Your dog walks bare paw on dirt, concrete, grass, rock, and any other surface you can think of. Dog’s paws are tough and made for any environment right? NO WAY! Our pup’s paws are pretty durable but not invincible especially when it comes to NOLA’s hot summers. Just ask your vet how many dogs have he/she treated this summer for burned paws, the answer may be a lot especially in the south. While walking, it’s easy for us humans to forget how hot the ground is since we have the luxury of wearing shoes. But there is a trick to tell if the ground is way to hot.
How to tell if the ground is too hot?
Before going out for your walk place the back of your hand on the ground for 5 seconds. If the ground’s heat is too unbearable before you reach 5 seconds or longer than the ground is too hot for your dog’s paw. If this is the case find a route with a lot of shade or reschedule the walk until it’s cooler. Another option is dog booties.