Protect Your Dog’s Paws – In the summer, we all want to get outside and have fun with our dogs. And we love taking them for walks, whether it’s around the neighborhood or in your local park. But there are some hazards that you need to be aware of when it comes to your dog’s paws—and one of them is hot pavement.
Pavement can be much hotter than outside air.
Although air temperatures are often the focus of heat-related weather warnings, pavement can be much hotter than outside air. In fact, pavement can be as much as 200 degrees warmer than the air itself.
It’s important to keep this in mind when you’re walking your dog on hot days. If it’s 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27°C) outside and you see that blacktop has a temperature of 120°F (49°C), you should use caution when allowing your pooch to walk on it. This is especially true if there isn’t any shade or water nearby; even if asphalt is cooler than the air around it at first glance, that doesn’t mean that there’s not enough heat radiating off its surface for him to get burned if he stands still for too long!
The hotter it is, the hotter the pavement gets.
You might not realize it, but the pavement gets much hotter than you do. When the temperature rises and everything starts to heat up, it’s important to keep an eye on your dog’s paws.
- The hotter it is outside, the hotter the pavement gets.
- Asphalt gets super hot in direct sunlight—much more so than shaded areas or grassy lawns.
- In addition to being extremely hot during sunny days in summer months, asphalt can also reach scorching temperatures at midday when compared with mornings or evenings (when temperatures tend to be cooler).
Dogs can get burned by walking on hot pavement.
Even though we all love to take our dogs for walks, the scorching summer heat can be a dangerous threat. The pavement can get up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit in the heat of the day, which is enough to burn their paws!
Luckily, there are several ways that you can protect your dog’s paws from getting burned:
- Use booties or bandanas – Booties are great because they don’t slip off easily and protect the entire paw. Bandanas work well too, but they may slip down or need adjusting throughout your walk.
- Walk on grass or gravel instead of concrete – Grass and gravel have more give than concrete does, so even if it’s still hot outside it won’t be as bad for their feet.
If a dog’s feet are sensitive, they’re more likely to get hurt by walking on hot pavement.
A dog’s paws are sensitive to heat. If your pup has sensitive feet, they’re more likely to get hurt by walking on hot pavement. Some dogs are just more prone to this than others. If you have a pooch with sensitive paws, he or she may need some help protecting their precious little piggies from the sun during hot summer days (and nights).
If you think your pet has sensitive paws and needs boots for protection, there are several options available at local pet stores that can help keep him or her safe and comfortable during walks in warm weather.
There are tests you can do to determine how hot the pavement is for your dog’s paws.
There are a couple of ways to test the pavement to determine if it’s too hot for your dog’s paws. You can use your hand or you can use a thermometer. Hold your hand on the pavement for 20 seconds; if it feels uncomfortable and burns, then that means it is too hot for your dog’s paws.
If you don’t have access to either of these methods, look at the color of the asphalt. If it has turned dark enough that its surface looks rough like pebbles and small rocks (asphalt will never be smooth), then that means that it has been exposed to intense heat from sunlight as well from people walking on it throughout the day—both which make asphalt hotter than normal temperature.
You can minimize your dog’s exposure to hot pavement by going for walks during cooler parts of the day.
To minimize your dog’s exposure to hot pavement, you can take advantage of cooler parts of the day. If you walk at midday, there is less shade available, and if it’s an especially hot summer day, there will be a lot of direct sunlight beating down on your dog’s paws. Try going for an early morning or late evening walk instead.
If you live in a place where it gets really hot in the summer—like Arizona or California—consider walking your dog on cooler surfaces like concrete or dirt trails instead of asphalt streets. Concrete retains less heat than asphalt does, so it tends to be much cooler than asphalt at any given time (and dirt trails have even less surface area exposed). It’s important to remember that if you weigh more than 250 pounds (113kg), then your body can act as insulation against heat passing through it and onto objects around yourself; however, if your dog weighs more than 200 pounds (90kg), he might not be able to benefit from this effect because his mass is greater than yours!
If you’re going out in hot weather, pack a squirt bottle and spray water on your dog’s paws as you walk.
If you’re going out in hot weather, pack a squirt bottle and spray water on your dog’s paws as you walk.
When you want to cool down your pooch’s feet, make sure that the water is not too cold or too warm. If it is too cold, the sensation will be painful for them; if it is too warm, they won’t notice any difference at all. It’s best to err on the side of caution: If the water feels tepid to you, then it should be fine for your pup as well.
Spray from a distance—about six inches away from their pawpads—so that some splashes onto their fur (which can irritate some dogs). Also avoid spraying behind their claws because this could cause them discomfort when they step down again later on in life.
Hot pavement can burn your dog’s paws in a way that you might not notice until after they’ve already been hurt
Unlike humans, dogs can’t tell you when they’re in pain. They don’t speak our language and they can’t write down their thoughts on a piece of paper. So how do you know if your dog has been burned by hot pavement?
If your dog is walking around on a hot day with no problem and then suddenly stops, that’s a good sign that they’ve gotten burned by the pavement. You’ll also see them licking their paws to try to cool off the burn or limping because of it—but it’s important to note that this isn’t always the case! Some dogs will continue to walk on hot pavement without showing any signs at all until later when their paws are visibly red or inflamed (which could mean severe burns). Getting burned from walking on scorching-hot ground might not seem like such an immediate threat when compared with other dangers like being hit by a car or attacked by another animal—but it can cause serious damage over time if left untreated.
Conclusion
Now you know all about the dangers of hot pavement for dogs. You may not be able to control the weather, but you can take steps to protect your dog’s paws from it. If you’re going out in hot weather, pack a squirt bottle and spray water on your dog’s paws as you walk. Remember that there are many ways that we can help our pets stay healthy and happy—and this is just one more!
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