22/06/2026
Heat Waves In The UK!!!
There seems to be so much stigma around walking dogs in hot temperatures in the uk so lets get into it.
Theres always the argument of " dogs in got countries do just fine so it wont harm my dog"
Let me break this down for you..
Dogs in hotter countries are acclimatised to the heat. Dogs in the UK are not!
Let's break that down a little further...
It takes a dog between 30-60 days to acclimatise to hot temperatures. Meaning it takes their body that long to get used to and manage the heat.
In the UK we do not get constant hot weather so our dogs will NEVER acclimatise to the heat. Our dogs are always exposed to the sudden heatwaves we have so their body doesnt get time to adjust.
Dogs do not sweat, dogs regulate their body temperature by panting. When a dog pants their saliva evaporates from their respiratory tract.
In the hotter countries the evaporation is almost instant, however here in the UK we experience very high humidity rates which makes the evaporation process more difficult. This then results in the dog not being able to shed heat causing overheating (heat stroke) which can be deadly.
Its also extremely important to remember that your dog doesnt need to go for a walk to get heat stroke. Laying at home in the house can also cause heat stroke.
Its important to remember that type of dog, size and breed are all factors on how well dogs cope in the heat. Use things like cooling mats, fans, air con, wet towels and flannels, ice cubes in their bowl, doggy ice cream, cooling vests and even some chopped up fruit frozen kn water in the freezer.
You can help to prevent heat stroke 🐾
