Every summer, my Golden Retriever does something that used to make me laugh.
As soon as we get back from outside, even if we haven’t been running around much, he starts going:
“Pant… pant… pant…”
Then he heads straight for the cool tile floor and lies down.
A little while later, he gets up and moves somewhere else.
And eventually, he may even roll onto his back, exposing his entire belly.
I used to think:
“Aw, he must be so comfortable. He looks completely relaxed…”
But after looking into it more carefully, I realized something:
Sometimes, he isn’t relaxing.
He’s trying to cool himself down.
And this is one of the easiest things for dog owners to overlook:
Just because you think, “It’s not that hot today,” doesn’t necessarily mean your dog feels the same way.
So here’s the big question:
How hot is too hot for a dog?
77°F?
82°F?
86°F?
Or 95°F?
After looking through information from several veterinary and pet-care organizations, I found that there isn’t one universal “danger temperature” that applies to every dog.
And there’s another factor that is especially easy to overlook:
Humidity.
① You May Think 86°F Is Dangerous, But Some Dogs Can Already Be Struggling at 77°F
One of the biggest differences between dogs and humans is how they cool themselves down.
When we get hot, we can sweat over much of our bodies. As sweat evaporates, it carries heat away from the skin.
Dogs rely much more heavily on panting.
By opening their mouths and breathing rapidly, dogs increase the evaporation of moisture from their mouth and respiratory tract, which helps release body heat.
Dogs do have sweat glands in their paw pads, but they play a much smaller role in cooling the body than sweating does for humans.
So when you see your dog with its tongue hanging out and panting heavily, don’t immediately think:
“That’s normal. Dogs always do that.”
Panting for a short period after exercise can certainly be normal.
But if your dog keeps panting even though it hasn’t been exercising, starts breathing faster and harder, drools excessively, becomes less responsive, refuses to move, or develops unusually red gums or tongue, that may be more than simply feeling warm.
It can be a sign that your dog is struggling to get rid of excess body heat.
And this is why you shouldn’t focus only on the thermometer.
77°F can still be uncomfortable or risky under certain conditions, while 86°F does not automatically mean every dog will immediately develop heatstroke.
The actual risk depends on a combination of factors:
Temperature × Humidity × Exercise × Breed × Individual Health
Humidity is especially important.
So during the summer, don’t just check the temperature.
Check the humidity, too.
② The Biggest Risk Isn’t Always the Breed—It’s These Dogs
People often ask:
“Which dogs are most sensitive to heat?”
Flat-faced, or brachycephalic, breeds are certainly among the dogs that deserve extra attention.
Examples include:
- French Bulldogs
- Pugs
- English Bulldogs
- Boston Terriers
Why?
Because their upper airways are structurally shorter and more restricted, while dogs rely heavily on panting to cool themselves.
That can create a frustrating cycle:
The hotter they get → the more they need to pant → the greater the breathing effort → the harder it may become to cool down.
But don’t make the mistake of thinking:
“My dog isn’t a flat-faced breed, so we’re fine.”
Not necessarily.
Puppies, senior dogs, overweight dogs, dogs with thick or double coats, dogs with underlying heart or respiratory conditions, and dogs that have experienced heatstroke before can also be at increased risk.
That’s why, even though my Golden Retriever isn’t a flat-faced breed, I still treat him as a high-temperature dog to watch closely during the hottest part of summer.
Especially because Golden Retrievers have a substantial coat.
And here’s another important misconception:
More fur ≠ automatically needing to be shaved.
A lot of people think:
“It’s so hot. Why not just shave the dog completely?”
It’s not quite that simple.
A double coat can also provide insulation and help protect the skin from environmental exposure.
So:
Brush out the coat when needed. Trim when appropriate. But don’t treat shaving the coat completely as a universal cooling solution.
③ Did You Know? A Dog That’s Overheating May Not Simply Lie Down and Stop Moving
This is probably the part I think every dog owner should remember.
When people imagine heatstroke, they often picture:
A dog collapsing.
Tongue hanging out.
Panting uncontrollably.
But before a dog becomes seriously ill, it may already be giving you several smaller warning signs.
1. Suddenly Moving From One Place to Another
Your dog normally sleeps in its bed.
Now it moves to the tile floor.
Then the entryway.
Then the spot directly underneath the air conditioner.
That doesn’t necessarily mean your dog suddenly developed a new interior-design preference.
It may be actively searching for a cooler place.
2. Suddenly Sleeping on Its Back
Maybe your dog normally curls up when sleeping.
Now it stretches out completely, lying flat on its back with its belly exposed.
Sometimes, exposing areas with less fur, such as the belly and paw pads, may help increase heat loss.
3. Panting Constantly Without Exercising
Panting after a run?
Normal.
Panting after playing fetch?
Normal.
But if your dog has been resting quietly for a while and is still panting heavily or continuously, it’s worth paying attention.
4. Suddenly Becoming Restless
You may think:
“Why is my dog so restless today?”
But your dog could actually be trying to find a cooler place.
Walk a few steps.
Lie down.
Get back up.
Move somewhere else.
Lie down again.
Repeatedly searching for a cooler environment can be an early sign that your dog is having trouble coping with the heat.
