If you can't hold your hand on the ground for five seconds, it's too hot for your dog's paws.
Each summer, the gap between a dog's discomfort and a dog's crisis narrows faster than most owners expect. Heat acts differently on animals who cannot speak their distress, and the responsibility of translation falls entirely to the humans who love them. Across the warm months, the RSPCA and veterinary guidance converge on a single truth: prevention is not a luxury but a form of care, and knowing the signs of danger before they arrive is the quiet work of a good companion.
- Exercise — the most ordinary part of a dog's day — becomes the leading trigger for heatstroke when temperatures rise, turning routine walks into genuine medical risks.
- Flat-faced breeds, puppies, and elderly dogs face compounded vulnerability, as their bodies are least equipped to shed the heat that builds fastest in them.
- Heatstroke escalates from panting and drooling to confusion, collapse, and seizure with alarming speed, demanding immediate cooling and veterinary contact.
- Owners are navigating a patchwork of interventions — shifted walk times, the pavement hand-test, ice water, cooling mats, and pet-safe sunscreen — to stay ahead of conditions that change by the hour.
- The threat extends beyond overheating: sunburn on pale or thin-furred dogs can progress to skin cancer, and a single locked car or conservatory can prove fatal within minutes.
Heat moves faster through a dog's body than most owners realize, and the distance between an uncomfortable afternoon and a medical emergency is often measured in what a person knew to do before the temperature peaked.
The RSPCA identifies exercise as the primary heatstroke trigger, which means the ordinary impulse to walk your dog can become dangerous on hot days. There is no universal safe temperature — it depends on breed, age, and health — but a practical guide exists: press your bare hand to the pavement for five seconds. If you can't hold it there comfortably, the ground is too hot for paws. Walks should shift to early morning or late evening, follow shaded and grassy routes, and running with dogs should be avoided entirely in the heat. Puzzle toys and training games can substitute for physical exercise indoors.
Flat-faced breeds like bulldogs and pugs are at greatest risk, since their shortened snouts make panting — a dog's primary cooling mechanism — far less efficient. Puppies, senior dogs, and those with health conditions are also vulnerable. Early heatstroke signs include excessive panting and drooling; as it worsens, confusion, weakness, and collapse follow. If this happens, move the dog to shade and pour cool water slowly over their body — not their head if breathing is labored — and never wrap them in wet towels, which trap heat rather than release it.
Prevention is more manageable than emergency response. Shade, fresh water with ice, damp towels placed beneath the dog, and supervised paddling pools all help. Cooling mats and jackets can assist but must be used correctly. A locked car, conservatory, or shed can reach fatal temperatures within minutes — there are no exceptions to this rule.
Sunburn is a quieter but real danger, particularly for light-colored dogs and exposed areas like ears, nose, and belly. Human sunscreens are often toxic to pets; only pet-safe, waterproof SPF 30 or higher should be used, tested on a small skin patch first. At the beach, fresh water, shade, knowledge of tides, and a rinse of sand and salt from the coat afterward are the small steps that keep an outing from becoming a crisis.
Heat doesn't just make humans miserable. Dogs suffer in high temperatures too, and their suffering can turn dangerous quickly. The difference between a dog having an uncomfortable afternoon and a dog in medical crisis often comes down to what their owner knows and does in the hours before the temperature peaks.
Exercise is the single biggest trigger for heatstroke in dogs, according to the RSPCA. This means the instinct to take your dog out for their usual walk or run can become a liability on hot days. There is no universal safe temperature for walking—it depends entirely on your individual dog's breed, age, health, and personality. Instead, the RSPCA recommends a simple physical test: place your bare hand on the pavement and hold it there for five seconds. If you can't do it comfortably, the ground is too hot for your dog's paws. If you do walk your dog during warm weather, go early in the morning or late in the evening, stick to shaded routes, and walk on grass rather than hot pavement when possible. Running or cycling with your dog should be avoided altogether when it's hot. If your dog is getting less exercise than usual, keep them mentally stimulated at home with puzzle toys and training games instead.
Certain dogs are at much higher risk than others. Puppies and senior dogs struggle to regulate their body temperature effectively. Dogs with underlying health conditions are vulnerable. But the most at-risk group are flat-faced breeds—bulldogs, pugs, and similar dogs whose shortened snouts make panting, their primary cooling mechanism, far less efficient. These breeds can overheat even in conditions that other dogs might tolerate. Watch for warning signs that your dog's paws are suffering: limping, refusing to walk, licking or chewing at their feet, discolored or damaged paw pads, visible blisters, or redness.
