British summers are getting warmer, and every year more dogs end up at the vet with heat-related illness that a change of routine could have prevented. As a dog walker, hot weather is the one thing that will make me move a walk to dawn, cut it short, or call it off altogether — and I would always rather do that than take a risk with your dog.
Here is a straightforward guide to when it is too hot to walk your dog in the UK, how to check before you set off, and what to do instead when the mercury climbs.
What temperature is too hot to walk a dog?
There is no single magic number, because it depends on your dog's breed, age, weight and health. As a general rule, though, below 20°C is comfortable for most dogs, and the risk rises as you climb above it.
What surprises a lot of owners is how low that threshold really is. The RSPCA points to research showing dogs developing heatstroke at temperatures as mild as 16.9°C — often because they were exercised too hard, not just left in the heat. So "it's only 22 degrees" is not the reassurance it sounds like.
Here is a rough guide for a healthy, average dog:
| Temperature | What it means |
|---|---|
| Up to 19°C | Generally safe for normal walks |
| 20–23°C | Use caution — keep it gentle, watch your dog |
| 24–27°C | Higher risk — short walks at the coolest times only |
| 28°C and above | Dangerous — skip the walk, keep your dog cool indoors |
These bands shift dramatically for at-risk dogs (see below), so treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee.
The five-second pavement test
Before any warm-weather walk, do the test that Dogs Trust recommends: press the back of your hand flat on the pavement or tarmac and hold it there for five seconds. If it is too hot for your hand, it is too hot for your dog's paw pads, which can blister and burn on hot ground. On a sunny day, tarmac can be far hotter than the air temperature suggests.
Which dogs are most at risk?
Some dogs cope far worse with heat and need extra care well before the temperatures above. Take particular care with:
- Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds such as Pugs, French Bulldogs and English Bulldogs, who cannot cool themselves efficiently by panting
- Overweight dogs
- Older dogs and very young puppies
- Dogs with heart or breathing conditions
- Thick-coated and double-coated breeds
If your dog falls into one of these groups, drop the temperature thresholds and lean towards skipping the walk entirely on warm days.
Signs of heatstroke
Heatstroke is an emergency. Call your vet straight away if you notice heavy or frantic panting, drooling, bright red gums, wobbliness or collapse, vomiting, or your dog suddenly slowing down and lagging behind. Move them somewhere cool, offer small amounts of water, and dampen them with cool (not ice-cold) water while you ring the vet.
What to do instead on hot days
A missed walk will never hurt your dog; heatstroke can kill. On hot days:
- Walk early or late. First thing in the morning and after the sun has dropped in the evening are by far the coolest, safest windows.
- Keep it short and shady. Stick to grass and tree cover rather than open tarmac.
- Bring water and offer it often.
- Swap exercise for enrichment. A snuffle mat, a frozen Kong, scatter-feeding in the garden or some gentle training tires a dog out mentally without the heat risk.
On the hottest days, a quieter routine matters even more for dogs left at home while owners are at work — you can read more in how long can you leave a dog alone? and how often should you walk your dog?.
Can I walk my dog in the middle of a hot day at all?
It is best avoided. If your dog genuinely needs to go out, keep it to a few minutes on grass in the shade for toileting only, and save proper exercise for the cool of the morning or evening.
Is it the air temperature or the sun that matters?
Both. A 21°C day in full sun with hot pavements is riskier than the number suggests, while the same temperature under cloud with a breeze is far more comfortable. Always check the ground as well as the forecast.
Here in Biggleswade and the surrounding villages, our dog walking routine always flexes around the weather — earlier starts, shadier routes and shorter walks when it is warm. If you would like a walker who takes the heat seriously, get in touch.