Many people – and their dogs! – love to get out and have fun in the summer sun, but with the high temperatures of Australia, sometimes it is too hot to walk your dog. Care needs to be taken to make summer fun and safe for our furry friends.

How hot is too hot to walk your dog? Keep your dog safe in summer

Follow these tips to keep your dog safe over summer.

Ask yourself, “Is it too hot to walk my dog?”

What temperatures are safe for dogs to walk in?

For the average healthy adult dog, temperatures under 23°C are generally the safest for walking. Temperatures over 28°C have a high risk of heat stroke.

Is it safe to walk my dog? Temperature guidelines
  • 12-19°C – it’s generally safe to exercise your dog. Some brachycephalic breeds and any dog with health issues or traits that make them more susceptible to the heat must take care with temperatures higher than 16°C
  • 20-23°C – low risk for heat stroke
  • 24-27°C – moderate risk for heat stroke
  • 28-31°C -high risk for heatstroke. Life threatening for brachycephalic breeds, puppies, large breed dogs and those with medical issues.
  • 32°C or higher – severe risk for heatstroke for all breeds.

Some breeds of dogs with certain health conditions are more sensitive to heat and have a higher risk of heat stroke, and care must be taken when the temperature is higher than 16°C. For dogs at higher risk of heat stroke, consider short walks only, at cooler times of the day, or indoor activities only on very hot days.

Signs of heat stroke include:

  • Excessive panting
  • Noisy breathing
  • Drooling
  • Change in gum colour (pale or overly dark pink/red)
  • Vomiting
  • Dizziness, confusion, or agitation
  • Staggering/unsteadiness
  • Seizure or collapse

Heat stroke can be fatal. If you notice these signs in your dog, take them to your nearest veterinarian immediately.

Find your nearest emergency veterinary hospital

Is your dog at high risk of heat stroke?

Dog reads at risk of heat stroke

Brachycephalic breeds of dog, like Pugs or French Bulldogs, have a much more difficult time breathing and getting adequate airflow. Plus, they have a significantly poorer ability to cool themselves down, so are at a high risk for developing heat stroke.

Large breeds of dogs and those with a thicker haircoat are at a higher risk too.

Medical conditions that make dogs susceptible to heat stroke

Medical issues, particularly those that affect the heart or lungs, will increase the risk for heat stroke, as will obesity and poor fitness.

Ages at higher risk of heat stroke

Puppies and older dogs are also more susceptible to developing heat stroke, and do not cope as well in warmer weather. They cannot regulate their body temperature as readily as young to middle aged dogs can, so are more suspectable to heat and cold.


Check the ground temperature – especially of pavement

Paths, cement, bitumen and tiles can be deceptively hot in hot weather and burn your dog’s paws. To test if surface is safe for your dog’s paws, perform the 7-second touch test.

What is the 7-second touch test?

The 7- second touch test can help determine if the ground is too hot for your dog to walk on.

How to perform the 7-second touch test

Simply press your palm on the surface for 7 seconds. If it is too hot to hold your hand there for the full 7 seconds, then the surface is too hot for your dog to walk on.

Walk during cooler times of day

Consider the time of day you are exercising your dog. Always aim for early morning and later afternoon/evening. Morning is generally better, if possible, as the ground will be cooler than in the afternoon.

Dog walking in shade on a lead

Choose the right path and take breaks

Protect your dog’s paws from getting burnt by avoiding hot cement or bitumen and tiles. Choose shaded paths for walking your dog, though take care with long grass – it carries a higher risk of snakes, ticks, grass-seeds and other hazards.

Keep them on lead when going through these areas and stay vigilant. Take frequent breaks, and let your dog choose when to stop. Do not push your dog to keep going just because you feel ok.

Always have your dog on a lead and with you

Never leave your dog in the car – it takes only 6 minutes for your dog to develop heat stroke, which can be fatal.

Keep your dog on a leash on hot days so they don’t initiate running or high activity play, which may lead to dangerously high core body temperatures before they realise it. Some dogs will be having so much fun, they forget to stop and have a rest or drink water, and may not realise they are generating body heat so quickly before it is too late.

dog drinking from a portable water bowl after a hot summer walk

Always bring water

Always bring ample water with you on a walk and offer this to your dog at least every 20-30 minutes. Taking water with you is easy and convenient with pet travel water bottles. Alternatively, pack a collapsible travel bowl to pop out and fill it up as needed.

Protect their paws and skin

Use dog-safe sun protection, especially if your dog has white or pink ears and nose. Apply before going out and repeat as often as is recommended by the manufacturer.

You can purchase doggy shoes to wear when going on walks, which can be very helpful to protect their paws from burns, sticks and stone injuries, grass seeds and insect bites/stings when out and about. Be sure to take them off at home and give their paws a rinse off with water and dry after to reduce the risk of any skin irritation.

Consider shorter walks and indoor activities

There are plenty of indoor activities that can help burn off that physical and mental energy when it is just too hot to go outside. Going for a short walk in combination with these indoor activities or just choosing indoor activities for the day is a great option.

Dogs have an extremely sensitive sense of smell, and scent games are one of the most valuable and effective ways to keep their brains busy. Play games like ‘Find It’ in which you hide a treat or favourite toy somewhere in the house and allow your dog to sniff around until they find it. Start with easy hiding spots to build their confidence before working up to trickier hiding spots.

Snuffle mats and other interactive toys are also a great option to encourage your dog to use their nose.

Trick training can also be fun- work on training a new skill such as ‘shake’, ‘beg’, ‘roll’ or ‘spin!’ Keep training sessions short to avoid boredom.