Can Dogs Sweat?

The short answer? Yes, dogs do sweat, but not like humans do! Your canine companion can only produce sweat in certain parts of the body, and have two types of sweat glands; merocrine and apocrine.

Merocrine sweat glands are located in your dog’s paw pads and activate when your furry friend needs to cool off. On particularly hot days, you may see their damp paw prints on the ground. Merocrine sweat glands act similarly to human sweat glands. If your pooch had sweat glands all over their body, their sweat would get trapped by the fur and wouldn’t be able to evaporate which is what creates the cooling effect.

Whilst they are considered sweat glands, the main function of apocrine glands are to release pheromones and are all over your dog’s body. Pheromones are a scent that help dogs identify each other!

There are a few ways dogs cool themselves down – with all of their fur, it’s important for their health and safety that they can cool off quickly!

-          Panting

Panting is your furry friend’s main way of cooling down and regulating their temperature. When they pant, any moisture from their tongue, lining of their lungs and nasal passages evaporates, cooling them down effectively! Have you noticed your dog pants a lot? Find out why in this article.

-          Vasodilation

Another way of cooling down quickly is vasodilation, which is where the blood vessels in your dog’s less furry areas expand to bring blood to the surface. This blood then cools, releases the heat and returns to their heart, regulating their inner body temperature.

-          Sweating through paws

Your pooch’s fur-less paw pads means sweat can evaporate, and help them cool off!

It’s important to be aware if your canine companion is overheating – there’s a few signs you can look out for which indicates your dog is too hot.

Keeping your pooch cool in the summer is most pooch parents’ biggest concern – we’ve got a whole host of cooling blogs here, including our guide on everything you need to know about cooling down your dog in summer.

The main points to take away are:

Water bottles on walks, a dog bowl near the shade and a constantly topped up dish indoors is essential for hydrating your pooch.

Whether it’s a spot under a tree or propping a parasol just for them, shady spots are your fur baby’s friend in the summer months.

For instant cooling, cooling mats are a great way of lowering their body temperature for pretty instant relief.

This includes walking your dog at different times too! The midday and afternoons is likely to be the hottest times in the day, so early morning and evening walks are best for a cooler climate. Always do the pavement test before you head out, if it feels hot on your hands, it will be too hot for your furry friend’s sensitive paws!

As with many things, there’s a few common misconceptions about dogs sweating that we hope this article has debunked. Here’s a couple of classics you should probably ignore if you hear it!

“Dogs don’t sweat at all” – if you’re still thinking this after reading this article, we’ve not done our job! Dogs do sweat, just differently to humans and it’s not their primary way of regulating body temperature.

“Shaving your dog keeps them cool” – false! A dog’s coat acts as insulation against sunburn, so shaving it off would make them susceptible to burning and overheating.

“Dogs sweat just like us” – Nope, they don’t. A dog’s sweat glands are only in areas where they have little to no fur, so the sweat can evaporate to create a cooling effect.

 

If you suspect your dog is overheating, it’s important to offer water, move them to a cooler, shaded area and bathe them with a damp, cool (not ice cold, as this can shock their nerves) cloth on their paws and belly. If you notice no signs of improvement, contact your local vet immediately.

Now you’re familiar and understanding with how your canine companion cools themselves down, and if they really can sweat (spoiler: they do!), you’re prepared for the summer months with your four-legged friend.

For summer staples or everyday essentials your pet needs, visit your local Jollyes store or shop online today.