4 Ways to Protect Your Dog's Paws from Hot Concrete

Summer is practically upon us and it's been pretty hot down here in the South. That means it's going to start getting HOT outside soon. As a dog parent, it's important to keep your pet safe during the hot summer months. You've got to keep them cool in shaded areas or in air conditioning, you can't leave them in hot cars while you go into the store, provide them with plenty of fresh drinking water, and protect their skin from the sun's rays.

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.

Photo source: patchattack

Many years ago when I was still a young dog mom, we took Shiner to the lake on several occasions. She would run along the shore's limestone rocks all day long. By the end of the day, her feet would be very tender and beat up. I'm sure the rocks were pretty hot. Not to mention rough on her footsies.

So in preparation for Summertime, I'm sharing 4 ways to protect your dog's paws from hot concrete.

Avoid Hot Asphalt and Concrete

The most obvious and easiest way to avoid burnt paw pads is by avoiding hot surfaces all together. Try walking in a grassy area or somewhere that's shady. You can also try walking on these surfaces when it's cooler outside, like in the morning or evening. 

Photo source: Jen DeVere Warner

If you must walk your dog on a hot surface, you should limit the amount of time spent there. 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. 

Pawz Dog Boots

Shiner recently tried out a pair of Pawz Dog Boots for the first time and we really like them. I'm ordering new ones soon as we picked out the wrong size the first time and they were too small. The Pawz Dog Boots are reusable, waterproof, and will protect your dog's paw pads from getting burnt on hot surfaces during the Summer. 

Use a Stroller

Using a dog stroller may not be applicable in all situations. I know those dog parents who have large dogs can't use a stroller. They are mostly for small breed dogs. Of course, your dog will still need to be walked for exercise too but you can try to do that during the cool hours of the day. 

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 where hot ground surfaces are present. 

Photo source: Guilhelm Vellut

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. 

I've used JoJo Natural Pet Peppermint Paw Cream on Shiner's feet before. I also used the stuff on myself, but that's another story. It smells great, feels great, and it's 100% organic and natural. 

Jojo Natural Pet Paw Cream

Another great product for your dog's paw pads is Only Natural Pet's Herbal Ointment. We are currently using this on Shiner's paw pads for other reasons. It has a wide variety of uses for many different skin problems. 

Only Natural Pet Herbal Ointment

So remember to stay safe this summer and keep those doggy paw pads from getting burned! I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to walk around with burnt footsies. You can help spread the message by sharing with your dog parent friends!

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