How Hot Is Too Hot to Walk a Dog?

The temperatures to know

The AKC describes around 70°F as ideal dog weather. Once the air reaches 85°F and stays there through the day, the AKC says even short outings can be dangerous, and veterinarian Dr. Jerry Klein adds that the ground may be too hot to walk on when it is 85°F or more without the chance for pavement to cool.

For small breeds, the AKC suggests limiting time outside to 10 to 15 minutes once it is above 90°F, and says even thick-coated arctic breeds should not be left out long in that heat. Humidity makes everything harder, because dogs cool themselves mainly by panting, and panting works poorly when the air is already wet.

Why pavement is the real problem

Dark surfaces soak up sun and hold heat long after the air cools. According to data the AKC cites from the Journal of the American Medical Association, asphalt can reach 135°F on an 86°F day. Concrete, sand, truck beds and metal manhole covers can all be hot enough to burn, and artificial turf can be surprisingly hot too.

Small and short-legged dogs are closer to that heat, so they warm up faster from below as well as from the sun, the AKC notes. A dog's paw pads are tough, but they are not shoes, which is why some owners reach for dog boots on summer walks, and the first long walk of summer is when pads that have not toughened up gradually tend to blister.

The hand test for hot pavement

Step 1: Before you set off, press the back or palm of your hand flat on the pavement where your dog will walk. Step 2: Hold it there for ten seconds, which is the time the AKC suggests. Step 3: If you cannot keep your hand down comfortably for the full ten seconds, the surface is too hot for your dog's paws.

Repeat the test at different spots on the route, because a sunny parking lot can be far hotter than a shaded sidewalk. You can also try it barefoot, which the AKC mentions as another check. If the surface fails, switch to grass, wait for evening, or keep it to a quick bathroom break.

How to protect your dog's paws from hot pavement

Walk in the early morning or after sunset, and pick grassy, shaded routes, as the AKC advises. Build up pavement walking during cooler months so pads toughen gradually. Keeping pads moisturized with a product made for dogs can help, because dry, cracked pads burn more easily.

Dog boots give the most protection on hot surfaces. The AKC suggests a snug fit with wraparound closures and full-foot grips, and allowing your dog time to get used to them indoors first. A mesh summer style such as the Breathable Mesh Dog Boots with Reflective Strap is one example of the type. After any summer walk, look at the pads. Redness, blisters, limping or constant licking of the feet are signs of a burn worth showing your vet.

Signs your dog is overheating on a walk

The AKC lists seeking shade, restlessness, heavy panting, reddened skin and excessive drooling among signs of heat stress. If you see them, stop, get into shade, offer water and wet the belly and paws with cool water. A dog's normal resting temperature is about 99 to 102.5°F, and the AKC treats anything over 104°F as heat stress.

Bright red gums, wobbling, vomiting, confusion or collapse point to heatstroke, which the AKC describes above 106°F as needing emergency veterinary care. Call your vet or an emergency clinic straight away and keep cooling your dog on the way there.

Safer ways to exercise on hot days

On days when walks are risky, move exercise indoors. Scent games, food puzzles, short training sessions and a frozen stuffed toy tire a dog's mind without heating their body. A hard plastic wading pool made for dogs, which the AKC suggests, gives a cool place to splash in a shaded yard, and a cooling mat indoors gives your dog a cooler spot to rest afterward.

Flat-faced breeds, puppies, seniors, overweight dogs and dogs with heart or breathing problems need the most care, and the ASPCA suggests keeping them in air conditioning as much as possible on hot days.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.