Like us humans, animals suffer from heat. It is therefore important to have the right reflexes in the event of a heat wave or a rise in high temperatures.
Fortunately, it is possible, thanks to simple actions, not to take any risk with your dog’s health, avoid heat stroke and protect your dog’s paw pads.
When is it too hot to walk a dog?
It may come as a surprise, but did you know that a dog could suffer from a heat stroke on a walk when it’s 20°C outside. Of course, if you pay closer attention to your dog while on a walk and make sure you don’t over exercise your pooch, it should be fine. Just make sure you bring refreshment for your dog.
Up until 19°C, your dog should be fine to walk outside but when the temperature rises above, your dog could be at risk. You should pay extra attention to:
- Pregnant dogs
- Puppies
- Senior dogs
- Dogs who suffer from obesity
- Brachycephalic (short-nosed) dogs
To give you an idea whether it’s too hot to walk your dog, here’s a risk rating provided by Vets Now:
| Temperature | Risk Ratings |
|---|---|
| 12°-15°C | 1/10 |
| 16°-19°C | 4/10 |
| 20°-23° | 6/10 |
| 24°-27°C | 8/10 |
| 28°-31°C | 9/10 |
| 32°C and above | 10/10 |
How to know if it’s too hot to walk your dog: Our top tip!
If it's not possible for you to walk barefoot on the pavement, imagine what it would be like for your dog? We reveal a simple and efficient little trick to find out if it’s too hot to walk your dog and if the ground is too hot for your dog's paws:
- Put your hand on the asphalt
- Wait 7 seconds
- If the heat is bearable, your dog can walk on it. Otherwise no.
- If the pavement is too hot, let your dog walk on the grass or in the shade. There are also small shoes suitable for dogs, but this is not ideal.
When is the best time to walk your dog in the day?
When it’s hot, and especially during periods of heat waves, it is recommended to walk your pooch early in the morning or late at night in order to take advantage of the freshness to the maximum, and especially so that your pooch does not burn its paw pads. As a reminder, when it's 30 degrees outside, the temperature of the asphalt can rise to over 57 degrees.
Where to walk your dog on a hot day?
Because pavements take a long time to cool down, you’ll have to find other places to walk your dog. But not to worry, there are a few nice areas where your dog could enjoy a walk safely:
- Near a lake, sea, or water
- On some grass in the shade
- Underneath some treas
- In a forest
After you’ve walked your dog, you will have to make sure your four legged friend keeps hydrated, has a cool place to rest and apply a pad balm on your dog’s paws to hydrate them.
