If The Concrete is Burning Your Feet, It’s Too Hot for the Dog Too
Running out of the house to get the mail is an adventure this time of year. It's so hot right now that our bare feet on sidewalks will make us do that quick tip-toe dance that kind of looks like we're trying to sneak up on someone, and also looks a little like Elaine's Seinfeld dance. This just in -- hot concrete hurts the dog's feet too!
Fox 4 in Dallas sent the reminder this week that it doesn't take long for streets to heat up on a summer afternoon, and if we're feeling the burn on our own feet, the dog is feeling it too.
Ever put on flip flops your own feet and take the dog for a walk? Our feet might be protected, but the dog's pads are burning with each step on the concrete. And we thought the dog was just trotting because he was feeling playful. Oops.
Concrete holds heat. Fox 4 says when the air temperature is 77, the sidewalk temperature is 125. When the air temperature is 87, the sidewalk rises to 143. Holy smokes. And when the air temperature is 100? Well, the sidewalk produces red feet and blisters, and makes us do that tip-toe dance.
We're talking about this because dogs can't really tell us when they have paw burn. And although a dog's pads may be tougher and more calloused than our pretty little feet, any sort of skin contact on a 150 degree surface is bound to be uncomfortable. If it's hot enough to fry an egg, it's hot enough to fry feet and paws. We wouldn't walk on a hot skillet, right?
We've got another couple of months for the hottest weather of the year, and then the great fall weather will kick in. Until then, invest in doggie shoes or keep the dogs on the grass. They'll love us even more than they already do.