6 Ways to Protect Your Dog’s Paws in the Summer Heat
The British summertime is a great time to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. After cold UK winters, we all want to make the most of the summer!
Taking your dog for a walk is a great excuse to get some fresh air, stretch your legs, enjoy the outdoors, and most importantly – give your furry friend some exercise but you should take some precautions when walking your dog in the summer heat. Many dog owners forget one important thing: a hot pavement will undoubtedly burn your dog’s paws.
Dog’s paws have a different makeup to human feet. You might assume dogs’ paws are better suited to harsh, more extreme environments like hot ground. But dogs’ paws are sensitive to the ground in the same way as human skin. You wouldn’t walk around barefoot on hot concrete, and it’s the same for your dog.
Is it safe for dogs to walk on hot pavement?
It comes as a surprise every year, but the British summertime can get pretty hot! This means the ground can reach blistering temperatures.
Taking a dog out in hot summer weather can lead to…
- Cracked and dry paw pads
- Dehydration
- Heat stroke
- Permanent damage to the paw pads
How hot is too hot for a dog to walk on pavement?
Not sure if it’s too hot to take your dog for a walk? There are a few simple checks you can do before taking your dog out for a walk in the summer heat:
Touch the ground.
If you cannot leave your skin on the pavement for over 7 seconds, then it’s too hot for your dog to walk on. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your dog.
Check the temperature outside
It’s usually safe to take a dog out for a walk in anything under 19 degrees celsius. The wind can help bring the forecasted weather down a little bit but if you are in doubt it’s better to head out earlier in the morning or later in the day when the temperature can drop to be safe enough for your dog
Take extra care with puppies.
Puppy paws are not as developed and have not been exposed to the elements in the same way that older dog paws have been. Therefore, they’re more sensitive and susceptible to damage.
Dogs still need exercise, even during the hot summer months. Here are the best ways you can protect your dog’s paws against the hot summer heat, to avoid cracked and broken paws.
1. Walk your dog when it’s cooler
It might sound obvious, but it’s better to take your dog for a walk when the ground is cooler. This means taking them out in the morning or evening, when the heat from the sun isn’t as strong.
It’s still important for your dog to have a daily walk, but changing their walk schedule to cooler times is recommended. Don’t take your dog out for a walk at midday (and usually during the hours of 12 and 2pm when the sun is at it’s highest point in the sky and the heat will be the strongest) as this can really damage your dog’s paws.
medication to avoid /alleviate the symptoms of the allergic reaction
2. Stick to grassy terrains
If it is really necessary to take your dog out during the midday summer heat, stick to shaded or grassy areas. Grassy surfaces absorb the heat from the sun by photosynthesis which is why grass always feels much cooler to touch than concrete which has “solar reflectance” which bounces heat back into the atmosphere
3. Buy Dog shoes
Did you know you can buy protective shoes for your dog? Just bear in mind that it will take time for your dog to get used to the shoes. It will probably feel very unnatural for your dog in the beginning! If you don’t want to commit to buying dog shoes, try out disposable dog booties. They’re usually the cheaper option, but they’ll still protect your dog’s paws against the hot summer heat.
4. Keep your dog hydrated
Give your dog enough water. Dogs need water all the time anyway, but extra water is especially needed during the hot summer months when your dogs become more dehydrated easily.
5. Check your dog’s paws
Check your dog’s paws thoroughly. Regularly checking your dog’s paws means you’ll be able to tell more easily when they require treatment.
6. Wax your dog's paws
Applying protective wax onto your dog’s paws can help protect them against the harsh summer ground.
Try out Rhoose Point Remedies’ specially formulated Dog Paw & Nose Balm.
We used only organic, sustainably and ethically sourced ingredients to create our healing and protecting balm.
How to tell if your dog’s paws are damaged
If your dog is displaying any signs of the following, then it could be a sign they have burned their paws.
- Limping
- Licking or chewing their feet
- Visibly cracked or damaged paws
- Blisters or redness
- Paw pads are darker than normal
For more information on cracked or dry dog’s paws, take a look at our article How Do You Treat Dry or Cracked Dog Paws?
