Can Beagles Stay Outside in the Heat?

Summer is a super fun time to have a four-legged friend to go with you on all of your adventures. Who wouldn’t want a furry little friend by their side in the great outdoors, soaking in all the fresh air and fun-filled experiences, am I right? A common concern, though, is whether or not it is safe for your pooch to be out in the heat during these hot months.

Can beagles stay outside in the heat? It is safe for a beagle to be out in the heat until the temperature gets above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. After that temperature, it is safer to keep your dog indoors where there is air conditioning so that they won’t overheat or get heatstroke.

Though it may be fun to have your pup play outside with you all of the time, it is just as hard, if not harder on them to be outside and running in the heat. Dogs get heatstroke and can die from it too.

To learn more about how to keep your pup safe in hot weather, keep reading! I’ve got you covered.

Things to Look Out for with Your Beagle When It’s Hot Outside

Keep an Eye on Temperature!

Beagles are a breed of dog that has a better tolerance for heat than most, but it does not mean that high temperatures are not harmful to these playful pups.

Your dog can handle temperatures from about 30 degrees Fahrenheit to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything colder or hotter than these temperatures is not very safe for your dog to be in.

Your beagle can handle anything in-between this temperature range pretty well, but if it is getting warmer than 90 degrees outside, keep a very close eye on your dog. Take them inside when necessary to ensure that your dog does not get heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Hot outdoor temperatures and being in the sun can be super harmful to your dog, not just because your dog could overheat, but also because it is harmful to their exposed skin (such as their nose and paws). Their exposed skin is sensitive and the sun exposure can be very harmful.

When it starts to get too hot outside for your pup to be outside playing in, you should take them inside for the air conditioning. This will prevent them from getting overheated. Encourage them to keep hydrated, and always have their water bowl filled.

Is the Ground Too Hot?

We all know how fun it is to run around in the sun and go on fun adventures. You may have been planning throughout the endlessly cold winter, imagining the day when the weather will finally warm and summer days arrive.

As you may know, when it is hot outside, the ground tends to be hotter than the actual temperature outside.

When you were younger, did you ever try cooking an egg or cookie on the driveway, or have a rouge soda can explode from getting too hot?

Yeah. Me too.

These are prime examples of how crazy hot the fun summer months can get. If it is that hot outside, you wouldn’t want your dog’s feet cooking on the asphalt, right?

If you can cook an egg on the driveway and you don’t want to walk on the concrete or asphalt with your own bare feet, you definitely should not have your cute dog’s little paws out on it! Dogs’ paws are also very sensitive to heat… possibly more sensitive than your feet!

You should not have your dog walking on a surface if you can’t hold the top of your hand or the bottoms of your feet to the surface for more than five seconds.

If you are outside with your dog when it is this hot out, stay on softer ground surfaces to avoid burning. These are surfaces such as grass or dirt. They are softly padded for your feet and they don’t retain that much heat.

Avoid sand, because it retains heat just as much as asphalt or concrete will!

Is Traveling Safe?

Because of the extreme temperatures, it is more difficult to travel with your four-legged, tail-wagging friend. However, traveling with your pet is not impossible!

You can totally travel with your pet if you desire, you just have to make sure you are cautious about some things.

During the heat of summer, you cannot leave your dogs in the car when you run errands. This is completely unsafe for your pup and can even lead to them dying.

Do you know how you open your car door to get in it in the summer and you jump back because it is hotter in an oven, so you turn the car on and set the A/C to full blast so the car can cool down before you get in? Well when you leave your car, it jumps right back up to those baking temperatures.

Hot cars are extremely unsafe for your dog because they are trapped in the blistering heat with nowhere to go to save themselves from heat stroke. Cracking the windows of your car before leaving your pup in there while running errands is unsafe too, and does not help at all!

Your dog will overheat very easily and it is more common than you think for dogs to die in cars because their owners trapped them in the heat for too long.

As long as you aren’t leaving your dog alone in a hot car for extended amounts of time, you should be just fine to travel! Dogs are good travel companions to have, but I would suggest you do a few things to keep your dog happy and healthy during your summer travels.

Keep your dog in the cab of the car with you in the air conditioning so that they don’t overheat. By doing this, your dog will stay cool and won’t overheat, like they otherwise would in the bed of a pickup.

If you are worried about your dog crawling all over the car or messing up your seats, fold the back seats down, lay out an old quilt or two over the fabric, and put a kennel in the car that your dog can relax in.

Laying down the quilts will help to protect the upholstery in your car from getting hair in it or even scratched or ripped from your dog crawling in and out. A kennel will help to keep your dog contained as well.

Have the door of the kennel facing the door your dog will be getting in and out of for ease of access and so that your dog won’t scratch up the rest of your car.

For more comfort, your dog might prefer a metal cage kennel so that they can still see you and feel there with you. By them being able to be “with” you it might ease some travel anxiety they might have.

I would also suggest putting a dog bed in their kennel or laying some quilts out for a makeshift dog bed in the kennel so that your dog will have some cushioning between them and the hard kennel floor. It will make the trip much easier and more comfortable.

When traveling with your dog, make sure you stop frequently so that your dog can go to the bathroom. If your dog does not have to go to the bathroom decently often, they are not staying hydrated enough and you will need to make sure they drink more water.

I would also suggest that you keep travel bowls for your dog’s food and water handy so that you can feed and hydrate your dog when you stop.

As long as you keep your dog in a cool environment with you, don’t leave them alone especially in a car without the air conditioning running, and ensure they get plenty of bathroom and feeding breaks, traveling with your four-legged companion should be just fine!

What About Exercise?

