North Dakota Pet Owners: Don’t Forget This

We haven’t had a lot of consistently warm days yet this summer, sadly. North Dakota's summer of 2026 has unfortunately been pretty rainy so far, but after this week, I believe warmer days will come. Once temperatures stay in the 80s and 90s, there are a few things we should keep in mind for our pets.

North Dakota Pet Owners Beware

We love getting our dogs outside in the summer months; we want to keep them active and let them enjoy the same things we love: sunshine, fresh air, nature, rivers, lakes, etc.

While you’re walking your dogs, remember there is a danger lurking. You might not realize it's an issue until it’s too late. For example, we wear shoes to protect our feet from rocks, bugs, cold, and one other thing...HEAT.

I'm sure you've been to a beach and stepped on really hot sand once or twice. You know how painful that can be.  The same thing goes with the pavement. Pavement can get very hot.

One thing people don't realize is that the pavement can get to be much hotter than the air temperature. For instance, on an 85-degree day, the sidewalks, roads and other concrete surface can climb above 135-degrees in direct sunlight.

I’m sure you’ve seen those videos where people crack and fry eggs on sidewalks to demonstrate how hot the concrete can get. On scorching days like the ones we will have coming up, you might want to keep this in mind when walking your dog: the pavement can be VERY hot.

Avoid pavements, take the grass when you can, and/or get little booties for your dogs. --I’d hate to have them end up with burns on the pads of their feet.

This is some advice you've probably already heard before, but sometimes we forget these things and just go on about our days without even realizing we’re making our dog stand on something that’s been sitting in the sun for hours on end, heating up like a frying pan.

Be safe, drink lots of water, bring water for your pets, and pay attention to their behavior. Make sure they’re safe and healthy, just like you and your family.