Walking your dog in hot weather: how to check if the pavement is too hot

On a 25°C day, asphalt in direct sun can reach around 50°C. At that temperature, a dog's paw pads can be burned in under a minute. Most owners never think about it, because we wear shoes.

Israeli summers make this a real, regular risk — not an edge case.

The seven-second test

Press the back of your hand flat against the pavement and hold it there for seven seconds. If you can't keep it there comfortably, your dog can't walk on it.

That's the whole test. It takes seven seconds and it's more reliable than guessing from air temperature.

When to walk instead

Early morning is best — the ground has had all night to cool. Evening is trickier than people assume: asphalt holds heat for hours after sunset, so a walk at 8pm can still be on hot ground even though the air feels fine.

Grass, dirt paths and shaded routes stay dramatically cooler than asphalt and paving stones. Changing your route matters as much as changing your time.

Signs your dog is overheating

Heatstroke in dogs escalates fast and can be fatal. Watch for:

• Heavy, frantic panting that doesn't settle
• Thick, ropey drool
• Bright red or very pale gums
• Wobbliness, confusion, or reluctance to keep walking
• Vomiting or diarrhoea

If you see these, stop immediately. Get your dog into shade, offer small amounts of water, and cool them with room-temperature water on the belly, armpits and paws. Don't use ice or ice water — it constricts blood vessels and slows heat loss. Then call your vet. Heatstroke needs treatment even if your dog seems to recover.

Dogs at higher risk

Flat-faced breeds — pugs, French bulldogs, boxers, Persians on the cat side — can't cool themselves efficiently by panting and are at serious risk in heat. So are overweight dogs, very young and very old dogs, dogs with thick double coats, and dogs with heart or airway conditions.

If your dog is in one of these groups, hot-weather walks should be short, shaded, and early.

Practical things that help

Carry water — always

Cupped hands don't work well and most dogs won't drink much that way. A folding travel bowl or a bottle with a built-in tray means you can offer a proper drink anywhere. Offer water before your dog looks thirsty, not after.

Protect the paws

On routes where you can't avoid hot ground entirely, paw protectors put a barrier between pads and asphalt. Introduce them at home first — most dogs walk strangely for the first few minutes.

Check the pads afterwards

Burned pads look red, darker than usual, or blistered, and your dog may lick at them or limp. If you find damage, keep the paws clean, stop walking on hard surfaces, and see your vet — pad burns get infected easily.

Cool them down properly

A shallow splash pool in the garden lets a dog cool off through their paws and belly, which is where they lose heat most effectively. Ten minutes in cool water does more than a longer walk ever will on a hot day.

Never leave a dog in a parked car

It needs saying every summer. A car interior can climb 20°C in ten minutes, and cracking a window barely slows it. There is no safe version of this, not for two minutes, not in the shade.

The short version

Seven seconds, back of your hand. Walk early, walk on grass, carry water. Skip the walk entirely on the worst days — a day of indoor enrichment will not harm your dog, and burned pads or heatstroke absolutely will.