While walking your dog on a warm summer day can be enjoyable for all, it can also be painful for your pup. Because pavement, asphalt and other ground materials absorb the sun’s heat, these surfaces can stay hot for hours, causing temperatures to exceed 145 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Banfield Pet Hospital.
Related: 5 Ways to Keep Your Dog Safe During the Summer (Infographic)
But there is simple trick to help determine if it is safe to walk your dog during the hot weather. In a post that has gone viral on Facebook (more than 100,000 shares) and made its way onto Reddit’s front page, Moon Valley Canine Training in Sonoma, California offered this easy tip:
The five-second rule: Place the back of your hand on the pavement. If you cannot hold it for five seconds, it’s too hot to walk your dog.
Posted by Moon Valley Canine Training on Thursday, June 18, 2015
