Protecting dog paws on hot pavement
Footpaths and roads soak up the sun and hold the heat. This guide covers a simple back-of-hand test, smarter walk times, routes with shade, and the signs that tell you a surface is too hot for your dog.
Why pavement gets so hot in an Australian summer
Concrete, bitumen and dark pavers take in a lot of sun, and they keep that heat long after you would think they had cooled down. A dog walks on those surfaces with nothing but thin pads between its paws and the ground. A footpath can feel comfortable to you in thick-soled shoes and still be uncomfortable, or even painful, for your dog.
Dark surfaces, roads and car parks tend to be worse than light concrete or grass. Surfaces that sit in full sun all day are worse than ones in shade. In places with long, hot summers, such as North Queensland, it pays to think about the ground before you think about the lead.
The back-of-hand test
Before you step onto a footpath, road or car park, press the back of your hand flat against the surface. Keep it there and count slowly. If you can't comfortably hold your hand there for as long as you would like, the surface is too hot for your dog's paws too.
Use your bare hand, not a fingertip, and test the actual surface your dog will walk on. Check a few spots along your route, because a shaded stretch can be fine while the next sunny patch is not. If the test fails, change the plan rather than hoping for the best.
Choose your walk times with care
The easiest way to protect paws is to walk when the ground has had a chance to stay cool. In summer that usually means early in the morning or well after sunset. Late afternoon can be misleading, because the air starts to cool while the pavement is still holding the day's heat.
Don't rely on the time of day alone. A cloudy morning and a clear evening can feel very different underfoot, so run the back-of-hand test every time. On very hot days, a shorter walk, a play in the yard or some indoor games can give your dog the exercise it needs without the hot ground.
Use shade, grass and smarter routes
- Plan routes under trees and along shaded streets where you can.
- Walk on grass, packed dirt or park paths instead of bitumen when they are available.
- Cross hot roads quickly, and avoid standing around on them waiting for traffic.
- Skip the car park. Dark, sun-baked surfaces are usually the hottest part of any outing.
- Take water for your dog and offer it often.
If your dog is small, remember that it is also closer to the ground, so it feels more of the heat coming up off the surface. Older dogs and dogs with thin or already rough pads may also be less comfortable than a younger, tougher dog.
Signs your dog's paws are uncomfortable
Dogs can't tell you the ground is too hot, so watch their behaviour. Stop and move to shade or grass if your dog:
- lifts or holds up a paw, or hops from foot to foot
- slows down, stops walking or refuses to go on
- tries to walk on the edges of the path or pulls you towards grass
- licks or chews at its paws during or after the walk
- limps or walks stiffly
Once you are somewhere cooler, look at the pads. Redness, darker patches, a blister or a pad that looks different from normal means it's time to call your vet.
Everyday paw care for walking dogs
Good habits make a real difference over a whole summer. After each walk, wipe or rinse your dog's paws, dry them well and look over each pad. Keep the fur between the toes tidy and the nails trimmed so your dog stands and walks comfortably.
A thin layer of a lick-safe balm before a walk can help keep pads moisturised and protected from dry, rough ground. Pawlm is handmade in Townsville from beeswax, shea butter, coconut oil and vitamin E, with no essential oils or fragrance, so it is safe if your dog licks it. Warm a small amount between your fingertips and work it gently into each pad. A balm does not make a hot surface safe. You still need to check the ground every time.
When to see a vet
See your vet for cuts, limping, swelling, bleeding, blisters or any change in the pads that doesn't improve quickly. Also see a vet if your dog seems unwell after being out in the heat, for example if it is panting heavily, drooling, weak or unusually quiet. Heat can affect the whole dog, not just its paws, so don't wait and see.
A simple summer routine
Test the ground with the back of your hand, walk in the cooler parts of the day, stick to shade and grass, and check paws when you get home. Those four habits take very little time and cover most of what your dog needs. If you're heading to the coast, our guide to caring for dog paws after beach days has more ideas, and if your dog's pads already look dry or rough, read about dry and cracked dog paws.