Hot day, bulldog bouncing off the walls? When it's too hot to walk, the warning signs of heatstroke, and indoor games that help.
If it's hot or humid, or the footpath is too hot for the back of your hand for five seconds, it's too hot to walk a bulldog. Keep them inside where it's cool and swap the walk for short indoor games and food puzzles. The RSPCA advises walking only early in the morning or late in the evening, avoiding hot surfaces, and keeping flat-faced breeds indoors with air conditioning or a fan on hot days. Heatstroke is an emergency: if you see the warning signs, go to the vet straight away.
It's 7 am and the thermometer already says 29. The footpath is warm under your hand. Your bulldog is standing at the door with the lead in their mouth, and you know that by the time you reach the corner they'll be puffing.
So you stay home. By mid-afternoon they're following you from room to room, sighing, chewing the edge of the rug, or pushing a toy into your leg. Owners ask the same things every summer: How hot is too hot? Is it bad to skip walks for a few days? What can I actually do with them inside?
Dogs cool themselves mainly by panting. Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College and Nottingham Trent University explain that panting simply works less well in short-nosed dogs, and the hard work of breathing can add heat rather than remove it. That's why RSPCA Australia says heat stress and heatstroke are particularly common in flat-faced breeds, whose breathing difficulties get worse as temperatures rise.
A large UK study of dogs under vet care found English bulldogs were 14 times more likely to have heatstroke than Labradors, French bulldogs 6 times and pugs 3 times. About one in seven dogs with heatstroke in that study died.
Hot cars get the headlines, but a follow-up study found exercise was the trigger in about 74% of heatstroke cases where the cause was known. Hot cars accounted for around 5%. In other words, a walk or a game on a warm day is the bigger everyday risk.
Dogs can burn their paws on hot pavements, according to RSPCA NSW. RSPCA Australia suggests putting the back of your hand on the surface for five seconds: if it's too hot for you, it's too hot for your dog. It also advises not to exercise pets in hot, humid conditions, which matters in places like Queensland where the mornings can be sticky as well as warm.
RSPCA Australia lists obesity, a thick or long coat and dehydration as added heatstroke risks. Lort Smith Animal Hospital adds that very young dogs, older dogs and dogs with existing health conditions are most at risk.
Skipping the walk takes away exercise and the chance to sniff and explore. A University of Arizona vet suggests replacing it with indoor puzzle toys, hide-and-seek with toys or treats, and things to chew. Those give your dog a job without the heat load of a walk.
Heatstroke is an emergency. Do not wait to see if it passes.
Move your dog somewhere cooler and go straight in. Lort Smith advises having them checked even if they seem to recover, as internal organs can be affected.
If you see any of these, call your vet.
The biggest fix isn't a product. It's timing and environment: walk only in the coolest part of the day, or not at all on the worst days, and keep your dog inside somewhere cool with fresh water and a fan or air conditioning. Indoor games should be short and gentle. Watch your dog the whole time and stop if they start panting hard.
Too hot to walk
$112.95
See what's insideOnce that's in place, here's what we use with our own dogs to fill the hours. You'll find the full range on our Too hot to walk page.
The Scream Lick Enrichment Mat ($28.95) is a mat you spread with a little dog-safe wet food or yoghurt. Freeze it and it lasts longer, so your dog spends a good stretch licking quietly in one spot instead of pacing. RSPCA NSW and RSPCA Queensland both suggest frozen food treats on hot days. Count what goes on the mat as part of the day's food.
You tuck the tail into a hidden pocket and your dog works it back out with their nose and mouth. It turns the sniffing they miss on walks into a game on the lounge room floor, with no running. It comes in four versions:
The HugSmart Hide & Seek Easter Storybook Interactive Dog Toy ($22.95) has pieces that hide in the storybook. You hide them and your dog pulls them out while you watch. It's slow, nose-led play that suits a hot afternoon.
The Chuckit! Indoor Fetch Slider Dog Toy ($42.95) slides along a clear indoor floor, so you can play fetch without throwing anything at the TV. Keep it to a few short throws in a cool room, and stop as soon as breathing gets heavy. For flat-faced dogs, gentle beats long.
The Bored Bulldog Brain Bundle ($93.95) gives your dog something to sniff out, something to chew treats from and something to chase indoors. It sits on our Bored and chewing things page because it works for any stuck-inside day.
We've also put together a Too-Hot-To-Walk Plan with ideas for indoor days.
There's no single safe number. The RSPCA advises not exercising dogs in the middle of the day or in hot, humid conditions, and keeping flat-faced breeds indoors with air conditioning or a fan on hot days. If the footpath fails the five-second hand test, it's too hot.
Usually, yes. The RSPCA recommends walking early in the morning or late in the evening when it's cooler. Keep it short and slow, and turn back if your dog starts struggling to breathe.
Skipping walks on hot days is the safer choice for a flat-faced dog. Replace them with indoor sniffing games, food puzzles and short play so your dog still has something to do.
Watch for panting that doesn't settle with rest, very red or pale gums, staggering, vomiting or collapse. If you're unsure, call your vet. It's always better to check.
Yes. Lort Smith Animal Hospital advises a vet check even if your pet seems to recover, because internal organs could be affected.
RSPCA NSW and RSPCA Queensland both suggest frozen food treats on hot days. Use dog-safe food and count it as part of their daily food.
It can be, if it's short, gentle and in a cool room. Exercise is the most common heatstroke trigger, so stop at the first sign of heavy panting.
Give your bulldog several short play sessions a day instead of one long one, keep them to the cool parts of the day, and stop before your dog is puffing hard.
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