The 7-second tarmac test
Place the back of your hand flat on the tarmac for seven seconds. If you can’t hold it, the ground is too hot for paws — burn risk. Asphalt stores heat for hours after midday: a path that was fine at 10 am can still be too hot at 7 pm. Switch to grass, forest trails and gravel paths.
The best times of day
On hot days the main walks belong to the early morning (before 9 am) and late evening (after sunset). At midday only short toilet breaks, in the shade, on cool ground. Move play and training entirely into the cool hours — excitement plus heat is the riskiest combination.
Water, shade, breaks
- Take water for your dog on every longer walk (folding bowl or bottle with a bowl top).
- Plan routes with shade and water — woodland paths instead of open fields.
- Give your dog breaks before they demand them. Panting is work.
- Wet fur cools: a stream or a dog shower along the way beats any shortcut.
- And of course: never leave a dog in the car — not even “just five minutes” with the window open.
Warning signs of overheating
Heatstroke develops fast. React immediately if you see any of these:
- Extreme, unrelenting panting with the tongue hanging far out
- Glassy eyes, deep-red gums, thick sticky saliva
- Staggering, weakness, refusing to walk on
- Vomiting or diarrhoea
- In severe cases: collapse, seizures, loss of consciousness
First aid in an emergency
Move to the shade immediately, offer (don’t force) drinking water and wet the body with lukewarm to cool — not ice-cold — water: paws and legs first, then the belly. Then go straight to a vet, even if your dog seems to recover: organ damage often shows up with a delay.
Dogs that heat hits hardest
Flat-faced breeds (Pug, French and English Bulldog, Boxer), overweight dogs, seniors, puppies and dogs with dense dark coats overheat much faster. For them: out even earlier, even shorter, even slower — on extreme days, sniffing games in a cool flat replace the big walk.