Summer is the busiest season for pet sitting. Vacations, long weekends, road trips — and the person watching your pet is doing it during the most dangerous weather of the year.

Hot pavement burns paw pads. Heatstroke can kill a healthy dog in under an hour. Dehydration sneaks up on cats who already don't drink enough. And the sitter who's never cared for your pet before may not recognize the warning signs until it's too late.

This guide covers the summer-specific hazards every pet owner and sitter should know — because most of them are preventable with the right information at the right time.

The Pavement Test

This is the simplest and most important summer safety rule for dogs, and most sitters don't know it.

Place the back of your hand flat on the pavement. If you can't hold it there for seven seconds, it's too hot for your dog's paws.

At 77°F air temperature, asphalt can reach 125°F. At 87°F air temperature, asphalt hits 143°F — hot enough to cook an egg and burn paw pads in under a minute. Dogs don't wear shoes, and they can't tell the sitter their feet are burning until the damage is done.

What to tell your sitter:

• Walk on grass or dirt paths whenever possible during summer
• Walk early morning (before 9 AM) or evening (after 7 PM) when pavement is cooler
• If the pavement is too hot, skip the walk and play in the yard or air-conditioned house instead
• Watch for signs of burned paw pads: limping, licking feet, refusing to walk, red or blistered pads

Booties can protect paws if your dog tolerates them. If they don't, adjusting walk times is the easier solution.

Heatstroke: Know the Signs Before They Start

Heatstroke is the most dangerous summer threat to pets, and it progresses fast. A sitter who recognizes the early signs can save your pet's life. A sitter who doesn't may lose precious minutes.

Early signs of heatstroke:

• Heavy, rapid panting
• Thick, ropy drool
• Bright red tongue and gums
• Restlessness or confusion
• Wobbly gait

Advanced signs (emergency — go to the vet immediately):

• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Gums turning pale, gray, or blue
• Collapse or inability to stand
• Seizures
• Loss of consciousness

What to do if heatstroke is suspected:

1. Move the pet to shade or air conditioning immediately
2. Apply cool (not cold) water to the belly, groin, and paw pads
3. Offer small amounts of cool water to drink (don't force it)
4. Place wet towels on the pet — but replace them frequently (trapped towels can retain heat)
5. Head to the emergency vet, even if the pet seems to improve. Internal damage may not be visible.

Do NOT use ice water. Extreme cold causes blood vessels to constrict, trapping heat inside. Cool water is faster and safer.

High-risk pets: Brachycephalic breeds (bulldogs, pugs, boxers, Persian cats), elderly pets, overweight pets, and pets with heart or respiratory conditions. If your pet falls into any of these categories, tell your sitter explicitly and lower the heat threshold for outdoor activities.

Hydration

Dehydration is less dramatic than heatstroke but just as dangerous over time, especially for cats.

For dogs:

• Provide fresh, cool water at all times — multiple bowls in different locations
• Bring water on walks (a collapsible bowl and a water bottle)
• Add ice cubes to the water bowl in extreme heat
• Watch for signs of dehydration: dry nose, sticky gums, lethargy, sunken eyes, loss of skin elasticity (pinch the skin on the back of the neck — if it doesn't snap back quickly, the dog is dehydrated)

For cats:

• Cats are chronically under-hydrated even in cool weather. Summer makes it worse.
• Multiple water stations around the house
• A water fountain encourages drinking (the movement attracts cats)
• Wet food provides additional hydration — if your cat eats wet food, this is the season to emphasize it
• Monitor water levels — if they're not dropping, the cat isn't drinking enough

Summer Pests: Fleas, Ticks, and Mosquitoes

Summer is peak season for parasites, and your sitter needs to know your pet's prevention regimen.

Fleas. Tell your sitter whether your pet is on preventive treatment and when the last dose was given. If a new dose is due during the sitting period, leave the product with instructions. Watch for excessive scratching, biting at the base of the tail, or visible flea dirt (tiny black specks in the fur).

