High Heat Guide

The 7-Second Pavement Test

Press the back of your hand on the pavement for 7 seconds. If it's too hot for your hand, it's too hot for their paws. Asphalt can hit 140°F+ when the air is only 100°F, hot enough to burn paw pads in under a minute.

When to Walk

• Best

  Before 8 AM, when overnight lows have cooled the pavement

• Okay

  After sunset, but test the pavement, asphalt holds heat for hours

• Never

  10 AM to 7 PM on 100°F+ days

• Tip

  Stick to grass, dirt trails, or shaded sidewalks when possible

Everyday Heat Rules

• 🚗

  Never leave your dog in a parked car, not even for a minute, not even with the windows cracked. At 85°F outside, a car interior passes 120°F in minutes, and it is far hotter than that here most of the summer.

• 💧

  Bring water on every walk, even short ones. A collapsible bowl in the car and a second one in your bag costs almost nothing.

• 🐶

  Flat-faced breeds (bulldogs, pugs, frenchies), seniors, puppies, and overweight dogs overheat much faster. Cut every time on this page in half for them.

• 🥾

  Booties or paw wax help if you must walk on pavement

• 🏊

  Give your dog a way to cool off at home: AC, cooling mats, or a kiddie pool in the shade, which is the cheapest cooling tool in the desert.

Where to Go in Summer

• 🌅

  Early-morning walks at Ruth Hardy Park, before the pavement has come up

• 🌳

  The shaded stretches of Tahquitz Creek Trail

• 🏠

  Indoor play. A puzzle feeder and ten minutes of nose work tires a dog out more than a hot mile does.

Plenty of members move to a sunrise schedule from June through September and walk together. Check Events and join a morning walk.