25/05/2026
A GUIDE TO HELPING OUR DOGS IN THE HEAT 🔥
I honestly can’t keep up with the weather lately… days of relentless rain and now a heatwave across the whole of the UK!! While we humans are all enjoying the change of climate, it is important to remember that our four-legged friends might not be coping quite so well with this unusual surge in temperature 🌡️
I thought it might be useful to publish a guide to help fellow dog owners keep their pets safe during the summer heat and to help prevent/detect signs of heatstroke. I’d like to make it clear that this post is purely advisory - every dog will react to the heat differently. For example, certain dogs are more affected by the heat than other dogs, this includes very young or senior dogs, flat faced breeds like pugs, bulldogs etc, overweight dogs and sick dogs. Some dogs may have a higher heat tolerance that what I have outlined below and some may have a lower tolerance than I have outlined below - as the owner it is your responsibility to decide what is an acceptable temperature for your dog.
WAYS TO PREVENT HEATSTROKE IN DOGS OUT WALKING
☀️Personally I won’t walk my dog if the temperature is 22 degrees Celsius or above. While she is an active and healthy collie, it is just too hot for a dog who isn’t used to that kind of temperatures. Please note that short, p*e breaks are fine!
☀️ If it is not too hot to walk, you can avoid walking during the middle of the day when the sun is at its peak and instead you could walk first thing in the morning and last thing at night
☀️ You can try to walk in shaded areas (ie woodlands) to prevent prolonged exposure to sunlight
☀️ You can walk your dog on grass instead of pavements which would prevent your dogs paw pads getting burned (you can test whether a pavement is too hot by placing the back of your hand on the floor - if it is too hot for you then it is definitely too hot for your dog)
☀️ Carrying a supply of drinking water out on walks can be beneficial for both yourself and your dog
☀️ Keep an eye on your dog for signs of heatstroke. The Royal Veterinary College issued a guide to help identify symptoms of heatstroke in cats and dogs. Here is the link to the article for anyone who wants it: https://www.rvc.ac.uk/small-animal-vet/teaching-and-research/fact-files/heatstroke-in-dogs-and-cats If you think your pet is showing any signs of heatstroke, please contact your vet ASAP
WAYS TO PREVENT HEATSTROKE IN DOGS AT HOME
☀️ Provide a plentiful supply of clean drinking water
☀️ Provide adequate shelter for your dog to avoid direct sunlight
☀️ Limit the amount of time they spend outdoors or in direct sunlight (even if they enjoy sunbathing, many dogs do not know their own limits)
☀️ You can provide your dog with frozen treats
☀️ You can give your dog a small number of ice cubes (they are safe, providing your dog isn’t suffering from heatstroke)
☀️ You can provide cooling mats, paddling pools etc, as long as the dog is supervised when using these items
WAYS TO OCCUPY YOUR DOG DURING A HEATWAVE
🐕 If you are unable to walk your dog, you can replace their one hour walk with a 20 minute training session to provide stimulation
🐕 You can provide your dog with enrichment, ie puzzle feeders, lickimats, snuffle mats etc as a form of mental stimulation
🐕 You can play with your dog indoors where they are not exposed to the heat to physically stimulate them
🐕 You could scatter your dogs meals/treats (dry food preferably) in your garden and make them search for their food as a form of both mental and physical stimulation
I appreciate this is a long post so congratulations if you have made it this far! 😂 Like I said at the beginning, all dogs cope differently, so this post is merely a guide for those who are wondering how to care for their dog during a heatwave. This guide is by no means definitive, but it does provide feasible and realistic suggestions for those who are interested.
Feel free to share this post with fellow dog owners who may be looking for some advice ☺️🐶