Ticks. If your pet walks in grassy or wooded areas, the sitter should do a tick check after every outing. Show them where to look: ears, neck, between toes, around the tail, and in skin folds. If the sitter finds a tick, include instructions on how to remove it (fine-tipped tweezers, pull straight up, don't twist) or tell them to call the vet.

Mosquitoes. Mosquitoes transmit heartworm, which is potentially fatal. If your pet is on heartworm prevention, make sure the sitter knows the schedule. If your pet isn't on prevention, keep them indoors during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.

Tell your sitter which preventive products your pet uses, the schedule, and where they're kept. This is especially critical for dog walkers and sitters who spend time outdoors. For a thorough look at medication and treatment handoffs, see how to share pet medication instructions with your sitter.

Swimming Safety

Not all dogs are natural swimmers, and the ones that are can still drown.

Pool safety:

• Never leave a pet unsupervised near an open pool
• Show the sitter where the pool steps or ramp are — a dog who falls in needs to know how to get out
• Rinse your dog after swimming to remove chlorine, which can irritate skin
• Pool covers can be a trap — a pet that walks onto a cover can get tangled underneath

Lake and ocean safety:

• Blue-green algae in lakes can be lethal — if the water looks green, slimy, or has a strong odor, keep pets away
• Saltwater ingestion causes diarrhea and dehydration — bring fresh water for drinking
• Strong currents and waves exhaust even strong swimmers
• Life vests exist for dogs and are worth using in open water

Tell your sitter your pet's swimming ability honestly. "He loves water" is not the same as "he's a strong swimmer." If your pet can't swim, the sitter needs to know that before they're standing at the edge of a dock.

Summer Car Safety

This one should be obvious, but it still kills pets every year: never leave a pet in a parked car during summer.

At 80°F outside, a car's interior reaches 100°F in ten minutes and 120°F in thirty minutes — even with windows cracked. A dog left in a hot car can suffer brain damage or death in under fifteen minutes.

Tell your sitter: if you can't take the pet inside the store, the pet doesn't come on the errand. Period.

Adjusting Walk Schedules for Heat

Summer changes when and how your dog should be walked. If your sitter normally walks the dog at noon, that needs to shift.

Optimal summer walk times:

• Early morning: 6–9 AM (pavement is cool, air temperature is lowest)
• Evening: after 7 PM (sun is low, pavement has cooled)
• Avoid: 11 AM–4 PM (peak heat, hottest pavement)

Shorten the walk if:

• The dog is panting heavily within the first five minutes
• The humidity is high (dogs cool by panting, and high humidity makes panting less effective)
• The dog is a flat-faced breed, elderly, or overweight

Carry water. Always. A collapsible bowl and a water bottle should go on every summer walk. Offer water every ten to fifteen minutes, not just when you get home.

For dog-specific sitter instructions beyond summer, including leash behavior, routes, and behavioral quirks, see our guide on what to tell your dog sitter.

Summer-Specific Sitter Instructions

Include these alongside your regular care instructions when hiring a summer sitter:

• Pavement rule: Back of hand, seven seconds. If too hot, walk on grass or skip the walk.
• Heatstroke signs and what to do (print this section if needed)
• Hydration: Where extra water bowls are, whether the dog carries water on walks
• Pest prevention: Which products, when the next dose is due, where they're kept
• Pool rules: Whether the pet can be near the pool, who supervises
• Walk schedule: Adjusted times for summer heat
• Emergency vet: Number and address, especially since heatstroke requires fast action

For a complete emergency contact list template, see our pet emergency contact list guide. For the full sitter checklist covering all seasons, see our complete pet sitter instructions checklist.

Summer Is Peak Pet Sitting Season

More people travel in summer than any other time of year. That means more sitters, more handoffs, and more opportunities for things to go wrong — especially when heat-specific hazards aren't communicated.

One Care Sheet covers every sitter, every trip, all summer. Update it with summer-specific notes (walk time changes, hydration reminders, pest prevention schedule), share one link, and every sitter who opens it has the latest information. It works offline, the contacts are tap-to-call, and you can update it from the beach.

See a live example of how a Care Sheet organizes everything your sitter needs.

Summer is here. Create your free Care Sheet and make sure every sitter knows the heat rules before they lace up the leash.