A message for all NJ dog owners that walk their dogs in extreme heat

I'll just cut right to the point. Even during a major heat wave, New Jersey dog owners are still walking their dogs in the afternoon heat.

We see it all the time. It's 3 in the afternoon, and someone has their dog out walking along our neighborhood streets.

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First off, it's pretty impressive that you can handle temperatures in the upper 90s and lower 100s. That's pretty extreme heat right there.

But then, you're out there walking your dog with you. Think about that for a moment. The dog is being walked in close to triple-digit heat.

Not only that, but some of these dog owners are also walking their pet on the blacktop that's been cooking in the summer heat all day. Blacktop that, especially during a heatwave, can reach temperatures of 140 and 150 degrees.

So, here's a little message for every dog owner who walks their dogs in these conditions. You should go out there, barefoot, while wearing a heavy winter coat along with sweatpants.

Now, why should you do such a thing if the temperature is near 100? Wouldn't that be foolish? The short answer is, yet, it would be foolish. And fortunately for you, you can control whether or not you wear a coat or go out barefoot.

Your dog, on the other hand, cannot. They can't take their fur coat off, and they must walk bare-pawed on that super hot blacktop.

Just think about all the blisters on your feet if you did such a thing? Or how quickly you might pass out if you had that winter coat on?

That's what you have to think about when walking your dog in those conditions. It's not fair to them, and they shouldn't be walking in those conditions in the first place.

Yes, walking on grass may be OK, but not scorching hot blacktop. And if you're one of those dog owners, ask yourself - are you truly being a responsible dog owner? Please don't do it. Get up early and walk, or wait for the sun to go down in the evening.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.