effort – after many years of training and effort – to qualify.  Then, they used their limited vacation leave from work and spent even more money to attend the National Championship.  They expect that at the very least the event will be safe for both them and their dog.   

Proposed Extreme Heat/Weather Policy & Mitigation Planning

I propose that the AKC should adopt a strict heat policy based on temperature and humidity levels that is informed by the latest peer-reviewed research on canine health and heat related illness.  All sanctioned trials and official AKC championship events must create a mitigation plan for severe weather that is published in their premium -- to include plans for hot weather, severe cold, and rain – if the trial location is outdoors.  If weather exceeds these temperatures, then trial chairpersons would need to initiate their mitigation plan to ensure that conditions are safe.  If weather is above a certain temperature that would be impossible to ensure safety, then trials should be required to be indoors.  AKC should provide training to trial chairpersons and competitors on heat related safety and signs to monitor for their dogs’ health in hot climates.  One argument that has been made before is how military working dogs operate in these sorts of extreme temperatures and that these are some of the same breeds.  However, military handlers are heavily trained AND equipped with thermometers to closely monitor their dogs’ core body temperatures throughout work and training activities.  They are both equipped and trained to respond to any abnormal body temperature reading from their military working dogs (Newton, 2019).  This is important since working dogs likely will continue working and hide signs of stress, pain, or exhaustion (Mills et al., 2020).  Dog sports handlers are not trained or equipped.  Dog sports trials are supposed to be a fun, recreational activity for competitors – not a life-or-death experience.

Existing Models 

It feels disappointing to have to request that AKC does not host trials in extreme, dangerous heat, but animal welfare laws that would provide safeguards for privately-owned dogs are nearly non-existent in the United States.  This allows human desires to override the prioritization of the dog and human competitor welfare at these events.  European Union member states each have their unique laws to ensure animal welfare, but they are strictly guided by the EU’s acknowledgement of animals’ sentience and humans’ duty to ensure welfare for both the physical and psychological needs of animals.  These laws guide the choices of dog sports clubs in those countries to consider the welfare of the dogs (and humans) attending when adverse weather conditions occur.  This was exactly what happened at the 2025 European Open when extreme heat led the organizers to move runs to early morning and night time to maintain welfare and safety of both the humans and dogs.  Solutions are often possible with proper mitigation planning.  

An example of a club that is already doing what has been proposed for their sanctioned trials is the Agility Dog Association of Australia.  They have an extreme weather policy for all sanctioned trials that has cut-offs for extreme heat.  They also require risk assessment and appropriate mitigation planning when preparing to host a trial (AADA, n.d.).  I believe all of this is possible if AKC provides guidance to their planners for national events as well as to local clubs that want to host a trial.  This will enhance the experience of competitors at trials and bolster the reputation of AKC as a champion of dogs.  I would be happy to provide any assistance for free with preparing educational material on heat related illness based on the latest research.  I would also be happy to help with any research, planning, or preparation for an extreme heat or extreme weather policy, including preparation of planning checklists, educational materials, risk assessment, and mitigation planning materials that would need to be provided to trial chairpersons.  

Thank you for your time and your consideration of this information.

 

Kind regards,

 

Eileen Koval, CDBC, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, MSc

Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (IAABC)

MS Candidate, Applied Animal Behavior & Welfare, Husson University

 

 

 

 

References:

 

AADA.  (n.d.).  Extreme Weather Policy.  https://adaa.com.au/extreme-weather/

Bruchim, Y., Klement, E., Saragusty, J., Finkeilstein, E., Kass, P., & Aroch, I.  (2006).  Heat Stroke in Dogs: A Retrospective Study of 54 Cases (1999–2004) and Analysis of Risk Factors for Death.  J Vet Intern Med 2006, 20, 38–46.  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2006.tb02821.x

Coris, E. E., Ramirez, A. M., & Van Durme, D. J.  (2004).  Heat illness in athletes: the dangerous combination of heat, humidity and exercise.  Sports Med., 34(1), 9-16.  https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200434010-00002

Davis, M. S., Cummings, S. L., & Payton, M.E.  Effect of brachycephaly and body condition score on respiratory thermoregulation of healthy dogs.  J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc., 251, 1160–1165.  https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.251.10.1160

