How Hot Is Too Hot For Dogs?

Discussing What Temperatures Are Safe For Dogs, What Temperatures Are Not Safe For Dogs, And When It’s Safe To Walk Them

Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather. However, hot temperatures can be a bad thing if exposed to them for too long. This is especially true for dogs. While people can remove layers of clothing when it gets too hot, dogs can’t. Dogs have their fur coats year round. This can be problematic for some dogs in extremely hot weather. 

Therefore, this article will go over what temperatures are too hot for dogs and for their paws. Additionally, this article will also discuss other factors that affect your dog during hot weather such as breed, size, age, coat, and humidity. 

Ideal Indoor Temperature For Dogs

According to One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, the ideal indoor temperature for dogs is between 75 and 78 degrees. This average can apply to both the summer and winter seasons. However, this is more of an average and will slightly vary from dog to dog. Monitor and adjust accordingly based on your dogs’ needs and preferences. 

When Is It Too Hot To Walk Your Dog?

Stella & Chewy’s offers a very nice temperature chart to help you gauge when it is too hot to walk your dog. Click here to view the full chart. Generally speaking, 60 to 75 degrees outside imposes little to no risk for your dog. However, after 75 degrees, your dog can overheat, so use caution. They also recommend not walking your dog outside at all if the temperature is over 85 degrees. 

However, most dogs will do just fine in 90 degree temperatures as long as you keep the walks relatively short. But, there are some other factors to consider regarding walking dogs in these temperatures. 

Other Factors To Consider

It’s not just the temperature you should be worried about during the summer. There are other factors to consider when taking your four-legged friend outside. Here are just a few things to consider during the summer weather. 

Age

According to Pawlicy, older dogs have a higher risk of overheating compared to younger dogs. Mobility issues can also play a huge factor in their ability to find shade and escape direct sunlight. Therefore, you should never leave an older dog unsupervised outside in hot weather. 

Breed

Some breeds of dog can tolerate hot weather better than others. Dogs don’t sweat to cool off like people do. Instead, dogs pant to cool off. Breeds like Pugs, Bulldogs, and Boston Terriers have shorter snouts and therefore can’t cool off as efficiently. 

Additionally, some dogs have much thicker and heavier fur coats than others. Breeds like Siberian Huskies, Newfoundland, and Bernese Mountain Dogs usually have thicker coats. Therefore, they typically don’t handle hot weather as well as shorthair dogs. 

Weight

The weight of a dog also affects their ability to handle the heat. Overweight and obese dogs are more likely to overheat. Dogs can’t properly distribute heat when they have excess body fat. Obesity/overweightness puts dogs at higher risk of heat stroke and lowers their chances of recovering from heat stroke. 

Humidity

Another important factor to consider besides temperature is the humidity. Dogs have difficulty cooling themselves in high humidity. As previously mentioned, dogs cool themselves off by panting. Humidity causes the water content in the air to impede a dog’s ability to evaporate moisture in the lungs. 

Therefore, we recommend checking both the temperature and the humidity levels outside before taking your dog outside. If it’s too humid for you, then it’s too humid for your dog. 

Dog Walking Precautions

There are many different precautions you should take when taking your dog outside. They include checking the temperature & humidity, checking how hot the pavement is (if it burns your hand, it will burn your dog’s paws), keeping your dog in the shade when possible, taking water with you on your walks, and knowing your dog’s limits.

For more detailed information about dog walking safety during the summer, click here

Hire A Dog Walker Today!

Don’t feel like walking your dog in the summer heat? Then hire a professional dog walker instead! When it comes to dog walking, ParaMount Pet Care has you covered.  We are the leading pet care professionals in the Luzerne County area. All of our sitters are insured, bonded, trained in pet CPR & first aid, and dedicated to caring for your pets. 

We offer a wide variety of pet sitting services such as in-home pet sitting, routine dog walking, overnight stays, and more! Click here to see all of our services! Click here to become a client today or give us a call at 570-814-1037. We look forward to hearing from you soon! Be sure to check us out on Facebook and Instagram too. We post adorable pictures of pets everyday that you won’t want to miss!