Wow!   I was just reading about heat strokes in dogs and how to prevent and treat.   We live in Houston, and it's HOT and HUMID.  Even at night, it's in the 80's, but HUMID.  I bike with both of my GSP's between 11pm and 1am about 3-4 nights a week.  They will both run full speed hard for 10 minutes, then lope for 5, and get into decent speed trot for another 5-10.  By then they are panting super fast.  They won't drink water when they are hot for some reason.....and trust me they are HOT.  I get them home, they collapse onto the tile floor in the entry way,  just after we walk in.  They will get up immediately if I call them, and there is no staggering or vomiting.  I am so worried about heat stroke.  Since they won't drink, I feel like I have to cool them off, and the obvious choice is ICE.  They love it, they get it in small amounts, cooling them, but not too quickly.  I also wipe them down with cool rags, not COLD, and will lay a cool rag near the groin and abdomen, and on the head.  I also wet the paws.  Anyway, I read today on several sites that ICE can cause BLOAT.  It causes the abdomen to spasm severely, causing bloat....in OVERHEATED dogs.  Has anyone ever heard this, or experienced such a thing?  That's the very last thing I would want to happen.  Does anyone have know how long healthy 11 month olds should run?  I would love for them to run for a little longer, but obviously, I DON'T want them to overheat.  At the dog park they will run for 2 hours, jumping in the pool to cool off.  However, those runs are not constant, but super fast spurts.....We all know the GSP run.....stalk, etc.!  Does anyone bike a particular distance...3 miles, 5 miles?   Can't wait for winter to see if it makes a difference in the stamina.  Oh....but if they see prey on the bike ride, they have INSTANT REVITALIZATION to 100%.  

 Thanks for your comment.  I don't see where I made a comment regarding how long 11 month old should "live."  I asked how long 11 month old should RUN.  If I made an error, please point out where that was.  I would NEVER wish death on an 11 month old......I'm trying to PREVENT death of two 11 month olds, and any other dogs out there that might not be aware of this.  At night, we only run 20-40 minutes....MAX....and  in a constant run.  We no longer go to dog parks, as I stated.  Also, they were completely FINE at the dog park and NEVER showed signs of overheating there.  Not even once.  Even now, they aren't panting hard and deep and loud.....sorry. I used the wrong word, fast and shallow.  It's fairly quiet. It's the rate that scares me...it's just very fast. Humans would hyperventilate and pass out.   As far as the ICE comment.   Thanks.  I JUST found this out reading about it this morning.  I will NEVER do that again, I just had NO idea it could be deadly.  THis is actually my reason for the post.......to warn others, and to see if others had experienced this or new of this?    I have owned dogs my entire life and have NEVER heard about ice causing bloat.   I'm SO happy I found out about this.   Also......I am not positive mine are exhibiting actual heat exhaustion.  Their temps are only 103 after a run.  They also have energy to spare and are walking without staggering.  They DO rapidly plop down on the cool tile, and PREFER ICE to water.......which I will NOT ablige them with anymore.  Poor pups.  I will continue with the cool rags instead.  Thanks.

I live in Austin,TX and it is not as humid as Houston, but we also don't get the coastal breezes either. So what I would do is wet the dogs down really good before you run them and make several water stops along the way so they have a chance to get a drink. If you don't have water on the route take some with you. You could also take a spray bottle with water to squirt on their belly.  When they get home make sure they have water available, but if they want to lay on the tile floor for a little while let them as they are cooling themselves down. They will get a drink when they are ready. Just like people they are cooling down some before they drink water.

In the heat of summer I would break the bike rides down into shorter rides and do it twice a day instead of one long ride. You can then increase the distance as the weather cools off and they get older.

One other thing that would help acclimate them is to leave them outside during the day. Just make sure they have shade and plenty of water and start leaving them out in the spring so they gradually acclimate to the heat. That way when you bike them the heat won't bother them as much. I do that with mine so when they run hunt tests in the fall it is easier on them. We sometimes have temps in the mid to upper 90s and some of the dogs have a really hard time. Panting dogs have a much harder time of finding birds.