Heatstroke itself presents differently. The early signs are excessive panting and drooling or foaming at the mouth. As it progresses, a dog may become confused, shake, show weakness, or collapse entirely. Vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures indicate severe heatstroke. If you see any of these signs, move your dog to shade immediately and slowly pour cool water over their body—avoid the head if they're struggling to breathe. Do not wrap them in wet or damp towels, as this traps heat rather than releasing it. The goal is to lower their temperature as quickly as possible. Once they've begun cooling down, contact your vet for guidance and possible further treatment.
Prevention is far simpler than emergency care. Provide your dog with access to shaded spaces both indoors and outside. Keep fresh water available at all times; adding ice cubes to their bowl is a simple way to keep it cool. Wet or damp towels placed underneath your dog—not on top of them—can help. Commercial cooling mats and jackets exist, but follow the instructions carefully; some products that require constant wetting can actually make a dog hotter if they dry out. Frozen toys and paddling pools appeal to many dogs, though you should always supervise around water. Regular grooming prevents matted fur from trapping heat. Keep animal cages, fish tanks, and any enclosed spaces out of direct sunlight. Never, under any circumstances, leave a pet in a locked car, caravan, or other vehicle—temperatures rise to fatal levels within minutes. The same applies to conservatories, sheds, and greenhouses.
Sunburn is another heat-related threat pet owners often overlook. Light-colored dogs and those with thin patches of fur are especially vulnerable, as are the ears, nose, eyelids, and belly. Sunburn is painful and can lead to skin cancer in severe cases. Many human sunscreens contain ingredients toxic to pets, so use only pet-safe, waterproof sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Before applying it widely, test it on a small patch of skin and wait 24 hours to ensure your dog doesn't react. Some pet sunscreens have a bitter taste to discourage licking. Watch for blistering, crusting, itching, and redness as signs of sunburn.
If you're taking your dog to the beach, first confirm that dogs are allowed. Bring plenty of fresh water and prevent your dog from drinking seawater. Check the sand temperature and create shade with an umbrella or tent if natural shade isn't available. If your dog swims, know the tide times and any hazards. Keep them on a lead near fast-flowing water or cliff edges. When you leave, rinse sand and seawater from their coat and paws with tap water to prevent irritation. These small steps transform a beach day from a potential emergency into a safe outing.
Notable Quotes
Exercise is the most frequent trigger of heatstroke for dogs— RSPCA
There is no 'safe' temperature for walks, as it depends on your dog's breed, age, health and temperament— RSPCA
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why is exercise the biggest trigger for heatstroke if dogs are supposed to be active animals?
Because heatstroke isn't about activity itself—it's about the body's inability to cool down fast enough. When a dog exercises in heat, their internal temperature rises, and their panting can't keep up with the demand. It's the combination of exertion and environmental heat that creates the crisis.
So the pavement test is really just checking if the ground will burn their paws?
It's more than that. Hot pavement is one problem, but the test is really about whether conditions are hot enough to stress the dog's entire cooling system. If the ground is too hot to touch, the air temperature and humidity are likely at dangerous levels for the dog's body overall.
Why are flat-faced dogs so much more vulnerable?
Their anatomy works against them. A pug or bulldog's shortened snout means less surface area for air to pass over as they pant. It's like trying to cool a room with a tiny fan instead of a large one. They're working harder to breathe and getting less cooling benefit from it.
If I see my dog panting heavily, is that automatically heatstroke?
Not necessarily. Panting is how dogs cool themselves normally. But excessive panting—panting that seems out of proportion to the situation, or panting combined with drooling, confusion, or weakness—that's when you move into heatstroke territory and need to act immediately.
Why is wrapping a hot dog in wet towels actually bad?
It seems logical, but wet towels create a barrier that traps the dog's body heat instead of letting it escape. You want water moving over the skin to carry heat away, not sitting on top of them insulating them further.
What about those cooling mats that need to stay wet—why would they make things worse?
If they dry out, they become warm. A warm mat pressed against your dog's body is worse than no mat at all. You'd need to keep rewetting them constantly, which most owners can't do reliably.