Quite possibly, and earlier in the year than most owners expect. Concrete, bitumen, limestone and dry sand soak up sun all day and can sit well above the air temperature by mid-morning, hot enough to blister a dog's pads on a walk that feels pleasant to you. A seven-second hand test on the ground before you leave tells you whether to go now, go later, or go somewhere softer.
Why is the ground so much hotter than the air?
Because the forecast measures the air in the shade, and your dog walks on a surface in the sun. Dark bitumen absorbs heat all morning and holds it into the evening. Pale concrete and the limestone paths that run along so many Perth beaches and river foreshores reflect light, which makes them feel cooler to look at, but they still get hot enough to hurt. Dry beach sand above the tide line is often the worst of the lot: on a clear afternoon at Coogee or Leighton it can be uncomfortable to stand on in bare feet, and a dog's pads are not built for it either. The gap between air and ground widens fastest on still, clear days, which in Perth means most of them from October through to March. September is when it starts: the first run of warm spring days catches owners who are still in winter walking habits.
What is the hand test?
The simplest check there is. Before you clip the lead on, put the back of your hand flat on the surface you are about to walk on, in the sun, and hold it there for a slow count of seven. If you make it to seven comfortably, the ground is fine. If you want to lift your hand before then, it is too hot for your dog's pads, and the walk needs to move to a cooler time or a softer surface. Test the actual route, not the shaded tiles by the front door. A verge in the shade and the footpath beside it in full sun can be a world apart. If you have a dog walker, ask them to do the same.
Why does hot ground matter beyond the paws?
Two reasons. The first is obvious: pads are skin, and skin burns. The second is less so. Dogs shed heat mostly by panting, and only a little through the pads of their feet. Standing on a hot surface takes away even that small outlet and pushes heat up into a body that is already working to cool itself. So a dog on hot pavement is getting burnt from below and warmed through at the same time, which is why heat stress creeps up faster on a footpath than on the grass beside it. Flat-faced breeds, heavy-coated breeds, overweight dogs, puppies and seniors have the least margin. Our guide to keeping your dog safe in a Perth summer covers the wider signs of overheating to watch for.
What do sore or burnt pads look like?
Sometimes nothing at first. A dog that has been trotting happily may start to limp on the way home, lie down and refuse to move, or hop between patches of shade. Back at home they lick or chew at their feet. Looking closely, the pads may be darker or redder than normal, feel unusually rough, or show blisters, peeling or a raw patch where the surface has lifted. If you see any of that, stop the walk, get them onto cool ground or into shade, rinse the feet with cool water, and call your vet. Pads heal slowly because dogs cannot stay off them, and a burn that is left alone often opens up and gets infected. We are groomers, not vets, so we will not tell you how to treat it, but we do see the aftermath on the table and it is a miserable few weeks for the dog.
When and where should you walk instead?
Early. In Perth's warm months the ground is at its coolest just before and after sunrise and stays walkable for an hour or two after that. By late morning most footpaths have failed the hand test and they do not pass it again until well after sunset, because bitumen gives its heat back slowly. If early is not possible, change the surface rather than the dog: shaded grass, a bush track under trees, or the wet sand at the water's edge where the tide has just been. Keep the walk shorter than usual, carry water, and let them stop. A shaded backyard with a shell pool and a few minutes of nose work with a hidden treat does more for a bored dog than a hot, hurried lap of the block, and if your dog needs more than that on a hot day, that is where daycare earns its place.
How does daycare help on hot days?
Our Jandakot playroom is fully indoor and air-conditioned, with three play areas and rest breaks built into the day, so your dog gets a full day of exercise and company without ever standing on a hot surface. For owners who are out of the house through the hottest hours and would otherwise be walking their dog at 5pm on warm bitumen, it solves the problem outright. Every new dog starts with an evaluation day, and you can read more about how daycare works and how much exercise your dog actually needs before you book.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell if the pavement is too hot for my dog?
Press the back of your hand flat on the surface and hold it there for a slow count of seven. If you want to pull away before you get there, it is too hot for your dog's pads. Test the actual surface you will walk on, in the sun, not a shaded patch by the door.
What temperature is too hot to walk a dog in Perth?
There is no single safe number, because the surface matters more than the air. A footpath in full sun on a 28 degree spring day can already fail the hand test, while a shaded grass verge on a 35 degree day is fine. Test the ground rather than trusting the forecast.
What do burnt paw pads look like?
Watch for a dog that suddenly limps, refuses to keep walking, or licks and chews at their feet after a walk. Pads may look darker or redder than usual, feel rough, or have blisters or peeling patches. Any of those signs mean rest, cool water and a call to your vet.
Do dog boots help?
They can protect pads on short stretches of hot ground, but many dogs dislike them, they take training to accept, and they do nothing about the heat coming up off the surface into the rest of the body. Changing the time and place of the walk is the more reliable fix.
A full day of play, out of the sun
Book your dog's free evaluation day at our air-conditioned Jandakot daycare.
More advice: Keeping your dog safe in a Perth summer · Is your dog getting enough exercise? · What happens on an evaluation day