Protecting Paws
The weather is getting hotter, the pool seems so much nicer, and everything is brighter, we can gladly welcome the start of the summer season. With the beautiful weather comes more free time spent outdoors. Just the other day I decided to visit the lake and forgot flip flops, I decided to just make a run for the ramp across the hot black pavement… big mistake. The pavement was so hot that it burnt the bottoms of my feet. This was just the start of May, not even the peak of hot weather. This situation got me thinking, if my feet are burning on this pavement, my dogs must be too.
So, what temperature is too hot to walk your pup?
The pavement temperatures can be much hotter than the air temperature due to the amount of solar radiation that the ground absorbs. Due to the hotness of the pavement, your dog's paws can burn in as little as 60 seconds of direct contact in temperatures above 68°F. In June, the average air temperature is 87°F, which means the pavement is 147°F. Way too hot for anyone or any pup to walk on! With this in mind, we want to give you a few steps to keep your pet’s paws safe from the heat.
In order to protect dog paws from hot pavement, you can…
Use paw protectants such as Paw Wax, dog shoes, adhesive felt pads, or Paw Balm. All of these options are available to purchase through online sites and in many local pet stores. Maybe your dog isn’t a fan of dog booties (we don’t judge), so instead just make sure to keep them on the grass when going on a walk. And no matter what method you choose, always check their paws! Gently lifting their legs and feeling their paw pads can help indicate if they are too hot.
Learn from my mistakes, don’t run or walk barefoot on hot pavement and don’t let your four-legged pals do so either!
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