Hot Weather Training Tips: Dog Training in the Chicago Heat

Here’s a common scenario for us Chicago dog owners in the summer: Walks become unbearably hot for our dogs, but after coming inside and cooling off for twenty minutes, they’re still bored and full of energy. This leaves us wondering, what should we do all summer with our furry friends? 

Hot Weather and Dogs: Is walking in the heat dangerous?

Most of us know by now that pavement gets extra hot in the sun, that it’s dangerous to leave a dog in a warm car even for a few minutes, and that access to water is critical. But beyond that, how do you know exactly what is safe for your dog during the summer? 

Every dog’s heat tolerance is different due to their coat, the shape of their face/nose, and other genetic factors. Brachycephalic dogs such as pugs and bulldogs, as well as dogs who are overweight, have a much higher chance of health problems related to heat. Those who spend most of their time in precisely temperature-controlled houses also tend to have worse heat tolerance. Dogs are more susceptible to the effects of heat-related illnesses than humans because they are not able to cool themselves by sweating.

Signs of heatstroke in dogs include: prolonged excessive panting (tongue curled at sides), reddened gums/mucous membranes, fast heart rate, elevated temperature (104 F and above), vomiting (with or without blood), diarrhea (with or without blood), disorientation/stumbling, weakness/collapse, and seizures.   

The most dangerous activity for dogs in the heat is intense and/or prolonged exercise such as playing fetch. The danger also lies in the fact that the dog’s body temperature remains elevated after the exercise is over, so knowing how to cool a dog down quickly is important. In working dog communities such as sheep herding and bitesports, it is common practice to cool a dog off by having them lie in a pool of water immediately after their training session is over. In the study Evaluation of methods to reduce exercise-induced heat stress in working Labrador Retrievers (Gillette et al. 2025, 2026), researchers found ice water ingestion produced the greatest reduction in core temperature, while the combination of air flow (fan) with water or alcohol applied to glabrous skin regions (hairless or sparsely haired areas of the body), accelerated cooling more effectively than many commonly used standalone approaches.

Chase the Cool: Take your dog outside in the early morning and late at night 

At the time I am writing this, I myself am currently working on training myself to wake up earlier, and part of my motivation is being able to walk my dogs in the early morning before the sun is beating down on us. Alternatively, you can embrace your night owl and extend your dog’s post-sunset walks. It’s perfectly acceptable to adjust your dog’s mealtimes accordingly, too. 

Training Tip: Use the heat to your advantage!

For dogs who are leash-reactive or otherwise overly prone to excitement (trouble settling, barking for attention, over-excited greeters), you can actually use the heat to your advantage in training, assuming you are taking safety precautions to ensure your dog is not dangerously hot. 

A few years ago, I visited a training center called Dogs Playing for Life in Florida. At the time, the center’s focus was pulling severe behavior cases from shelters and rehabbing them. Most of these dogs were pitbulls who had been deemed unsafe for socializing in playgroups and were unadoptable. DPFL utilized training tools including muzzles and physical interruptors to teach these dogs how to coexist with other dogs again without fighting, with a remarkably high success rate. And you know what I noticed immediately as I watched some of these socialization sessions? 

These pitbulls could only spend so much time running around being a**holes because, on that beautiful February Florida day, it was 90 degrees outside. The heat was actually working to their advantage by tiring the dog out and forcing them to consider other ways to exist in that playgroup besides overly rough play and bullying other dogs. It helped unlock the door to peaceful coexistence so that when the dog was no longer too hot, and the human handlers insist to the dog that they not fight, the dog had a memory to look back on that went something like, “Oh, yeah, I guess I can just chill out in this situation.” I’ll never forget the lightbulb moment this gave me!

Training in the AC: Staying Indoors

At Home

Perhaps you and your dog might prefer to do some enrichment in your home. Toy play, nosework games, hide and seek, and trick training can provide your dog with physical and mental enrichment when it’s too hot to play outside. Check out my ultimate enrichment guide for more ideas to keep your dog exercised and entertained. 

Field Trips

Consider taking your dog on a field trip to your local pet store, a dog-friendly store for humans, or even an indoor mall. Sniffing some exotic bags of dog food or making new friends with the employees at the hardware store can all be good fun for your dog. Or, you can make your trainer proud and practice your training skills while you’re on your field trip: sit and down stay, heel, coming when called, and tricks can all be done even in tight retail aisles! 

Group Class

A structured group class is a sure-fire way of leaving your dog fulfilled for the day. Problem solving and using impulse control can be mentally taxing, which is exactly the enrichment many working-line and high-energy dogs crave. Whether your dog is learning obedience training and practicing ignoring distractions, or whether you’re practicing tricks like “wave” and “roll over” with the goal of learning a freestyle dance routine, there is a group class waiting for you.

In Conclusion 

Any time it feels unbearably hot, I remind myself that I was wishing for this weather all winter. Chicago is full of extreme temperatures, which means that we always need to stay strong and adapt! If you have any questions about how to keep training through the summer, please always feel free to drop me a line.

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Venus and Mars K9 provides in-home private dog training and group class for basic obedience, puppy socialization, trick training, dog sport foundations, leash reactivity training, and other canine behavior problems. We travel most frequently to neighborhoods such as Humboldt Park, Hermosa, Logan Square, Avondale, West Town, South Loop, Downtown Chicago, Ukrainian Village, Bucktown, Wicker Park, East Garfield Park, Fulton Market, North Center, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Irving Park, Portage Park, Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park, Pilsen, and Bridgeport.