Ahhh summer… hot dogs, warm days, longer nights, and you trying to figure out when the heck to walk your dog when it’s too hot out! As a Redwood City dog walker, this is the topic I see come up every June about summer dog walks in Redwood City: “Is it too hot to walk my dog right now?” The answer is, it depends.
Most people know that taking their dog out on a walk on a 90 degree day at noon is probably a bad idea. The pavement tends to be warmest midday to 4 or 5pm. It heats up slowly as the day progresses and the sun heats the pavement. The best test I’ve found is the 7-second pavement test. This is where you touch the pavement with the back of your hand for 6 to 7 seconds. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your dog! Keep in mind that your dog has toe pads with not a ton of protection. They can very easily be burned, and they are good at hiding it. Please do not push your dog through a hot pavement walk.
The good news is there is a lot you can do instead. Here is how I think about summer walks in Redwood City, what I do differently when the heat climbs, and what to watch for when you do head out.
What I do differently on summer walks
My approach to summer walks looks pretty different from the rest of the year. I move walks earlier when I can, depending on the schedule i’ve worked out with the pet parent. I avoid pavement when there is shade and grass available, even if it makes the route a little longer. I carry water for the dogs I walk, and I take more breaks than I would in March. I watch my watch and the dog at the same time, especially with senior dogs, dark coated dogs, or breeds like Frenchies, pugs, and bulldogs who already have a harder time cooling down. If it is approaching too dangerous to walk territory, we pivot: quick potty break, and then inside enrichment.
(I highly recommend this portable Säker dog water bottle, or something like it).
Because I walk the same dogs every visit, I notice things you might miss as a one-off sitter or someone who rotates through. I know that Bella does not normally slow down at minute 12, so if she is slowing down at minute 12 today, something is off. I know that Millie typically slows down when it is too hot outside for her (she’s a sheepadoodle with a thick coat) that is data. Pattern recognition only works when the same person sees your dog every week.
Redwood City routes change in summer
Redwood City has a lot of different neighborhoods, and they do not all heat up the same way. Friendly Acres and parts of Roosevelt are mostly residential pavement with very little shade, so we may skip the more exposed stretches when the temperature climbs. Downtown Redwood City gets hot fast because of all the concrete and reflected heat off of buildings, so summer walks downtown happen well before midday or we pivot to a different route. Redwood Shores is beautiful but exposed, with limited shade and a lot of reflected heat off the water, the paths, and the sidewalks. The hillier neighborhoods like Farm Hill and Emerald Hills have pockets of tree cover on certain streets, but the climbs make heat exposure harder on a dog’s body, so I stick to the flatter, shadier stretches. Mt. Carmel and the Edgewood neighborhood have more tree-lined streets, which makes them more workable on warmer days, as long as we are still paying attention to the pavement temperature and the time of day.
Signs of heat stress you might miss
So how do you know if your dog is starting to get heat stressed once you are out? Here are some things to watch for that most people miss.
Heavy panting is the obvious one, but the kind I worry about is the panting that does not slow down even when your dog stops moving. If you stop for water, and they are still panting hard a minute later, your dog is telling you something. Other signs are drooling more than usual, slowing down their pace partway through the walk, looking for shade or grass to lie down on, lagging behind you (especially if they normally walk ahead), and getting wide-eyed or glazed looking. Bright red gums or a really long tongue can also be a sign. If your dog who normally loves walks, but is suddenly resisting going out the door, that is information too. They’re communicating with you.
A walk with Addie
One I think about often is a walk with Addie, one of my smaller dog clients. It was a warmer day, and partway through the walk I could tell she was starting to get tired. Her pace had slowed, she was looking around less than usual, and she had shifted from her normal happy stride into something else. So I picked her up and carried her the rest of the way home. Did I look a little silly walking down the street holding a small dog? Probably. But she was relieved, and I would much rather carry her than push her through something her body was telling me she was done with. That kind of read only works when you know what normal looks like for a specific dog.
The honest truth about summer dog walks
Here is something I don’t see many dog walkers in Redwood City actually say out loud. Sometimes the right call is not walking your dog that day. A skipped walk is not a failure. A bored dog is not a hurt dog. If the pavement is too hot, the air is too hot, or your dog is already telling me they are not feeling it, I would rather call the visit early and do something safer than push a walk that ends with a vet bill or heat stroke. Your dog will be fine. The next day will be cooler. We will walk then. There are enrichment activities I have on hand for any weather related incidents, including needing to shift due to warm weather.
Looking for a dog walker in Redwood City who actually pays attention?
If you’re looking for a Redwood City dog walker who adjusts to your specific dog and what the weather is doing that day, not just a scheduled time slot, I would love to talk. My approach is built around the same person seeing your dog every visit, knowing their patterns, and reading their body language carefully. My Fear Free Certification has made me even more attuned to the small early signals that something is off, including heat stress. Reach out anytime to schedule a free 30 minute call. There is no commitment, just a conversation about whether The Pet Bestie is the right fit for your dog and your routine.
Common Questions About Hot Weather Dog Walks
How hot is too hot to walk a dog in Redwood City? If the air temperature is over 85°F, midday walks become risky for most dogs. The pavement gets hotter than the air, so even a cooler feeling day can mean dangerous walking surfaces from late morning through about 5pm. The 7 second pavement test is the most reliable way to know in real time.
What is the 7-second pavement test? Place the back of your hand on the pavement for 6 to 7 seconds. If it is too hot for you to hold there comfortably, it is too hot for your dog’s paws. Your dog’s toe pads can burn quickly on hot pavement, and dogs are good at hiding the pain until it is serious.
What are the signs of heat stress in dogs on a walk? Heavy panting that does not slow down, drooling more than usual, slowing pace partway through the walk, lagging behind when they normally walk ahead, looking for shade or grass to lie on, glazed eyes, and bright red gums. If your dog who normally loves walks suddenly resists going out, take that seriously too.
Should I skip my dog’s walk if it is hot in Redwood City? Yes, sometimes. A skipped walk is not a failure. If the pavement is too hot, the air is too hot, or your dog is already showing signs of heat stress, it is safer to do an indoor enrichment activity instead. We can always walk when it cools down.
Do you adjust dog walks for hot weather in Redwood City? Yes. At The Pet Bestie, summer walks are moved earlier in the day, routed through shaded streets, kept shorter for senior dogs or breeds that struggle to cool down, and skipped entirely when conditions are not safe. Because I see the same dogs every visit, I know what their normal pace is and can catch early signs of heat stress that a rotating sitter would miss.