 Wow.  I didn't know that about horses. Interesting.  Thanks for the links as well. I will read up on them.  Yes, I purchased the COOLEST water bottles! They are called Puppy Gulps I believe.  It's an actual water bottle, and there is a plastic bowl type thing that follow the contour of the bottle and it opens up like a lid.  When you open the lid, you squirt water into it, and they have a little bowl.  However, NEITHER will drink while on a run.  Though I still carry it and offer it every 5 minutes or so, I have started waiting until they drink a lot of water at night.  Then I wait for 1 1/2 hours, and we bike!  That way I KNOW they are well hydrated.  They don't drink after the run either.  This is why I started feeding them ice because it was the only way I could get them to drink.  I would LOVE if mine would drink on command.  Thanks so much for those links!  That would be GREAT news if ice didn't cause bloat.  I found two sites that said that it has happened.  I will try to find the links.  Perhaps it was due to something else, and not the ice.....maybe the owner fed the dog too soon before a run.  The vet blamed  the bloat on the ice and the dog died. I did more research and found similar counts of ice causing bloat.  I am just afraid to take a chance.  It would be MY LUCK that it would cause bloat in my pups!   I will follow up with more research and also ask my vet who I trust with my pup's lives!   Thanks again!

 This is where I found my information.  I agree with the air from gulping large amounts of water just prior to exercise causing bloat. We also avoid this! No food or water 1 1/2 hours prior to exercise.  I also found more info siting bloat from ICE, but I cannot seem to locate it again!  I will keep looking. http://www.dogforums.com/general-dog-forum/54641-beware-giving-ice-water.html

 Thanks GOODNESS!  Thanks so much for shedding light Willowglen.  I am such a paranoid "mom" to these two, anything I read.....especially from a DOG LOVER'S forum becomes LAW!    Is the entire thing a fallacy, or did it just happen to ONE dog?    What a relief though. I'm so happy to find out that it is not true.  I think I will still be cautious though and talk to my vet.  He's an old country vet who has seen it all!!   Yes, I agree with you 100%  They drink a ton of water!  Might as well be food!   I am very careful with their eating and drinking habits as I had read about  the before and after time frame to prevent bloat.  I increased the time on my own to 1 1/2 hours just to be sure!!   I have even changed our morning feed ritual.  The previous ritual was, 1. outside to do their thing, then eat.  They knew the ritual SO well, they did not tarry doing their thing! 2. eat 3. outside to finish doing their thing!    However,  Upon letting them out to "finish their thing" I noticed they had unbelieveable energy and they just want to run and tumble and rough house.  So now, step 3 is KENNEL for 1 1/2 hours.  THEN outside to finish their thing!   If they protest highly, I will take them out separately on leash so they don't run.   

 Yep.....we share our food too!  Icecream bowls are favorites!   The two pups LOVE fresh strawberries and bananas, and carrots as well......but then I read the acid in strawberries contributes to bloat!! What dOESN'T cause bloat?     Lol!   I forget where I read that.  I found it when I was looking for "safe" foods for  dogs.  Strawberries are considered a safe food though, as are bananas. 

 Yes.  I guess we can't put them in a bubble.  I've already tried!!  The breed is just super active, and cannot be stopped!  We learned that trying to keep Kaido down while his toe mended.  That was a failed attempt!   His toe will heal as it will heal.....on it's own!   I still worry about every burp, every sneeze, every scraped paw pad, etc.  It's nuts!!    I love them SO much, and I guess, just as with our children, we don't want any harm to come to them in any way.   I'm glad to hear that for the majority of dogs, ice does not cause bloat!  Thank you so much for shedding light onto the subject!  I would have continued to deny my pups something they LOVE and need after a good hot run!   They showed NO signs of bloat, not even a burp after I fed them the ice.   I will proceed with caution.....in the back of my mind, knowing that it happened to ONE dog.....though we do not know the FULL details of the story.  As you said, he could have gulped the ice water down.  Gulping is a no no. Mine do it all the time when they are thirsty.  I am just careful that it is not before or after a run, or before or after eating.   I guess all we can do is try to keep them safe.....we can't ever be 100% sure nothing will ever happen.  I'm still hopeful though!