Drake, A. G., & Klingenberg, C. P.  (2008).  The pace of morphological change: historical transformation of skull shape in St Bernard dogs.  Proc. R. Soc. B: Biol. Sci., 275, 71–76. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2007.1169

European Commission.  (n.d.).  Protecting the Welfare of Dogs and Cats.  https://food.ec.europa.eu/animals/animal-welfare/protecting-welfare-dogs-and-cats_en

Flourney, W., Wohl, J., & MacIntire, D.  (2003).  Heatstroke in Dogs: Pathophysiology and Predisposing Factors.  Compendium, 25, 410-422.  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287907065_Heatstroke_in_dogs_Pathophysiology_and_predisposing_factors

Hall, E. J., Carter, A. J., & O'Neill, D.G.  (2020).  Dogs Don't Die Just in Hot Cars-Exertional Heat-Related Illness (Heatstroke) Is a Greater Threat to UK Dogs.  Animals (Basel), 10(8), 1324.  https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10081324

Hemmelgarn, C, & Gannon, K. (2013).  Heatstroke: thermoregulation, pathophysiology, and predisposing factors.  Compendium, 35.

Kwon, C., & Brundage, C.  (2019).  Quantifying body surface temperature differences in canine coat types using infrared thermography.  J. Thermal Biol., 82, 18–22.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.03.004

Lewis, S.  (1976).  Effects of heat on canine and feline.  ISU Vet, 38, 117-121   

Lim, C. L.  (2020).  Fundamental Concepts of Human Thermoregulation and Adaptation to Heat: A Review in the Context of Global Warming.  Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(21), 7795.  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217795

Mills, D. S., Demontigny-Bédard, I., Gruen, M., Klinck, M. P., McPeake, K. J., Barcelos, A. M., Hewison, L., et al.  (2020).  Pain and Problem Behavior in Cats and Dogs.  Animals (Basel), 10(2), 318.  https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10020318

Moon KE, Wang S, Bryant K, Gohlke JM. Environmental Heat Exposure Among Pet Dogs in Rural and Urban Settings in the Southern United States. Front Vet Sci. 2021 Oct 5;8:742926. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.742926

Nascimento PV, Veríssimo TNS, Soares WAA, Maia MIL, Carvalho LRRA and Saraiva EP (2025) Heat stress in domestic dogs: morphological and environmental risk factors for dog welfare in a warming world. Front. Anim. Sci. 6:1679377. doi: 10.3389/fanim.2025.1679377

Newton, S.  (2019, Apr 3).  Pet Wellness: Heat injury prevention guidelines for working dogs, pets.  U.S. Army.  https://www.army.mil/article/219653/pet_wellness_heat_injury_prevention_guidelines_for_working_dogs_pets

O’Connor, W. J.  (1977).  Drinking caused by exposing dogs to radiant heat.  J. Physiol., 264, 229–237.  https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.1977.sp011665

Slotta-Bachmayr, L., Oyugi, A., Mutoro, N., Burak, M., & Wykstra, M.  (2024).  Detection Dogs Working in Hot Climates: The Influence on Thermoregulation and Fecal Consistency.  Animals (Basel), 14(17), 2456.  https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14172456

Soroko M, Górniak W, Howell K, Zielińska P, Dudek K, Eberhardt M, Kalak P, Korczyński M. Changes in Body Surface Temperature Associated with High-Speed Treadmill Exercise in Beagle Dogs Measured by Infrared Thermography. Animals (Basel). 2021 Oct 15;11(10):2982. doi: 10.3390/ani11102982

Steiss J, Ahmad HA, Cooper P, Ledford C. Physiologic responses in healthy Labrador Retrievers during field trial training and competition. J Vet Intern Med. 2004 Mar-Apr;18(2):147-51. doi: 10.1892/0891-6640(2004)18<147:prihlr>2.0.co;2

Vainionpää, Mari, Tienhaara, Esa-Pekka, Raekallio, Marja, Junnila, Jouni, Snellman, Marjatta, Vainio, Outi, Thermographic Imaging of the Superficial Temperature in Racing Greyhounds before and after the Race, The Scientific World Journal, 2012, 182749, 6 pages, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1100/2012/182749

Young, A., & Jandrey, K.  26 May 2020.  Heat-Related Illness in Dogs.  UC Davis Veterinary Medicine.  https://healthtopics.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/heat-stroke-dogs