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December 26, 2022Sensitive Paw Pads
What Temperature Can You Walk a Dog on Pavement?
Article by: Toe Beans
You might be surprised to learn that studies show asphalt temperatures run on average 40-60° degrees hotter than the surrounding air temperature.
According to an article published in the Journal of American Medicine Association, at 125°F skin destruction can happen in 60 seconds. A 125°F pavement temperature is equal to anything from 65°F to 85°F air temperature.
Keep in mind that the air temperature is NOT necessarily an accurate reflection of ground temperature. For any day hotter than 64°F, always test the pavement! We'll talk about how to test the pavement next.
Alternatively, you can choose to walk your pup early in the morning, late in the evening or on a grassy surface. According to the Department of Energy, turf lawns are on average 30 degrees cooler than the surrounding asphalt.
Test the Pavement
It can be surprisingly difficult to recognize just how hot pavement can get.
Light-colored pavement can still be 30+ degrees hotter than the air temperature, and dark-colored asphalt can be even hotter!
It's even hotter if there's no wind and nowhere for the heat to go. Those hot summer days might be great for basking in the sunlight, but that's for spending time at the beach or in the yard, not on a hot driveway, street, sidewalk, or parking lot.
Damage can also accumulate over time, so be sure to check your pups’ paws during warmer months to ensure their toe beans are in good condition.
So, how can you test the pavement to see if it's safe?
Here are a few tips:
- Try it barefoot. Your feet are just about as sensitive as your fur baby's, so if it's too hot for you to stand*, it's also too hot for your pup.
- Test with your hand. Your hands, especially the backs of your hands, are sensitive to temperature. If it's too hot to be comfortable just touching* the concrete, it's too hot for your fur baby.
- Use a thermometer. You can easily buy a basic laser thermometer and use it to check the surface temperatures of the places you want to walk your pooch.
Stick to the Grass
In the heat of the summer, it can stay hot for days or weeks at a time. Heatwaves can even last months in some areas! You can't very well lock your furry friend inside all this time, right?
You need to take them out for walkies to burn energy and tire them out for the evening - not to mention taking an afternoon tinkle!
When you take your fur baby out for his or her walk, try to stick to surfaces that won't be as hot as the pavement. Even dirt and sand are cooler than pavement.
Grass is better, especially grass in the shade. Even shaded pavement can be hot, but shaded grass is often no hotter than the ambient air temperature.
We understand that this can be a difficult task, especially if you live in a city where there isn't much green space available or if your fur baby loves to frolic regardless of the heat of the surface.
A lot of dogs don't realize just how hot their feet are getting until they've already burned their sensitive paws.
Luckily, a combination of a leash, some training, and a distraction with his or her favorite toy, a ball, or a stick can be enough to keep them away from the pavement.
When you go out for a walk, a trip to work, or just to wander your yard, you put on footwear, right? Maybe you wear sandals, maybe you put on shoes, maybe you pull on a thick set of boots. It all depends on the weather and your intended task, of course.
