June 25th

By Mutt Mulligan

How hot is too hot to walk your dog?

The dog days of summer are upon us! As much as Fido loves to go for a walk, it’s important for pet parents to keep their fur babies’ safety in mind during the heat of summer. Here’s a test you can keep on hand (or on paw, in this case!) to determine if it’s too hot to take your dog for walk. It’s courtesy of pet insurance company, PetPlan.

• Rest your hand on the pavement for seven seconds.
• If it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your pup.

Vets say paw damage can occur in just one minute. Plus, there’s the chance of heat exhaustion and heat stroke since dogs can’t sweat out excess body heat like humans can.

Hard surfaces bake in the summer heat. In fact, asphalt temps can be 50° hotter than the air temperature! Living landscapes help dissipate this effect. Scientists have discovered that grass can be up to 30° cooler than asphalt and 20° cooler than bare soil.

So how can you keep your pet safe on summer walks? Head outside in the cooler parts of the day. That means preferably first thing in the morning before the pavement has a chance to soak up the sun’s rays. Walking in the evening is also an option, but use the test mentioned above to make sure the pavement isn’t still too hot. Another TurfMutt tip is to walk on the grass instead of the pavement. This will feel better for your pet’s paws! If it’s just too hot to take walk, consider heading to your family yard for a quick game for fetch or Frisbee.