How Tough Are Dog Paws?

[Isabel964]

I was wondering, with the weather getting hotter here in Melbourne....when is the temperature too hot so the footpath too hot to walk the dogs?

I have not thought about this before. Are paws made tough, like shoes for dogs with no nerves, so they can take it?

I am not a new dog owner, I just got to thinking about this for some reason today.

[dwynwen]

If the footpath is that hot then the heat radiating off it is probably too much for the dog to be exercising anyway. There can be quite a difference in temp between human head height and down on the footpath where the dogs are.

(my dogs were double coated, so I was very careful about heat)

[dasha]

Press the palm of your hand onto the footpath and hold it there. If it is too hot for you to lean on your hand for a few seconds it si too hot to expect your dog to walk on.

Like Dwynwyn said, the heat also radiates from the footpath so it is hotter closer to the ground where the dog is trying to breath from and cool off.

Edited December 30, 2010 by dasha

[persephone]

put your hand on the surface. If it's too hot to leave it there comfortably..it's too hot to walk a dog on

[Malamum]

Are paws made tough, like shoes for dogs with no nerves, so they can take it?

No. Dogs paws are not shoes, they are living tissue and can feel heat.

They are tougher than the foot of a human who wears shoes all the time but there are definitely nerve endings.

[dancinbcs]

Dogs also only perspire through their paws so walking on a hot surface stops the perspiration from evaporating and cooling the dog. Definitely don't walk a dog on a hot pavement.

[Guest bigdogg]

the same can be said for dogs in the back of utes (steel tray) They can get super hot..

I have marine carpet on the back of my ute.. Spoilt pigging dogs

[Isabel964]

the same can be said for dogs in the back of utes (steel tray) They can get super hot..

I have marine carpet on the back of my ute.. Spoilt pigging dogs

LOL That's fantastic, I bet some other ute owners don't think of it.

Thanks everyone, the palm of my hand, I'll remember that. And good to know they sweat their paws... Never knew that.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Countless dogs have burnt their paws on the back of utes once the metal heats up, I really wish owners would be more thoughtful. Can't believe that people are still so stupid as to leave dogs in cars either.

[dandybrush]

i wanted my dog in the bak of the ute before i caved and he now rides in the car lol, but my OH did glue marine carpet on the bak...its kinda stuck there now

[indigirl]

Dogs paws can be toughened though. Ive always run my dogs on concrete and taken them on grass with prickles, they now have quite tough feet. Other dogs I noticed cant walk on the ground with prickles/bindies but my dogs usually only need help if they pick up a 3 corner.

Having said that, years ago I let my kelpie bitch chase roos over really hard black sharp rock. She ended up with footpad injuries that took over a month to heal. I dont take my dogs out in the heat (its 40 here today) and if its a hot day I put them in the back of the car and drive them to the creek bed in the early evenings so they can run.

If its too hot for me to walk barefoot on I figure its prolly too hot for the dogs to walk on.