Exercise is important to keep up with for your dog even during the hot summer months. However, as we have established, we don’t want your pup out in the blistering heat, especially if exercising.

Instead of exercising in the afternoon or around the heat of the day, you should exercise your dog during cool hours such as in the earlier morning or in the late evening. These hours of the day should be cool enough for your dog to be out in no matter where you live so that you both can get your exercise without overheating.

I would suggest that when you work out you stay in shadier areas to keep out of the sun. by doing so you will be better protected from the heat and from burning. The concrete will be cooler as well which will be nice for your puppy’s paws.

Something to keep in mind whenever exercising in the summer with your dog is to keep it short. It is much easier to overheat in the summer, especially for your dog. Dogs have hair or fur all over their bodies which will retain heat.

Like I have mentioned before, dogs’ exposed skin on their nose and paws is super sensitive to the heat and can burn and cause pain easily. By keeping your workout short, you are getting enough workout in for your dog to be healthy, but you are getting the both of you out of the heat before it becomes a danger to your health.

How Should I Go On My Summer Adventures with My Pet Beagle?

Adventuring is what summer is all about! Who could disagree? However, you need to take some precautions to keep your puppy happy, healthy, and safe during the hot weather.

One thing you should do is keep your beagle the shade as much as possible when outside. By doing so, you two will stay cooler and safer from getting sunburned in the scorching heat. The shade will help to that your dog does not get heatstroke or heat exhaustion as easily as well, not that staying in the shade will prevent it entirely.

When hiking or doing similar workout/active recreational activities, make sure you keep it in the shade and short as well! your dog will thank you later for not putting it in a situation to get overheated.

Another thing I would suggest is to play in the water a lot! This is a fun activity to do during the summer because you stay rather cool in the water and can still soak in the sunshine! Be careful to make sure your dog takes breaks in the shade and stays hydrated too, though.

Just because the water helps keep both of you cooler does not prevent heat stroke or heat exhaustion from occurring.

I know I briefly stated this multiple times above, but it can’t be said enough. Make sure that your dog stays well hydrated! If your dog gets dehydrated, it makes them much more prone to heat stroke or heat exhaustion and that can even cause severe fatigue in your dog.

Keep both of you well hydrated and that will help to keep you cool and produce enough water to supply for your sweat as well, which will also help to keep you cool.

I stated this earlier as well, but it is important to know. When out walking, hiking, or adventuring with your dog, it is important to stay on the softer ground such as grass or dirt because not only is it easier on their paws, but it also does not retain nearly as much heat as concrete or asphalt will.

Also, sand may be softer than concrete, but it retains just as much heat! Stay away from sand as well! If you must walk on the hot ground such as concrete, asphalt, or sand, make sure to put booties over your dog’s paw to protect them from getting burned.

How to Tell if Your Beagle is Overheating

There are a few key signs that show if your dog is developing heat exhaustion from heat stroke that you should keep an eye out for when out in the heat.

Signs of Heat Exhaustion / Heat Stroke:

• Heavy Panting
• Trouble Breathing
• Excessive Drooling
• Fatigue
• Fast Heart Rate
• Loss of Appetite
• Dehydration

If your dog is showing even just a couple of these signs, you should find an air-conditioned room, or at least shade, for your dog to cool down and re-hydrate in.

These are all sign leading up to and of heat exhaustion which is just as dangerous, if not more, for your dog as it is for you.

How to Protect Your Pooch in the Heat of the Summer

I have gone over quite a few of the common and most effective methods to keep your dog safe from the extreme heat in the summer previously.

Below, I have compiled a list of most of my favorite ways, common and not, to keep our dogs cool in the heat of summer.

My favorite ways to keep my dog cool in the summer:

• HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE –Always have water and a bowl available and with you for your dog so they never get dehydrated)

• Stay in the Air Conditioning – This won’t be possible to do 24/7, but especially during the hot hours of the day, this is important. Short bathroom breaks are always okay as long as your dog does not stay outside in the extreme heat for too long.)

• Booties for Their Paws – Use booties for your dog’s paws when walking on the hot ground! Asphalt, concrete, and sand are extremely hot in the summer and unsafe to walk on with bare feet. To remedy this dilemma get some booties to put over your dog’s paws to protect from the scorching temperatures.

• Stay on Softer Ground – By staying on the softer ground, it is cooler than concrete and asphalt most of the time. These are surfaces such as dirt and grasses. They will help to be easier on your dog’s paws and prevent getting burnt.

• Keep Exercises Short – You don’t want to stay out in the heat long at all because it leaves your dog even more prone to getting heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

• Stay in the Shade – When you need to be outside, staying in the shade will help to keep you cooler for longer and avoid getting sunburnt.

• No Dog Clothes – These are just extra layers that trap in heat for your dog. In the summer, when your dog is trying to not get overheated as is, it isn’t smart for your dog to be wearing anything extra to prevent getting overheated.

• Cold Treats! – This can be anything from ice cubes in their water to make them drink it to actually frozen dog treats to help cool off your dog! they can be delicious and fun for your dog while serving the purpose of keeping your beagle pup cool!

Related Questions:

Are Beagles good in hot weather? These dogs aren’t as at high of a risk as other dogs are in the hot weather, but they are still prone to heat stroke and heat exhaustion. A good rule of thumb is if it is too hot for your outside, it is definitely too hot for your dog as well!

Do Beagles like the heat? Beagles actually love the heat and can often be found sunbathing or taking a nap in the sunshine. However, despite how much they love the heat, you have to be careful to not let them get too much because they can still get heat stroke the same way any other dog or person can. Keep them well hydrated and make sure they take time in the shade.