Do dogs sweat? Canine perspiration explained

Updated 16/09/2024

Do dogs sweat? And why do they pant? It’s an age-old debate. Thankfully, our clever canine scientists have put the issue to bed, putting their PhDs (Paw-fectly Helpful Doctors) to good use.

Read on to learn if, why, and how dogs sweat as we unravel the mysteries behind our precious panting pooches.

Do dogs sweat?

Yes, our adorable pooch pals sweat, but not in the same way as humans. What do we mean? Well, you’ll have to keep reading!

How do dogs sweat?

So, rather than wiping away a cascade of sweat from their furry brows, or finding pools of perspiration under their armpits, our canine companions rely on two glands to do the sweaty stuff:

Merocrine sweat glands

These nifty little glands are nestled in the paw pads. When your furry friend gets hot under the collar or a bit antsy, these glands get to work, releasing sweat through their paws. 

We sweat through our pores, while our canine companions sweat through their paws. Funny old world, ey?

Imagine your pup leaving behind teeny, sweaty footprints — it’s like a mini evaporative cooling system, giving their toasty paws a bit of a break. 

In truth, it’s not a huge cool-down for the rest of their bodies, just a little release of heat when they’ve been chasing one too many squirrels! This is why dog’s can struggle to regulate their temperature in really hot weather.

Apocrine sweat glands

These glands are scattered all over your pooch’s body, but rather than induce sweat, they produce pheromones that make pup-to-pup communication a breeze. 

So, next time your pup meets a new furry friend and they have a sniff fest, those apocrine glands are having a quiet chit-chat, sharing all the juicy dog gossip.

Now, let’s talk about everyone’s favorite topic: body odor. Unlike our own perspiration that can mix with skin bacteria to create a lovely bouquet of smells, dog sweat from the merocrine glands in their paws doesn’t carry the same eau de perfume. No stink, no fuss! 

And those apocrine gland secretions? They’re a scent only other dogs can detect, kind of like their personal telegrams.

So, while we humans might be dabbing our foreheads, our pups are leaving dainty sweat marks with their paws and having secret pheromone parties that we can’t even smell. Pawsome, right? 

Where do dogs sweat from?

Imagine your furry family members sweating through their coats! Yikes. That wouldn’t help them cool down at all. Instead, pooches have sweat glands in their paws, where there’s no fur to get in the way of evaporation.

Do dogs sweat through their tongue?

No, but the tongue does help pooches cool down. When pups get hot, they don’t just sit and sweat — they open wide and pant! Mmm, can you smell the breath? Not just an iconic doggy trademark (or trade-bark, we should say), panting is their way of cooling down. 

As they breathe heavily, water evaporates from their tongue, nasal passages, and lungs, helping to chill them out.

So, next time you see your pup with its tongue hanging out, just know they’re doing some fur-tastic evaporative cooling! Talk about cool, huh?

Do dogs sweat through their nose?

Not quite. As we mentioned, pooches pant to cool themselves down by letting water evaporate through their mouth and nasal passage. Technically water does come out their nose, but not in sweat-form.

How do dogs cool themselves?

Other than sweating through their paws, two main ways pooches cool themselves down:

• Panting: When your pooch is panting, they’re doing more than catching their breath. They’re rapidly inhaling, humidifying, and exhaling air, which causes moisture in their airways to evaporate and cool them down. If your pup is panting up a storm after playtime, make sure they have some fresh water to lap up and keep cool!
• Vasodilation: Pooches also cool off through vasodilation, where their blood vessels expand to bring warm blood closer to the skin’s surface for cooling. 

The face and ears are hot spots for this, so don't be surprised if your pup’s ears and chin turn a bit rosy when they’re feeling toasty. 

Can dogs sweat too much?

Let’s face it, we humans can sweat buckets even in the cold. It’s unclear if our cute canine companions experience the same thing, but we know that they can start over-sweating if they’re sick or stressed.

Experts believe that this extra moisture might give them a better grip on slippery surfaces (ideal for chasing gulls by the beach), so they can dash away from potential dangers - or whatever’s giving them the jitters (maybe the gulls have friends). 
Once the stress is gone, those sweaty paws usually dry up, leaving your canine cool, calm, and collected again! 

Signs your dog is overheating

Do dogs sweat? Yes. Can they become far-too-hot dogs? Absolutely, so be careful!

While our furry family members have some cool tricks up their sleeves, their cooling mechanisms aren't foolproof, making them vulnerable to overheating in hot weather. 

Heat exhaustion can quickly escalate to a dangerous heat stroke if not treated quickly and in the right away. Things like fresh water, cooling mats for dogs, and keeping your pooch pal out of direct heat can help prevent this, but if you suspect your pooch may be suffering from heat exhaustion - don’t delay, and seek the advice of your vet right away. 

Watch out for these "hot dog" warnings:

• Heavy or rapid panting
• Excessive drooling
• Lack of coordination
• Red gums 
• Rapid or irregular heart rate 
• Muscle tremors or seizures
• Feeling warm to the touch
• Loss of consciousness

Ways to keep dogs cool outside

Wondering how to keep dogs cool outside? Or, in other words, to prevent your cool canine companion from turning into a not-so-tasty hot dog? 

Keep their activities light in hot weather, or even don’t walk them at all, ensure they have ample shade and water, let them paddle or take a dip somewhere if possible, and go for walkies only when it's cool enough to do so. And never leave them in a hot spot - especially not inside a parked car!

Do dogs sweat? The round-up

From sweaty paws to rapid panting, our furry family members have some unique ways to handle the heat. So, next time you see your pooch panting or leaving little paw prints, remember they're just trying to keep their cool.

Crucially: Stay vigilant, keep them hydrated, and ensure they have a shady retreat at all times. Here's to keeping your cool canine comfy and safe!

Meet our veterinary expert, Holly

This article has been checked by veterinarian Holly Anne Hills BVM BVS BVMedSci. After graduating from the University of Nottingham, Holly spent two years working as a farm animal vet. She then spent some time traveling and volunteering in India, working at neutering clinics and with injured street dogs. Holly now works in small animal practice, and balances this with writing, volunteering with the comms team at Vet Sustain, and she is also a marine mammal medic!