TEMPLE, Texas — It’s summer, so that means it's hot in Central Texas. With hot temperatures comes even hotter pavement, which can be a very dangerous situation for your pets, especially dogs.
But why is that? Let's break down just how hot surfaces can get on a 95 degree day.
Grass
You want to walk your dog in a shaded grassy area because grass is not the best conductor of solar energy. With trees blocking out the sunlight, it helps grass become cooler than the average air temperature.
In this case, on a hot 95 degree day, a shaded grassy area would only be 90 degrees.
But when the grass is not in the shade, it’s a slightly different story. Temperatures can reach the triple digits. In this scenario, it can reach 105 degrees.
Concrete
When it comes to concrete, that’s when it starts to get dangerous.
On a 95 degree day, concrete can get as hot as 125 degrees in minutes. Why? Because concrete, found on sidewalks, is a good conductor of solar energy and it can easily transfer that into heat energy.
With concrete that hot, paw burns can occur in five minutes or less, depending on how hot it is in the afternoon hours.
Asphalt
The same could be said for asphalt, which is commonly found on roads.
On a hot 95-degree day, asphalt can get as hot as 140 degrees in minutes. Like concrete, it, too, is a much better conductor of solar energy.
And at 140 degrees, it can only take one minute for your pup to suffer serious paw burns!
How to avoid paw burns
Preventing paw burns is as simple as walking your dog early in the morning and later in the evening when temperatures are lowest.
If has to be in the mid afternoon, use a shaded area -- preferably a grassy area -- to walk your pup.
