Don't Burn My Paw Pads!

This may come off as a sort of rant, but I have been thinking about it since a friend posted her own rant on Facebook. We all know that it is too hot to leave a dog in a car, though many still do it. But there are many more people who are not paying attention to their dog’s very tender paw pads in this heat.

Have you ever walked outside barefoot when your sidewalk or road is extremely hot in the blazing sun? You probably do a little dance while hollering, “Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!” If that sidewalk or road is too hot for your own bare feet, imagine how a dog feels walking on it?

I have a brick entrance to my back door and when my dog’s go out in the blazing sun, they quickly jump over it to get to the grass so that they can do their business. When people are walking their dogs down a hot sidewalk or road on a leash, the dog doesn’t have the luxury of hurrying. They are at the mercy of how quickly their owner is moving.

And what if said owner stops to chat with someone? The poor dog is left to stand there, probably lifting one paw after the other, attempting to get some relief from the hot sidewalk he or she is standing on. If you must stop and chat, at least walk your dog to a shady grassy area to give his feet some relief.

Try kicking off your shoe and placing your barefoot on the surface you are walking your dog on. If it’s too hot for you to comfortably stand on it, then it’s too hot for your dog’s paw pads. If you don’t want to kick a shoe off, then lean over and place your hand on the sidewalk or road.

Burning your dog’s feet on a hot sidewalk can be miserable for him. What’s worse is that they can get no relief from walking on the burnt feet and it could even lead to a severe infection in their paw pads. Keep your dog safe in this hot weather and walk him or her in grassy areas or wait until the sun goes down and is no longer glaring on the sidewalk and roads.

Please help spread the word about just how hot the concrete and asphalt can get in the summer! 

Until next time, 

Keep your paws cool!

#pawpads #hotasphalt #hotfeet