Is it too hot to walk my dog?
To you, it doesn’t feel that hot. But does your dog agree?
You step outside, squint at the sun, and think: “Eh, it’s not too bad.” Maybe there’s a little breeze. Maybe it’s early morning or the sun’s just starting to go down. You’re warm, but not wilting. You grab the leash.
And your dog follows — because that’s what they do.
But here’s the thing: dogs don’t always tell you when it’s too much. Not until it’s already a problem.
Unlike us, they’re wearing a full fur coat, they don’t sweat efficiently, and they’re walking barefoot on asphalt that can hit 140°F even when the air temp is in the 80s. That “not too bad” feeling for you? It might be dangerous for them.
Dogs are loyal, not logical.
They’ll walk with you out of habit, out of devotion, out of sheer tail-wagging joy. But they won’t say,
“Hey actually the sidewalk is burning my feet and I can’t cool off the way you can, so maybe let’s skip this one.”
They just… keep walking. Until they can't.
The signs of heat stress are subtle — until they’re not.
Excessive panting, drooling, sluggishness, red gums — they’re easy to miss until they’re serious. By the time your dog tells you they’re overheating, it’s already dangerous.
So it’s on us — their people — to know better. To be the voice of reason.