What can you do to heal heat damaged dog paws?
- Firstly, take your dog out of the extreme environment and hot ground
- Add a treatment wax to the paws, such as Rhoose Point Remedies’ Dog Paw & Nose Balm
- If the burns and injuries are serious, and causing your dog lots of discomfort and pain, then it might be time to take your dog to a vet for treatment
Rhoose Point Remedies Dog Paw & Nose Balm
Whether you’d like to protect your pup’s paws against the extreme summer heat, or you need to heal cracked or dry paws, try out our Rhoose Point Remedies’ Dog Paw & Nose Balm.
It has been specially formulated with your dog in mind. We use only organic, natural ingredients which have been ethically and sustainably sourced.
Our gentle yet effective balm is a wonderful treatment for your dog’s paws this summer.
It works to heal, protect, and moisturise cracked or dry dog paws. Our balm is a non-toxic healing ointment, consisting of:
Our balm is 100% Natural Beeswax-based. Beeswax is a great foundation for our balm, because it is rich in vitamin A which assists in the healing process of the skin.
Beeswax is also a ‘humectant.’ That means it absorbs and holds moisture. This is particularly helpful for areas which are susceptible to dehydration, such as the muzzle, nose and paw pads.
We only use BBKA (British Beekeeping Association) approved 100% pure, unrefined, organic beeswax in our balm. That means there are no added ingredients used in the extraction or production processes.
Our raw organic coconut oil is cold pressed. We use only fresh, organic coconuts. The coconut oil is not refined, meaning it is not mixed with any other foreign properties or heat treated (this removes its nutritional properties), so our coconut oil is completely pure.
Coconut oil is antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial. This makes it a great component for our balm. This also means it’s a natural antibiotic, and a natural replacement for chemical antibacterials found in chemical-based treatments. It’s also safe to eat, so it’s okay if your dog licks it.
Some other dog balms on the market contain the refined coconut oil mentioned above. The refined coconut oil is heat treated and has most of it’s nutritional properties stripped from the ingredient. Some dogs have shown an allergic reaction to refined coconut oil which is why we have chosen to only include unrefined, cold pressed and nutritionally optimal coconut oil only.
We use unrefined shea butter, which means that no pesticides were added to the shea nuts that have been extracted to create this thick butter. Shea butter is also super rich in vitamins A, E, F and K – which all have incredible nourishing properties.
Shea butter is one of the most nourishing and moisturising natural ingredients for the skin and is often used to combat irritating and sometimes painful skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Sweet Almond Oil is incredibly rich in moisture due to its high Vitamin E content. Its hydrating properties help to secure moisture onto dog paws and noses.
The sweet almond oil in our balm is refined and has no natural scent so that it doesn’t offend our sensitive dogs’ noses whilst maintaining it’s skin treating properties.
Our Vitamin E oil is derived from sunflowers. Our distilled oil helps to soothe irritation and itchiness.
Some Vitamin E oils added in other dog balms on the market contain synthetically produced Vitamin E oil produced from petrochemicals which are not only toxic to pets and humans but bad for our environment too!
Rhoose Point Remedies only ever use the highest quality, natural ingredients to ensure that our products are the safest they can be for you, your loved ones, your pets and the environment.
Calendula oil is used in many skincare recipes that are designed to soothe irritated skin and help heal minor skin damage. It has numerous benefits like aiding to reduce acne, eczema and skin irritations. It improves the overall appearance of skin and helps to keep it hydrated,
Calendula balm is ideal for use on sensitive skin. A study found calendula extract improves wound healing recovery and reduces inflammation of the skin
It’s really important to us that we use non-toxic ingredients. Dogs explore everything using their tongue, so it’s not surprising that they will explore through licking. That’s why we use only non-toxic, safe to eat ingredients that will not harm your dog.
Dog Paw & Nose Balm by Rhoose Point Remedies
For more information about Rhoose Point Remedies’ Dog Paw & Nose Balm, take a look at our article here. It’s packed full of useful information – including a detailed ingredients list and application instructions.