Walking Your Dog in the Heat: Stay Safe on Hot Days
On hot days, walk your dog in the early morning and late evening when the pavement and air are cooler. Test the surface with your hand: if you cannot hold the back of your hand on the asphalt for 5 seconds, it is too hot for paws. Bring water, stick to shade, shorten the route, and watch for heatstroke. Flat-faced, thick-coated, senior and overweight dogs overheat fastest. Never leave a dog in a parked car.
Heat does not cancel your dog's needs - they still have to go out. What changes is how and when you do it. On a hot day, a midday loop around the block is not relaxation, it is a risk: baking asphalt burns paws and your dog overheats far faster than you do. The good news is that a handful of simple rules turn summer into adventure season instead of a hazard.
When should you walk a dog in the heat?
The rule is simple: avoid the hottest hours. In practice that means early morning and late evening, when the sun is not blazing and the ground has had time to cool. Keep midday for quick toilet breaks only - no hard play, no running.
There is no single temperature above which things become dangerous. What matters is the combination: heat plus high humidity is worse than a high reading alone, because moisture makes it harder for a dog to cool itself by panting. Add direct sun, breed, age and fitness on top. The hotter and more humid it is, the shorter, slower and closer to shade you go.
The hot pavement test
Before you head out, check the surface. Place the back of your hand on the asphalt and hold it for 5 seconds. If you cannot stand it because it is too hot, it is too hot for your dog's paw pads and will burn them. Sun-baked asphalt, concrete, sand and metal can run far hotter than the air. Choose grass, forest paths and shaded sidewalks - and if the whole route is hot concrete, postpone the walk.
Which dogs are most at risk?
Any dog can suffer heatstroke, but some are in a higher-risk group and need extra care.
| Dog group | Why the risk is higher |
|---|---|
| Brachycephalic (bulldogs, pugs, boxers, Pekingese) | A short muzzle makes cooling by panting harder |
| Thick or double-coated breeds (Husky, Malamute, shepherds) | A dense coat traps heat |
| Dark-coated dogs | Absorb more heat in the sun |
| Puppies and senior dogs | Weaker body-temperature regulation |
| Overweight dogs | Extra weight strains circulation and cooling |
| Dogs with heart or airway conditions | Less reserve capacity |
If your dog fits any of these, treat summer heat with a wide safety margin. That does not mean staying in - it means short outings, cool hours, and never pushing it.
What to bring and how to run the walk
A few habits turn a hot walk into a safe one:
- Water - a collapsible bowl costs almost nothing and fits in a pocket. Offer water regularly, not only once your dog starts panting.
- Shade and pace - route through parks, woods and tree-lined streets. Walk calmly and take breaks.
- Shorter distance - cut the walk in the heat. Several short outings beat one long slog in the sun.
- No hard effort - save intense running and fetch for cool days. For more on when to ease off, see our guide to running with your dog.
- Never the car - not even for a minute, not even with a window cracked.
On hot days it is also worth rethinking how much exercise your dog actually needs and how to spread it out - our article on how many walks a dog needs helps. In summer, sniffing games and short outings often beat long marches in the sun.
Heatstroke in dogs: spot it and act
This is the part that matters most. Heatstroke develops fast and can be fatal, so every minute counts.
How do you spot heatstroke?
Watch your dog for these signs:
- heavy, non-stop panting that does not slow down;
- excessive drooling;
- a wobbly, unsteady gait, weakness, stopping to a halt;
- bright red or dark gums and tongue;
- vomiting or diarrhoea;
- disorientation, a glazed look;
- in severe cases, collapse or loss of consciousness.
What to do, step by step
- Stop the walk and move the dog into shade or a cool, airy spot.
- Pour cool, not ice-cold, water over the dog - especially the belly, armpits, paws and neck. Ice-cold water can do harm by constricting blood vessels and trapping heat in.
- Offer drinking water, but do not force it.
- Call your vet immediately and get there. Cooling is first aid, not a cure - the effects of heatstroke can surface hours later.
It pays to know in advance where your nearest 24-hour clinic is and what belongs in a kit. We cover the basics in our guide to dog first aid. If you have any doubt after an overheating episode, always check with your vet - better once too often than once too late.
The car is a hard line
In the sun, the inside of a parked car heats up by tens of degrees in just a few minutes, and a cracked window barely changes that. A dog left there can suffer heatstroke within minutes. There is no situation where leaving a dog in a car in the heat is safe - not even briefly. Take your dog with you, or leave them at home.
Summer is when the best routes are by the water and in the shade of the woods. On the DogOut map you will find parks, forest paths, beaches and water points marked by other owners - pick a cool route, set up an early-morning walk, and get out there before the asphalt heats up.
Frequently asked questions
- What temperature is too hot to walk a dog?
- There is no single magic number - humidity, direct sun, breed and fitness all matter too. The hotter and more humid it gets, the more you should shorten the walk, stick to shade and choose early or late hours. Flat-faced and thick-coated dogs struggle even in moderate heat. If you are unsure about your own dog, ask your vet.
- How do I check if the pavement is too hot for my dog?
- Place the back of your hand on the surface and hold it for 5 seconds. If it is too hot for you, it is too hot for your dog's paw pads and will burn them. Switch to grass or a shaded path, or move the walk to a cooler time of day.
- What are the signs of heatstroke in a dog?
- Warning signs include heavy, non-stop panting, drooling, a wobbly gait, weakness, bright red or dark gums, vomiting, disorientation, and in severe cases collapse. Heatstroke is an emergency - start cooling your dog and get to a vet immediately.
- How do I cool a dog with suspected heatstroke?
- Move the dog into shade or a cool space and pour cool, not ice-cold, water over it - especially the belly, armpits and paws. Ice-cold water can do harm. Offer drinking water but do not force it. Cooling is first aid, not a cure - call your vet and go straight there.
- Which dogs cope worst with heat?
- Brachycephalic breeds (bulldogs, pugs, boxers), dogs with thick or dark coats, seniors, puppies, overweight dogs, and those with heart or airway conditions. They overheat fastest and need extra caution.
- Can I leave my dog in the car for a minute with the window cracked?
- No. On a hot day a parked car heats up by roughly 20°F in about ten minutes, and a cracked window barely changes that. A dog can suffer heatstroke within minutes. Never leave a dog in a parked car.
