Your pup's paws are sensitive to heat, so as opposed to taking him for a walk on the burning hot pavement, think of alternatives. Keep him in your air conditioned home, put him in a stroller, or carry him to your car. Think of any way that you can keep him burn free as opposed to getting his footsies burned up.

How do you know if the concrete/asphalt is too hot for your pooch? Do the hand test! Place your hand, palm side down on the ground in an area that is exposed to the sun. If you can hold it there for 10 seconds without any pain, your pups paws can handle a walk! If the heat is bearable but still very hot, you might want to sit this one out until things cool down. Remember…. your dog can't tell you when they're too hot. It's your job to look out for them!

As a dog parent, it's important to keep your pet safe during the hot summer months.

It's also important to protect your dog's feet from scorching hot concrete. It's something not every dog parent may think of at first, until their dog's paws get burned from walking on hot concrete or other surfaces.

Avoid Hot Asphalt and Concrete
The most obvious and easiest way to avoid burnt paw pads is by avoiding hot surfaces all together.

And if you have a small dog, you can always pick them up and carry them across a parking lot if you need to.

Dog Boots
If you can't avoid the hot concrete completely, you might want to look into purchasing a pair of dog boots. There are many different brands of dog boots all with different features available.

A dog stroller could come in handy if you're taking your dog to an outdoor pet friendly event for an extended period of time.

Soothing Irritated Paw Pads
If your dog's paw pads do become burnt from walking across hot pavement, you should of course check with your veterinarian to make sure everything is OK. There are also some paw creams and ointments that I've used before which I think could be helpful and soothing for your pet.

So remember to stay safe this summer and keep those doggy paw pads from getting burned!

If your doggy does get burned paws there are ointments available to sooth his hurting paws. If you feel they got severely burned while you were at the lake, for example, take him to the vet. It's best to have a professional take a look just in case they are really hurting your doggy. Pawsitively Pets has more tips on their blog so you can keep your pup safe during the summer time.