How hot is too hot to walk your dog?

The pavement is hotter than the forecast

The weather app tells you the air temperature. Your dog walks on the ground, and the ground can be much hotter. The American Kennel Club, citing data reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, says that when the air is 86°F, asphalt can measure 135°F.

A comparison shared on the University of Georgia Extension's climate blog makes the same point for a hotter day: at an air temperature of 95°F, blacktop reached as much as 140°F, while grass in the shade measured 105°F. Shaded grass was still warmer than the air, but far cooler than the road.

Blacktop was the hottest surface in that comparison, but it is not the only one to watch. Dr. Jerry Klein, the AKC's chief veterinarian, warns that pavement such as asphalt, and also artificial grass, can become hot enough to cause discomfort, blisters, and burns on a dog's paw pads.

The hand test

The simplest check needs no thermometer. Dr. Klein's version: place your hand comfortably on the pavement for ten seconds. If it is too hot for your hand, it is too hot for your dog's paws. The RSPCA in the UK gives the same advice in brief, telling owners to check the ground temperature with the back of the hand before walking on a hard surface. A bare foot works too, the AKC adds.

Test the surface you will actually walk on, at the time you plan to walk. The Georgia comparison above shows how much the surface itself changes the answer.

Heat on the walk is the bigger danger

Most people think of hot cars when they think of dogs and heat. A 2020 study by Emily Hall, Anne Carter, and Dan O'Neill, using the Royal Veterinary College's VetCompass records of 905,543 dogs under UK veterinary care, found 1,259 heat-related illness events. Exertion triggered 74.2% of them, hot surroundings without exercise 12.9%, and being shut in a vehicle 5.2%. Where the type of exercise was recorded, 67.5% of the exertion cases happened after a walk.

The same study found that young male dogs had greater odds of exercise-triggered heat illness, that flat-faced breeds had greater odds of every type, and that exercise-triggered cases occurred in every month of the year, not only in summer. The RSPCA adds that dogs with health conditions, flat-faced breeds, and thick-coated dogs can struggle even in relatively cool spring weather after a cold winter.

The RSPCA lists the signs of overheating and heatstroke: heavy panting and difficulty breathing, excessive drooling, being lethargic, drowsy, or uncoordinated, and collapsing or vomiting. Its first steps are to stop moving, give water, and find shade, then watch the dog until it recovers; if it gets worse, follow emergency first aid advice at once.

Signs of burned paw pads

PetMD lists the signs of an injured paw pad: limping, licking a paw, holding a paw abnormally, and a pad that is red, ulcerated, or bleeding. Burns from hot concrete or pavement can also cause blisters that fill with fluid and rupture a few days after the walk, so the damage is not always visible on the day.

PetMD advises taking a dog with a severe burn to the vet immediately. Treatment typically involves bandaging and antibiotics to prevent infection, which is not something to improvise at home.

This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. If your dog shows signs of heatstroke or a paw burn, contact a vet straight away.

Planning walks through a hot spell

The AKC's advice is to avoid the hottest part of the day and walk in the early morning or evening, choosing grassy or shady routes. Its chief veterinarian also notes that when the temperature reaches 85°F and stays high through the day, even a short outing can be dangerous for a dog.

Bring water. The RSPCA suggests offering small amounts every 15 to 20 minutes, but not while the dog is panting heavily, which can cause bloating and vomiting. If you want to protect paws further, the AKC recommends dog shoes with wrap-around closures and grips on the bottom, introduced gradually so the dog gets used to them before a hot day.

Following the AKC's timing advice usually means shorter outings at the cool ends of the day instead of one long midday loop. For exercise on very hot days, the AKC suggests a hard plastic wading pool made for dogs.

One small help is moving the walk itself. Pawlk, a dog walk tracker, has a daily reminder you can set for 7 or 9 in the morning or for 6, 7, or 8 in the evening, and it stays quiet on days you have already walked.

Common mistakes

Checking in the shade. The doorstep test tells you about the doorstep. Test a sunny stretch of the route you plan to walk.

Trusting artificial turf. The AKC names artificial grass alongside asphalt as a surface that can burn paw pads. Real grass in shade is the cooler choice.

Thinking only cars are dangerous. In the VetCompass study, exercise caused far more heat illness than vehicles did, and most of those exercise cases followed walks.

Walking a flat-faced dog at a normal pace. The Royal Kennel Club's Pug page says exercise should always be kept gentle and moderated in warm weather.

Frequently asked questions