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01/05/2025
With the warmer weather coming, knowing how hot is too hot to walk/run your dog and how to check with the humidity factor is paramount for warm weather safety. *HINT: its not just about checking the pavement!
In general, temperatures above 20°C (68°F) could be a risk for long or strenuous dog walks, depending on humidity- especially for brachycephalic breeds, puppies & senior dogs. Temps above 25°C (77°F) becomes risky for ANY dog. Temperatures above 27°C (81°F) are considered too dangerous to walk a dog.
However, even at low temps, dog walks or runs can be risky if the humidity is too high. 😬 A simple way to check this is to multiply the temperature x the humidity. If the total is 1,000+, your dog may struggle with a run, but would probably be OK with a shorter or low intensity walk. Running wouldn't be recommended. On most weather apps, the running conditions are included. In the example/pics below, we have 15°C & 69% humidity and a 'Fair' running rating at 8:30am.
Using the calculation, 15 x 69 = 1,035. Mind you, the running rating is for humans- we sweat to keep cool and can tell when we struggle to breathe in high humidity that it may not be optimal for us to run.
So considering that:
A) Dogs have a higher normal body temperature than we do, (Humans 36-37°C/97°-99°F; Dogs 38°-39°C/100.5-102.5°F)
B) Your dog doesn't use sweating as a primary means of cooling down, (they use panting) and
C) Can't tell us when the air feels heavy to them, means that you may want to either:
• Wait until the score is more favourable, or
• Modify what kind of walk your dog has at that time.
As a dog walker & canicrosser, my general rule is no runs if the score is over 1,000. Depending on the breed of dog, a walk may be out of the question too. Obviously time of day and how sunny it is and access to shady areas also come into play here.
For my clients, I won't do runs or strenuous/lengthy walks if the score is over 1,000 and for vulnerable dogs/breeds I drop that to 800. I also won't do walks if the temps exceed 25°C for most breeds (apart from a SHORT on-lead comfort walk to toilet themselves. Then it's some sniffing activity/mental enrichment games in their home/garden instead.)
I hope this information helps you and your dog ENJOY their warmer weather walks - and be safer -as we approach summer & sun ☀️
Peace out 🐾✌️😎
