Hot Pavement and Summer Safety: How to Protect Your Dog

On a 25°C day, tarmac in direct sun can reach 50°C or more. Paw pads are tough, but they are still skin, and burns can happen in under a minute on a surface that hot. Summer walks are not off the table, they just need a bit of planning. Here is how to keep your dog safe when the ground heats up.

The seven-second test

Press the back of your hand flat against the pavement and hold it there. If you cannot keep it down comfortably for seven seconds, it is too hot for your dog's paws. Do this at the exact spot you plan to walk, because dark asphalt, metal drain covers and artificial grass run far hotter than shaded concrete or natural grass a few metres away.

Ground temperature peaks later than air temperature. The hottest pavement of the day is usually between 2pm and 5pm, and asphalt can stay dangerously warm for hours after sunset. Early morning is almost always the safest window.

Signs your dog's paws are burned

Dogs often keep walking through pain, so the damage shows up afterwards. Watch for limping or refusing to walk, licking or chewing at the feet, pads that look darker than usual or unusually red, missing patches of pad surface, or blisters. If you see blistering or raw skin, keep the paw cool and clean and call your vet, as burns can get infected quickly.

Protecting and repairing paw pads

A conditioning balm keeps pads supple so they are less likely to crack and split in dry summer heat, and it helps recovery after a rough walk. Apply it in the evening after a walk rather than right before one.

Rinse and dry the paws after walks too. Hot pavement, dust and road salt residue all irritate pads, and a quick rinse removes most of it. You will find more paw and coat care essentials in our dog grooming collection.

Heatstroke is the bigger risk

Dogs cool themselves mainly by panting, which becomes far less effective in humid weather. Flat-faced breeds, overweight dogs, thick double coats, puppies and senior dogs all overheat faster than average.

Early warning signs are heavy frantic panting, thick drooling, bright red gums, and a dog that slows down or lags behind. Later signs are staggering, vomiting, confusion and collapse. If you suspect heatstroke, move your dog into shade immediately, offer small amounts of cool water, wet the coat with cool (not ice-cold) water especially on the belly, groin and paws, and get to a vet. Heatstroke is a genuine emergency, not something to wait out.

Keeping the house cool

Most of a hot day is spent indoors, and a dog lying on a thick plush bed in a warm room has nowhere to dump heat. A cooling bed gives them a surface that pulls warmth away from the body, and dogs will move on and off it as they need.

A breathable mat-style bed works on the same principle by letting air move around your dog instead of trapping heat against them.

Browse the full range in our dog beds collection, and if you are choosing between styles, our guide to the best dog beds for every breed and sleep style covers what suits which sleeper.

Hydration through the day

Dogs drink more in heat, and a bowl sitting out all day gets warm, dusty and unappealing. A circulating fountain keeps water moving, cooler and filtered, which genuinely increases how much most pets drink. It matters even more if you are out at work and cannot top up the bowl.

Carry water on walks as well. A collapsible bowl and a small bottle are enough for most outings, and offering a few mouthfuls every ten to fifteen minutes is better than one large drink at the end.

Adjusting your summer routine

• Walk before 8am and after sunset, and keep midday outings to short garden breaks.
• Choose grass, woodland trails and shaded paths over pavement and sand.
• Shorten walks and swap some of the exercise for indoor enrichment. Our guide to boredom busters for dogs stuck indoors has plenty of low-effort options.
• Never leave a dog in a parked car, even briefly with windows cracked.
• Do not shave a double-coated dog. That coat insulates against heat as well as cold. Brush out the dead undercoat instead.
• Feed the main meal in the cooler part of the day, when appetite is better.

The short version

Test the ground with your hand, walk early or late, keep water cool and available, give your dog a cool surface indoors, and learn the early signs of heatstroke. Those five habits cover almost every hot-weather risk your dog will face.