25/05/2026
You may think I am being a little dramatic but please know I am not! Heat kills!
With the heat about to ramp up over the next couple of days, make sure to only exercise your dogs gently, if at all, and avoid taking them out on walks during the heat of the day, as the tarmac can burn their paws very quickly. If you do need to walk them, aim for very early morning or later in the evening once things have cooled down
Early morning or later at night goes for all of the below, avoid the hottest parts of the day altogether if at all possible and keep windows and curtains closed to keep the sun out
Make sure to rest the temperature of the ground before even letting them out to toilet. A good way to test the temperature of the ground is to place the back of your hand on the floor. If it is too hot for you to comfortably hold there for 3 seconds, then it is too hot for their paws too
Instead of walks, you could scatter their food or some treats in the grass for them to sniff out and forage.
Please be extra careful if you have artificial grass though, as this can often become even hotter than tarmac in direct sunlight!
Sand is one of the worst as it’s glass and holds the heat and will boiling hot so avoid at all times (beaches, building work etc)
Snuffling through natural grass either early in the morning or later in the evening once it has cooled down is a brilliant way to use up some of that pent-up energy while keeping things safe and low impact.
You can also help keep dogs cool by:
* Using frozen enrichment such as stuffed Kongs, frozen carrots, or dog-safe ice treats
* Closing curtains and blinds during the hottest parts of the day to keep rooms cooler
* Providing cooling mats, damp towels, paddling pools, or shaded areas to rest in early morning and later on the evening
* Avoiding car journeys unless absolutely necessary, as cars can heat up dangerously fast
* Watching out for signs of heat stress such as excessive panting, drooling, lethargy, vomiting, wobbliness, bright red gums, or collapse, if you see any of these it is a veterinary emergency get them to the vet straight away whilst trying to cool them with fans etc
Please make sure your dogs always have access to plenty of cool, fresh water throughout the day.
Remember: If you are ever concerned about heat stress, contact your vet immediately as it can become an emergency very quickly.
Hope you all have a wonderful Bank Holiday weekend and we will keep you updated regarding Tuesday’s class 🙂