5. Suddenly Drinking Much More Water
Dogs may naturally drink more water when the weather is hot.
But if increased drinking happens together with:
Heavy panting + excessive drinking + reduced energy
don’t simply dismiss it as:
“It’s just hot today.”
The Bottom Line
Your dog can’t tell you:
“I’m too hot. I need help.”
Instead, it communicates through behavior.
④ When Is It More Than “Just a Little Hot”?
Being hot is not the same thing as heatstroke.
With mild overheating, a dog may pant, become thirsty, or seek out shade and cooler areas.
After moving to a cooler environment, resting, and having access to water, the dog may gradually return to normal.
But if you notice signs such as:
- Excessive drooling
- Very rapid or difficult breathing
- Significant weakness
- Reduced responsiveness
- Unusually bright red or abnormal-colored gums or tongue
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stumbling or an unsteady gait
- Inability to stand normally
- Confusion or altered consciousness
- Seizures
- Collapse or unconsciousness
Don’t keep watching and waiting.
This can be an emergency.
Cool your dog.
Contact a veterinarian.
Get veterinary care.
Those three steps are far more important than continuing to search online for “what to do if my dog has heatstroke.”
⑤ If Your Dog Has Heatstroke, Don’t Make This Common Mistake: Dousing Them With Ice-Cold Water
When you see a dog that is extremely hot, the instinctive reaction may be:
“Quick! Use ice water!”
But when it comes to cooling an overheated dog, colder is not necessarily better.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) provides pet first-aid guidance that includes using towels soaked with room-temperature water on areas such as the neck, armpits, and groin, replacing them as needed, while avoiding placing the pet directly into cold or ice water.
The basic idea is simple:
The goal is to continuously remove excess body heat—not to shock the dog with extreme cold.
My priorities would be:
First: Get Out of the Heat
Move your dog immediately to a cooler environment.
An air-conditioned room, a shaded area, or an air-conditioned vehicle can be appropriate depending on the situation.
Second: Start Gentle Cooling
Use cool—but not excessively cold—water or damp towels.
You can focus on areas such as the:
- Neck
- Armpits
- Groin
Keep air circulating as well.
Third: Offer Water if Your Dog Can Safely Drink
If your dog is conscious and able to swallow normally, you can offer an appropriate amount of drinking water.
Do not force water into your dog’s mouth.
If your dog is showing altered consciousness, vomiting, severe weakness, or other serious symptoms, don’t waste valuable time trying to make it drink.
Contact a veterinarian immediately.
The Bottom Line
Cooling isn’t about making your dog feel “cold.”
It’s about safely bringing your dog’s body temperature back down.
⑥ Another Often-Underestimated Danger: The Ground
The air temperature is 86°F.
You might think:
“That’s still manageable.”
But what about the surface your dog is walking on?
It may be much hotter.
Under direct sunlight, pavement can become significantly hotter than the surrounding air and can cause painful paw-pad burns in a short period of time.
That’s why I have a very simple rule for summer walks:
Check the ground first.
Place the back of your hand on the pavement for several seconds.
If the surface feels too hot for your own hand, don’t expect your dog’s paw pads to handle it.
Be especially careful around:
- Midday
- Asphalt
- Sun-baked pavement
- Open plazas without shade
These are places I would rather avoid.
My approach is simple:
In summer, walk earlier rather than trying to “finish the daily exercise” at noon.
Skipping one walk is no big deal.
A serious heat-related emergency can be a completely different story.
⑦ A Simple Summer Heat-Stress Risk Guide for Dogs
If you don’t want to research all of this every time, save the chart below:
Final Thoughts
Once you have a dog, you start realizing that they are constantly communicating with you.
They just can’t say:
“Hey, I’m getting too hot today.”
Instead, they may:
Lie down on the tile floor.
Expose their belly.
Pant continuously.
Keep moving from one spot to another.
Suddenly drink much more water.
Or become unusually restless.
Maybe in the past, we would have thought:
“Why is my dog being so difficult today?”
But now, maybe we should look at it differently.
Maybe it isn’t being difficult at all.
Maybe it’s asking you for help.
So the most important thing to remember during summer isn’t:
“At exactly what temperature will my dog definitely get heatstroke?”
It’s:
“Is my dog trying to tell me that it’s already too hot?”
A thermometer can tell you what the weather is like.
Your dog’s behavior tells you how your dog is actually coping with it.
And perhaps that’s one of the most important parts of being a dog owner:
Before they can put their needs into words,
learn to listen. ❤️
Sources
- The Spruce Pets: Information on heat risks, humidity, signs of overheating, and risk factors in different dogs.
- American Kennel Club (AKC): Information on canine overheating, heatstroke, body temperature, and high-risk dogs.
- American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): Pet heatstroke first-aid guidance, including cooling methods and when to seek veterinary care.
- HOPET: Information on canine heat-loss mechanisms, home cooling methods, and signs of heatstroke.
Important Disclaimer
This article is intended for general pet-health education and does not replace professional veterinary diagnosis or treatment.
If your dog develops altered consciousness, an unsteady gait, persistent vomiting or diarrhea, seizures, collapse, unconsciousness, or significant difficulty breathing, treat the situation as an emergency and seek veterinary care as soon as possible.