A dog trainer has shared essential heatwave dog walking safety tips for flat owners, warning that animals should not be taken out for proper exercise in extreme heat12:54, 24 May 2026A dog trainer has urged people not to take their dog out for a proper walk in this sweltering weather, even if they're living in a flat.‌He warned "it's far too hot" at the moment, with guidance suggesting that pet owners should not be walking their dogs if it's 24 degrees and over, as the pavement could scorch their paws, it's so warm. And when temperatures climb above 28°C, no dogs should be taken outside for a walk at all, and must only be allowed out for a brief moment to do their business in the shade, before being brought back inside.‌TikTok user @southenddogtraining1 revealed he constantly gets asked what people in flats should do when the weather is extremely warm, and said a "lot of people are making excuses that they live in a flat, so their dog has to go for a walk". But he insisted this isn't the case, and said you can avoid it.‌"There's a huge difference between taking your dog outside to go to the toilet when it's warm, and taking your dog out for its proper exercise," he said.He continued: "You taking your dog outside when it's hot, typically if your dog's healthy, it's gonna be alright. A couple of minutes, just to go to the f****** toilet, it's gonna be fine."You wanna walk your dog when you live in a flat, get up earlier, or go out later so your dog can have its proper exercise then.‌"But the reality is that your dog doesn't need a 60-minute walk [in weather like this], a 30-minute walk, a 45-minute walk, a two-hour walk, when it's 25 degrees in the UK. It simply f****** doesn't."He highlighted "that's how dogs get heatstroke," warning exercising your pet in such extreme temperatures simply isn't worth the risk.The trainer also noted if your dog has "full bladder control," they can typically last through the entire night without needing to wee or poo, meaning they "don't need to be going out every 20 minutes or half an hour".‌He then revealed a handy trick to determine whether conditions are genuinely too hot for your dog to be outside."The reality is, all you've got to do is check that pavement. Back of your hand on the pavement for seven seconds. If you can't hold it there for a full seven seconds, without it being uncomfortable, without you removing your hand, it's gonna be too hot for your dog," he explained.In the comments section, many conscientious dog owners were in agreement. One wrote: "We were out at 6:15am this morning... only saw 2 other dog owners. Yet 1pm I've seen 4 people walking their dog."Article continues belowAnother said: "When I lived in an apartment in the Netherlands and summers could be 35 degrees. I set my alarm at 3/4 o'clock in the morning. During the days, I carried her 30kilos to the grass across the street, did her business and back. And around 11/midnight 30/45 minutes chilled walk. There is always a solution for everything."Another user chimed in: "Also, things like dog barns, dog softplay and indoor dog enrichment places now exist so it's easy to mix up what you're doing to keep your dog occupied now."