What dog breed overheats the most?
Rosa Gislason
2025-06-24 00:42:32
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The chow chow is 17 times more likely to suffer from heatstroke. Bulldog is 14 times more likely to suffer from heatstroke. French bulldog is six times more likely to suffer from heatstroke. Most of the breeds at higher risk of heatstroke are brachycephalic, or flat-faced. Brachycephalic dogs had twice the odds of suffering heatstroke than dogs with an average muzzle. Brachycephalic dogs are more likely to overheat because they often already struggle to breathe, even at rest. The chow chows and golden retrievers also had increased risk of heatstroke because of their thick double coats. A thick coat acts as insulation, trapping hot air and limiting heat loss if the dog overheats. Heavy dogs also showed an increased risk of heatstroke, including both obese dogs and dogs that are large or muscular. Large dogs, in general, were more likely to develop heatstroke than dogs under 10kg, with giant breed dogs weighing over 50kg three times more likely to develop heatstroke.
Donny Powlowski
2025-06-19 20:22:33
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The Bulldog, an extreme flat-faced breed, was 14 times more likely to develop heatstroke than Labrador retrievers, whilst flat-faced dogs in general were twice as likely.
The study identified that the following breeds were most at risk: Chow Chow (x17); Bulldog (x14); French Bulldog (x6); Dogue de Bordeaux (x5); Greyhound (x4); Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (x3); Pug (x3); Golden Retriever (x3), Springer Spaniel (x3).
It’s likely that brachycephalic dogs overheat due to their intrinsically ineffective cooling mechanisms.
Dogs pant to cool down – without a nose, panting is simply less effective.
In fact, brachycephalic dogs may even generate more heat simply gasping to breathe than they lose by panting.
The Chow Chow and the Golden Retriever, which were also at high risk, have thick “double coats” which limit effective cooling in hot weather, because the coat traps warm air against the body to prevent effective cooling from the skin.
As well as breed, the study identified some other important predictors for heat stroke in dogs, including being above average weight and being over two years old.
Dogs that were big for their breed – including both obese dogs and large or muscular dogs – had almost one and a half times the risk compared to those that were smaller than the breed average.
Dogs weighing 50kg or above had almost three and a half times the odds of heat stroke compared to dogs weighing under 10kg.
Harmon Robel
2025-06-10 17:19:35
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Brachycephalic breeds are prone to heat stroke because of short noses and flat faces. This includes breeds like Bulldogs, Pugs, Boxers and more. Their cooling mechanism is not well-built to regulate the body temperature properly due to shortened airways. This means that in hotter weather, they can overheat them very quickly. Although all dog breeds are prone to heat-related issues, however, certain breeds are at a higher risk due to their physical traits and genetics. Rising temperature increases the chance of heat stroke in certain breeds. Breeds with thick, double coats are the second most likely to face heat-related issues. These are foreign breeds whose coats are built to match the snowy climates, which easily overheats them during summer. So if you have breeds like Golden Retrievers, Huskies or Saint Bernards, make sure to follow a regular grooming routine.
Lula Stokes
2025-05-31 11:27:32
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The Kennel Club lists seven types of dog that are the highest risk of developing heatstroke.
These include dogs that are:
Overweight
Flat-faced
More energetic
Older
Bigger, particularly those over 50kg
Have longer or thicker fur
Have health issues, including being dehydrated or having heart or breathing problems
Breeds of dog that are at the highest risk include:
Chow Chows
Bulldogs
French Bulldogs
Dogue de Bordeaux
Greyhounds, Boxers
English Springer Spaniels
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
Pugs
Golden Retrievers
Staffordshire Bull Terriers
French Bulldogs are one of the 10 dog breeds at the highest risk of heatstroke
Tia Legros
2025-05-31 08:29:03
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: 6
Dogs have sweat glands mainly in their paw pads, so their primary way to cool themselves down is by panting. The brachycephalic airway impacts airflow so they are unable to cool themselves down effectively in even mild heat. Dogs with longer and thicker coats are also more susceptible to heatstroke. The top dog breeds most susceptible to heatstroke include Bulldogs, Boxers, Pugs, Boston terriers, Shih tzus, Chow chows, Golden retrievers, Huskies. The first five breeds listed here are brachycephalic dogs — which typically have issues with flat faces and narrow airways. The last three breeds listed, however, struggle with longer or thicker coats of fur that can lead to the dogs getting overheated. Golden retrievers are some of the dogs most susceptible to heatstrokes, said one veterinarian.
Read also
- How hot is too hot for a brachycephalic dog?
- What dogs are most sensitive to heat?
- Why do flat-faced dogs overheat?
- What are the problems with brachycephalic dogs?
- What temperature is too hot for Bulldogs?
- Can brachycephalic dogs fly in cabin?
- Why is my dog so sensitive to heat?
- What are the symptoms of brachycephalic syndrome?
- What is the life expectancy of a brachycephalic dog?