When is it too hot to walk your dog?

Is it too hot to walk my dog?

For dogs who live in the UK, hot summer days are often pretty rare! As such, they are not acclimatised to the heat at all, and may well have thicker coats than those who live in colder climates. Many of our most popular breeds were originally designed to work in some of the world’s harshest climates and so are far better suited to staying warm than they are to being able to keep cool.

As a general rule, walking your dog at any temperature over 20C should be avoided – especially long or energetic walks. Anything above this temperature will mean your dog can get dehydrated and hot very quickly – even if it is not obviously sunny.

The hotter the weather, the more at risk your dog becomes. 

For every degree of temperature increase, the risk to your dog increases too. Any temperature over 25C is a very definite NO! Stick to the walking below 20C rule to be safe.

Thankfully even on the hottest days, it is usually possible to be able to walk dogs in the morning before the day starts to warm up – and again in the evening as the day cools down. Offer them lots of water and walk in shaded areas if you can, and if you are walking in the evening, check that pavements and paths are not still hot.

Some dogs are more at risk from the heat than others, so be extra careful:

• Overweight dogs
• Brachycephalic breeds, such as French Bulldogs and Pugs
• Dogs with heavy coats (especially if matted)
• Older dogs
• Younger dogs and puppies.

Why can't I walk my dog in hot weather?

Apart from it being very uncomfortable for many dogs, there are some serious reasons why you shouldn't walk your dog in hot weather:

• Dogs are not good at regulating their temperatures. Unlike us, they can’t sweat through their skin (except a small amount through their paws) and so their only means of cooling down is panting and vasodilation (where the blood vessels dilate and bring blood to the surface of the skin where it can be cooled down before returning to the heart). Because of this, they can’t cool down, and can easily overheat.

• In hot countries, dogs will be inactive during the day, doing little other than lying in the shade or in dug holes, conserving energy – and avoiding doing anything energetic which will raise their body heat. On hot summer days, we should be allowing our dogs to do just that.

• Walking on hot pavements can cause severe burns on the sensitive skin on the pads of their paws. This will be incredibly painful for them and can lead to open wounds where the skin has burnt and peeled off.

Top Tip: Stand on the pavement or patio where the sun is on it with bare feet. Stand still without moving for 30 seconds. Is it too hot for you? If so, you'll know it is far too hot for your dog to walk on. If it was slightly uncomfortable, remember that a dog’s pads are more sensitive than your feet.

How do I know if my dog is overheating?

Any excessive panting is your first warning sign that your dog is overheating. So, if you see this, don’t wait for any more symptoms – get them cooled down immediately.
 
The quickest and simplest way to do this is to remove them instantly from the source of the heat and into a cool environment and make sure they have clean fresh water to drink.

As dogs are unable to cool down by sweating, you can help by pouring cool (not cold) water over them using a hose if possible and lying them on a wet towel. Do NOT cover them with the towel.

Life-threatening warning signs

• Excessive panting/ distressed or noisy breathing
• Agitation
• Appearing drowsy, uncoordinated or disoriented
• Red-coloured gums
• Drooling/thick ropey saliva
• Warm/hot to the touch
• Red or flushed skin around ears, eyes, muzzle and belly
• Increased heartrate
• Vomiting or diarrhoea
• Collapse

If you see any of these symptoms, as a first aid measure, try and cool your dog down by offering water, pouring cool (not cold) water over them, and even lying them on a cool, wet towel (don’t cover them with it though, as that can make things far worse by trapping the heat).

Take them to the vet as a matter of urgency.