Summer Safety for Dogs: Heat Stress, Heat Exhaustion & Heat Stroke
Updated: Oct 13
Did you know there are 3 states of heat related stress for dogs and that the last one is a medical emergency? Read about the stages of heat stress, exhaustion and stroke in this free downloadable PDF or check out our flipbook on our library site.
Summer should be fun—not risky—for your dog
Summer in North Texas can bring all the good stuff: morning walks, backyard play, lake days, patio hangs, and sunny adventures with your dog. But as temperatures climb, so does the risk of heat-related illness.
That’s why we created our Summer Safety Tips flipbook: a quick, visual guide to help families recognize the difference between heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke before a fun day turns into an emergency. The flipbook introduces these three heat-related concerns and focuses on learning the signs early.
At Wiggle Butt Academy, we believe safety and behavior go hand in paw. A hot, uncomfortable, overstimulated dog is not in the best position to learn, listen, relax, or make good choices. So this summer, let’s trade “push through it” for “plan ahead.”
First: heat-related illness is a spectrum
Heat problems do not always start dramatically. They may begin with a dog who seems a little more tired than usual, pants harder than expected, or seeks shade more often. Those early signs matter.
Cornell’s veterinary guidance notes that early signs of overheating can include heavy panting, seeking shade, whining, reluctance to play, and drooling. More serious signs can include difficulty breathing, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, weakness, confusion, seizures, or collapse—and those require immediate veterinary care.
A helpful way to think about it:
Heat stress is the early warning zone. Your dog is getting too hot and needs help cooling down.
Heat exhaustion is more serious. Your dog’s body is struggling to cope with the heat.
Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency. Do not wait to “see if they bounce back.” Contact an emergency veterinarian immediately.
Signs your dog may be getting too hot
Watch for changes in your dog’s body language and behavior, not just the temperature outside. Red flags can include:
Heavy or frantic panting
Drooling or thick, sticky saliva
Seeking shade or trying to lie down
Reluctance to walk, play, or continue an activity
Bright red gums or tongue
Weakness, wobbliness, or confusion
Vomiting or diarrhea
Collapse or seizures
The American Animal Hospital Association describes heat stress signs such as seeking shade, excessive panting, red tongue and gums, and sticky saliva. AAHA also notes that unmanaged heat stress can progress to heatstroke, which is life-threatening.
Some dogs need extra summer caution
Any dog can overheat, but some dogs are at higher risk. This includes flat-faced breeds like Pugs, Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, and Boxers; senior dogs; puppies; overweight dogs; dogs with heart or breathing conditions; and dogs with thick or dark coats. Cornell notes that dogs mainly cool themselves by panting, and flat-faced breeds cannot pant as efficiently.
That does not mean these dogs cannot enjoy summer. It means their humans need to make a smarter plan.
The summer walk rule: shorter, cooler, shadier
In the summer, your dog’s walk does not have to be long to be meaningful. A short sniff walk in a shady area can be more enriching than a long, hot march around the neighborhood.
Try this instead:
Walk early in the morning or later in the evening.
Choose shaded routes when possible.
Bring water and a collapsible bowl.
Take frequent breaks.
Let your dog sniff instead of power-walking.
Skip intense exercise during the hottest parts of the day.
Cornell recommends limiting activity to cooler times of day, avoiding strenuous exercise in hot or humid weather, providing shade, and offering frequent water breaks.
Hot pavement is not just uncomfortable—it can burn
If you would not want to stand barefoot on the sidewalk, your dog probably should not walk on it either.
Pavement, asphalt, sand, and metal surfaces can become much hotter than the air temperature. AAHA notes that these surfaces can be 40 to 60 degrees hotter than the air, and paw pad burns can happen quickly.
Before a walk, test the ground with your hand or bare foot. Cornell suggests that if you cannot comfortably keep your hand or bare foot on the pavement for about 10 seconds, it is likely too hot for your dog.
When in doubt, choose grass, shade, indoor enrichment, or a shorter potty-only outing.
Never leave your dog in the car
Even a quick errand can become dangerous. Cracking the windows is not enough, and a shaded parking spot is not reliable.
Cornell notes that even when it is only 70°F outside, the inside of a car can increase by 40 degrees in an hour, with
most of the temperature rise happening in the first 15 to 30 minutes.
The safest choice is simple: unless your dog can go inside with you, leave them home in the air conditioning.
What to do if your dog seems overheated
Move your dog to shade or air conditioning right away. Offer small amounts of cool water. Use cool—not ice-cold—water to wet your dog, and use a fan if available. AAHA recommends moving an overheated pet to a cool, shaded place, giving water, spraying with cool water, and using a fan, while seeking veterinary care if heatstroke signs appear or the pet is not cooling down.
Get emergency veterinary help immediately if your dog has trouble breathing, cannot settle, seems weak or confused, vomits, has diarrhea, collapses, has a seizure, or is not improving quickly.
This blog and flipbook are educational resources, not a substitute for veterinary care. Heat stroke is an emergency.
Training tip: summer is a great time to slow down
Summer safety is not only about avoiding medical emergencies. It is also about setting your dog up to feel safe, comfortable, and regulated.
A dog who is hot, thirsty, tired, or overwhelmed may have a harder time responding to cues, walking calmly on leash, greeting politely, settling in public, or recovering from triggers. That does not mean your dog is being stubborn. It may mean the environment is too much.
Instead of pushing through the heat, try:
Frozen enrichment toys
Short indoor training sessions
Sniff games in the house
Mat work in the shade
Calm car-free outings
Early morning decompression walks
Practicing relaxation near a fan or cooling mat
Little sessions count.
In fact, they often work better.
Enjoy the season—safely
Summer with your dog can still be joyful, playful, and full of wiggles. The goal is not to keep your dog inside until fall. The goal is to notice early warning signs, adjust the plan, and protect your dog from preventable heat risks. Take a few minutes to flip through our Summer Safety Tips guide, share it with another dog-loving family, and keep it handy during the hottest months.
And if summer has made walks, reactivity, puppy energy, patio manners, or household routines harder, Wiggle Butt Academy can help. Our certified, positive reinforcement trainers serve Dallas, Frisco, Plano, and surrounding DFW areas, with virtual support available as well.
So now you know the signs of heat stress, but now what? FetchFind did such a great job of what to do next that we included it here:
