How do you stay safe dog walking in the heat?
Walk your dog early in the morning or late in the evening, keep walks short, and test the pavement with the back of your hand: if it is too hot to hold for a few seconds, it is too hot for paws. Carry water for both of you. Watch your dog for heavy panting, drooling or weakness, and yourself for dizziness or nausea. Set a return time so your Guardians know if you are overdue.
Keeping you and your dog safe
01Check the ground before you go
Dogs walk barefoot close to hot asphalt, and the ASPCA warns that paws can burn and bodies heat up quickly near the ground. Stick to grass, dirt paths and shade. Press the back of your hand to the sidewalk; if you cannot comfortably hold it there, walk somewhere else or wait.
02Shorten walks and pick the right times
Save the long walk for a cool morning. On a hot afternoon, a quick potty break and indoor play is kinder. Flat-faced breeds such as pugs and bulldogs cannot pant as effectively and struggle most, along with older, overweight and thick-coated dogs.
03Bring water for two
Carry a bottle and a collapsible bowl, and offer water at shady stops. You need it too. A dog walk in summer can quietly turn into a long, hot outing when your dog wants to sniff everything.
04Watch your dog for heatstroke
The ASPCA lists excessive panting or trouble breathing, a fast heart rate, drooling, weakness, stupor and collapse as heatstroke signs, and in severe cases seizures, vomiting, bloody diarrhea and a temperature over 104°F. Get your dog into shade, offer water, wet them with cool (not ice-cold) water and call your vet or an emergency animal hospital right away.
05Watch yourself as well
CDC guidance lists headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness and heavy sweating as heat exhaustion signs in people. Sit in shade, sip water and cool your face and neck. Confusion or fainting can mean heat stroke, which needs 911, cooling and no fluids by mouth, per the National Weather Service. If you collapse, your dog cannot call for help.
06Set a return time on longer walks
Holler cannot sense heat illness, but it notices a missed check-in. Set a return time, and five minutes after it passes without you checking in, your Guardians get an overdue alert with your location. They can then call you or come find you and your dog.
Related questions
Can I use dog booties in summer?
Booties can protect paws from hot ground, but many dogs need time to get used to them and they do not stop a dog overheating. Cooler times and cooler surfaces matter more.
What if my dog collapses and I am alone?
Move your dog to shade, cool them with water, and call an emergency vet. If you need a friend to bring a car, tap SOS in Holler to send your Guardians your location. Our page on getting help alone while dog walking has more.
What should I bring on a summer dog walk?
Water and a collapsible bowl, a small towel you can wet to cool your dog's paws and belly, bags, and your phone kept out of direct sun. Plan the loop past a shaded park or a friend's porch where you can both rest if the walk runs longer than expected.
Is running with my dog in the heat safe?
It is harder on dogs than on people, because they cool mostly by panting. Keep hot-weather runs very short and early, or skip them. The dog walking safety hub covers year-round safety.
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Sources, checked September 2026: ASPCA: Hot weather safety tips, CDC NIOSH: Heat-related illnesses, National Weather Service: Heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
More safety answers, or see the safety guides.