We’re in the dog days of summer, no pun intended. While exercise is vital for your dog, is it too risky to walk the dog when the temperature reaches 90+ degrees? Think about how hot you get from just a few minutes in the heat and humidity and then add a coat of fur on top of your body, and you’ll start to understand how your dog feels. Of course not all dogs have a heavy coat of fur, so what is the rule for heat and walking your dog?
As a generality you should not walk any dog, regardless of breed when temperatures reach 89.6 or above. However keep in mind that the temperature is not a constant. If the weather report calls for a heat wave you can either walk your dog in the morning or later at night when the sun is not at it’s peak. Anytime before 8am when you leave for work, or at night after 8pm, if you’re a night owl like me.
If you don’t have a thermometer handy one way to test if it’s too hot to walk your pet is to touch the surface of a driveway. If your hand can’t stand the touch of it for more than five seconds you should not walk your dog. Remember a dog’s paws are exposed to the heat coming off the surface and that kind of heat can burn the dog quickly.
Even if the temperatures are lower than 89 degrees you may need to keep a close eye on your dog. Different breeds and coat types should dictate how much below 89 you want to go before considering walking your dog. Larger dogs, dogs that are flat faced, or dogs that are young shouldn’t be walked for long lengths if the temperature rises above 75 degrees.
If you start the walk on a hot day monitor your dog and if he/she starts to pant heavily it’s probably time to get the dog in the cool house as soon as possible. Exercise caution and bring some water for the dog to lap up as needed. On especially humid days your dog may be unable to pant because the humidity doesn’t allow the moisture on the dog’s tongue to evaporate. So avoid walking your dog for any length when the humidity is unbearable for both of you.
Short bathroom breaks are welcome any time of the year regardless of temperature. Just don’t leave your dog outside for too long! Odds are the dog will be ready to come in pretty quickly on a hot day.
These tips will help prevent heat stroke in your dog and will keep your pet feeling happy and healthy in the summer! Use more toys indoors in the summer to keep the dog active when you’re both stuck inside.
If you think your dog has sunburn or heat stroke contact us immediately to see the dog and we’ll provide a full check up. For more pet tips and info like us on Facebook!
