There is a simple summer habit I wish every dog owner would adopt before heading out for a walk:

Reach down and touch the ground.

Not glance at the weather app. Not assume the sidewalk is fine because the air feels tolerable. Actually put your hand on the surface your dog is about to walk across.

On a sunny day, pavement can be dramatically hotter than the air around it. The American Kennel Club cites data showing that when the air temperature is 86°F, asphalt can reach 135°F. At that temperature, the walk you’re enjoying in sneakers can be a very different experience for the dog walking beside you. 

Here in the East Bay, that’s worth paying attention to. Danville, San Ramon, Walnut Creek and the surrounding communities routinely experience hot, sunny summer days. Our dogs still need exercise and they certainly aren’t going to stop asking for walks just because July showed up.

A little awareness can make those walks much safer.

86 Degrees Outside Doesn’t Mean 86 Degrees Under Their Feet

This is the part that’s easy to forget.

Weather forecasts measure air temperature. Your dog’s paws are touching a surface that’s absorbing energy from the sun.

Dark asphalt is particularly effective at getting hot.

According to the AKC, asphalt has been measured at 135°F with an air temperature of just 86°F. The organization warns that pavement, asphalt and artificial grass can become hot enough to cause discomfort, blisters and burns to paw pads. 

Concrete can become dangerously hot too. So can artificial turf, sand, metal and other surfaces exposed to direct sunlight.

UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine specifically warns that sidewalks, asphalt, sand and artificial turf can become dangerously hot during summer. 

That’s why there isn’t one perfect air-temperature chart that tells you whether every surface is safe.

Sun exposure matters. Surface material matters. Shade matters. Time of day matters.

Fortunately, there’s a much easier test.

Put Your Hand on the Ground

Before the walk, touch the pavement.

UC Davis recommends placing the back of your hand on the pavement for seven seconds. If you cannot comfortably leave it there, the surface is too hot for your dog to walk on. 

The AKC offers essentially the same advice using a 10-second hand test. 

Seven seconds. Ten seconds.

I’m less concerned about splitting hairs over three seconds than I am about people actually reaching down and checking.

If you immediately want to pull your hand away, there’s your answer.

Your dog shouldn’t be walking on it.

Paw Pads Aren’t Built-In Shoes

Dog paw pads are tough. That’s part of their job.

But tough doesn’t mean burn-proof.

The AKC specifically cautions against treating paw pads like shoes. Hot sidewalks and streets can burn them even though the pads are more durable than human feet. 

And there’s another problem.

Dogs don’t always communicate discomfort the way we expect them to.

They’re excited. They’re walking with their person. They’re smelling everything that happened in the neighborhood since approximately 6:14 that morning.

They may keep moving even when the surface is uncomfortable.

We have shoes between us and the ground, so we don’t receive the same warning they do.

That’s why the hand test matters.

Asphalt Isn’t the Only Problem

It’s easy to make asphalt the villain because black pavement obviously gets hot.

But don’t automatically assume the sidewalk is safe.

UC Davis includes sidewalks, asphalt, sand and artificial turf among summer surfaces capable of becoming dangerously hot. 

Think about that last one for a moment.

Artificial turf is increasingly common in California backyards because it’s attractive, doesn’t need irrigation and doesn’t turn into a mud pit.

For dog owners, it can seem nearly perfect.

But artificial turf exposed to direct summer sun can become hot. If you’re evaluating a home with turf or considering installing it, shade and summertime usability deserve consideration too.

The same applies to patios, pool decks and hardscaping.

A beautiful backyard should also be one your dog can comfortably use.

Walk Earlier or Later

The easiest solution usually doesn’t require buying anything.

Change the schedule.

UC Davis recommends exercising pets during cooler parts of the day. For hot surfaces specifically, its veterinarians suggest walking early in the morning or after sunset and choosing grassy or shaded paths. 

For many East Bay dog owners, that means making the longer walk the morning activity.

During the hottest part of the day, bathroom breaks can be shorter and focused on grass or shade.

Then everybody gets another proper walk when temperatures and surfaces cool later.

One important point: don’t assume pavement is safe the moment the air starts cooling.

The surface has been absorbing heat for hours.

Touch it.

Your hand gives you information about the actual surface your dog will be walking on right now.

Grass and Shade Are Your Friends

If you’re already out and discover the pavement is hotter than expected, change the route.

Look for:

• Grass
• Shaded sidewalks
• Tree-lined streets
• Dirt paths that you’ve checked
• Cooler surfaces away from direct sun

Protective dog booties can also provide a barrier when hot surfaces are unavoidable, although dogs generally need time to become comfortable wearing them. 

Personally, I wouldn’t use booties as an excuse for a long afternoon walk during extreme heat.

Hot pavement is only one part of the equation.

The Ground Isn’t the Only Summer Heat Risk

A dog’s paws may be touching a surface far hotter than the surrounding air while the rest of the dog’s body is also dealing with summer heat.

Dogs primarily regulate body temperature through panting and have only limited sweating through their paw pads. 

UC Davis lists signs of overheating that include excessive panting, excessive drooling, lethargy, vomiting, abnormal gum color, difficulty breathing and collapse. Heatstroke is a medical emergency. 

This is particularly important when deciding whether your dog needs that afternoon walk at all.

Sometimes the answer is no.

Fresh water, air conditioning and a dog sprawled dramatically across the coolest section of your kitchen floor can be a perfectly respectable afternoon plan.

What If You Think Your Dog Burned Their Paws?

Pay attention after walking on hot surfaces.

Burned or irritated paw pads can cause discomfort and may lead to licking or chewing at the feet. The AKC notes that hot sidewalks can cause irritation or blisters and recommends examining the paws, including between the toes and pads, when a dog begins licking them excessively. 

If you see an apparent burn, blistering, significant redness or your dog is limping or clearly uncomfortable, contact your veterinarian for guidance.

Don’t wait for a serious injury to prove the pavement was too hot.

Prevention takes seconds.

A Particularly Important East Bay Reminder

One reason I’m writing about this isn’t because dog owners don’t care.

Quite the opposite.

Most of us would do practically anything for our dogs.

We simply experience the environment differently than they do.

We’re wearing shoes.

They’re walking barefoot.

We’re five or six feet above the pavement.

They’re inches from it.

And when you’re standing outside on an 86-degree afternoon thinking, “It’s warm, but it’s not that bad,” the asphalt beneath you could tell a very different story.

That’s the part worth sharing with a neighbor.

Final Thought

Before your next summer dog walk, do one thing.

Reach down.

Touch the pavement with the back of your hand and leave it there for several seconds.

If you can’t comfortably keep your hand on it, find some grass, find some shade or save the walk for later.

Our dogs trust us to make those decisions for them.

And considering how much they do for us, checking the pavement seems like a pretty good deal.