Is it too hot to walk my dog? Walk temperature checker

We looked for a veterinary rule that says “do not walk your dog above this temperature” and did not find one. The RSPCA, PDSA, VCA, the ASPCA, Merck and Tufts all give the rule in words: walk early or late, keep it short, and if in doubt, don’t go out. A 2022 study of UK cases says plainly that no formal guidelines exist for dogs exercising in hot environments. (RSPCA, Hall et al. 2022)

So the checker’s lines are our synthesis, built on the one peer-reviewed air-temperature finding we could cite. A 20-year study of dogs in New South Wales found that deaths rose as the daily maximum passed 25°C (77°F), by about 0.6% for each further degree, and were 9.5% higher on “extreme heat days” over 32°C (90°F). (Tripovich et al. 2025)

• Over 32°C (90°F): “Do not walk now” for every dog, matching PDSA’s advice to miss the walk when it is very hot. (Tripovich et al. 2025, PDSA)
• Over 25°C (77°F): “Caution” for a healthy adult, and “Do not walk now” for the dogs PDSA says should avoid exercise on hot days completely. (Tripovich et al. 2025, PDSA)
• From 21°C (70°F): “Caution” for flat-faced dogs, the room temperature at which Bulldogs have been documented overheating. (Hall et al. 2020)
• From 77°F (25°C) on pavement or sand: at least “Caution”, because asphalt can reach 125°F at that air temperature. (ASPCA)

These lines are not a guarantee. A small 2026 study walked five dogs in strong sun and found the strain rose sharply once the combined sun-and-air temperature passed 35°C, which can happen when the forecast reads lower. Watch your dog, not just the thermometer. (do Nascimento et al. 2026)

Dogs do not sweat to cool down the way we do. They pant, and the RSPCA notes this only works to a point. Bruchim and colleagues list hot, especially highly humid, environments among the main risk factors for heatstroke in dogs. (RSPCA, Bruchim et al. 2017)

No source we found gives a humidity percentage. PDSA’s advice is to miss the walk if the weather is very hot or humid, and VCA notes that dogs with restricted airways can show signs when temperature and humidity are only moderately raised. In the checker, high humidity moves a warm day up a step: “Caution” below 25°C (77°F) and “Do not walk now” above it. (PDSA, VCA, Tripovich et al. 2025)

Heat illness often starts mid-walk, so know the early signs. PDSA lists heavy panting, excessive drooling, stopping or seeming tired, confusion, foam around the mouth and bright red gums. (PDSA)

If you see any of them, stop, move into shade, offer water and let your dog cool down. Carry water on every warm walk and offer small amounts every 15 to 20 minutes, as the RSPCA advises. (RSPCA, PDSA)

Missing a walk on a hot day does no harm, and PDSA says skipping it in a heatwave may be the safest option, especially for short-faced dogs. Burn energy indoors instead: (PDSA)

• Sniffing and food puzzles, scatter feeding and short training games. Our enrichment idea generator suggests three for the time you have.
• A short toilet break in the shade, on grass, rather than a full walk.
• Gentle play in a cool room. Do not run or cycle with your dog in the heat. (RSPCA)

For how much activity your dog needs on ordinary days, use the daily exercise calculator. A dog carrying extra weight is more at risk in heat, so the weight loss planner helps there. (PDSA)

Go straight to a vet for any red-flag sign above. Call your vet the same day if your dog’s pads look burnt, or if it was very tired after a warm walk and has not recovered with rest and water. Dogs with heart or breathing disease, and flat-faced breeds, should have their summer exercise planned with their vet. (PDSA, VCA, RSPCA)

Every figure and threshold on this page comes from the veterinary sources below, and each one is linked where it is used. Where no source gives a cut-off, we say call your vet rather than invent one.