Test the pavement with your own hand before you walk your dog on it: if you can't hold your hand there for about 10 seconds, it's likely too hot for your dog's paws. Walk early in the morning or in the evening, once the pavement has cooled, carry water, and take breaks in the shade. Watch for early signs of overheating — heavy panting, drooling, seeking shade — and treat anything beyond that as an emergency that needs a vet, not a home remedy.
Dogs are much closer to the ground than we are, and asphalt and pavement can get far hotter than the air temperature around them. Cornell University's veterinary school offers a simple rule of thumb: if you cannot put your own hand or stand barefoot on the pavement for about 10 seconds, it is likely too hot for your dog to walk on too. Other sources use shorter times, so this guide uses Cornell's figure specifically. Where you can, choose grass over asphalt or blacktop, especially in the middle of a hot day.
Source: Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, "Summer heat safety tips for dogs", as of September 2026.
Early morning or evening, after the pavement has had a chance to cool. Cornell's vet school notes that the hottest stretch of the day tends to run from about 3 to 5 p.m., even though the sun is most direct closer to noon. Virginia Tech's veterinary teaching hospital gives similar advice: avoid walking during peak temperatures, and choose early morning or late afternoon instead.
Be extra cautious with hard exercise — on very humid days, and early in the season before your dog has had a chance to get used to the heat.
Sources: Cornell, above, and Virginia Tech Veterinary Teaching Hospital, "Heatstroke in pets: what every pet owner should know", as of September 2026.
Watch for these before they become an emergency:
If you see any of these, stop, move to shade or air conditioning, and offer water. Don't push on with the walk.
Treat any of the following as a reason to go to a vet right away, not a wait-and-see situation:
Move your dog into shade or air conditioning immediately, wet it with cool or room-temperature water, and put it in front of a fan on the way to the vet. Virginia Tech's veterinary hospital is explicit on one point: never submerge your pet in ice or cold water, since that can cause shock. Getting to a vet is the priority — cooling efforts along the way shouldn't delay the trip.
Source: Virginia Tech, above, as of September 2026.
Sources: Cornell and Virginia Tech, both as of September 2026.
Never leave a dog in a parked car in warm weather, even "just for a minute." Cornell's vet school notes that even at 70°F outside, the temperature inside a parked car can climb 40 degrees within an hour, with most of that increase happening in the first 15 to 30 minutes.
If you see a dog in a hot car, don't try to break the window yourself. Under Virginia law, only law-enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS personnel and animal control officers are protected from liability for forcing entry to rescue an animal at risk (Va. Code § 3.2-6504.1). Call 911, or your local non-emergency line — in Fairfax County, that's 703-691-2131 for Fairfax County Animal Services.
Source: Cornell, above, as of September 2026.
Not every schedule allows for a 6 a.m. or 8 p.m. walk. If the timing is out of your hands:
Heat and humidity together are harder on a dog than heat alone, because panting — a dog's main way of cooling itself — works less well in humid air. On a hot, humid day, treat the same temperature as more dangerous than it would be on a dry day, shorten the walk further, and watch more closely for the early signs of overheating described above.
Virginia requires every animal owner — defined broadly to include anyone who keeps, harbors or has an animal in their care — to provide adequate water, shelter and care. "Adequate shelter" must protect an animal from the adverse effects of heat, and in hot weather must be properly shaded (Va. Code § 3.2-6503). This is a basic-care statute, not a walking-specific rule, and a first violation is a Class 4 misdemeanor. This is general information, not legal advice.
If summer heat makes it hard to fit in walks at the times your dog needs them, book dog walking with an independent local Pro who can walk your dog during the cooler parts of the day, or arrange pet sitting for the hours you're away. For more on choosing between the two, see dog walker, pet sitter or boarding: which does your pet need?
Last updated September 2026.
Cornell University's vet school suggests pressing your own hand or bare foot to the pavement for about 10 seconds. If it's too hot for you to keep it there, it's likely too hot for your dog to walk on.
Early morning or evening, once the pavement has cooled, rather than the middle of the day. Veterinary schools note that afternoon, especially around 3–5 p.m., tends to be the hottest stretch.
Short-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs and Boston Terriers, along with older dogs, overweight dogs, dogs with heart or breathing conditions, and dogs with thick or dark coats, according to Cornell and Virginia Tech's veterinary schools.
Don't try to break in yourself. Call 911 or your local animal-control line — in Fairfax County, that's 703-691-2131 for Fairfax County Animal Services. Only law-enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS and animal control officers are protected under Virginia law for forcing entry to rescue an animal.