Are Finnish Spitzs good in hot weather?
Finnish Spitzs were built for cold climates, so a hot spell asks for real care. They can be kept comfortable, but not by accident.
How Finnish Spitzs handle the heat
The cooling problem
Finnish Spitzs carry a dense double coat evolved to trap warmth. It insulates against heat as well as cold to a point, but in high temperatures it works against them, and humidity makes it worse. The coat is a heat store they cannot simply shed on a hot day.
Practical summer management
Shift walks to early morning and late evening, and skip them entirely on the hottest days. Carry water on every outing, provide deep shade in the garden, and give access to cool floors indoors. The pavement test is simple: press the back of your hand to the ground for seven seconds, and if it is too hot for your hand it is too hot for paws.
Never shave a double coat to "cool the dog down". It removes the insulating layer that also blocks heat and can leave the skin exposed to sunburn. Regular brushing to clear dead undercoat is the right approach.
Exercise in warm weather
Finnish Spitzs have high energy, which is the trap in summer. They will keep going past the point that is safe, so it is on you to cut sessions short, choose shaded routes, and swap a run for sniffing and brain games on hot days.
What temperature is too hot?
There is no single cutoff, because humidity, age, weight, and coat all matter. As a guide, take extra care above 20C and treat anything above 25C as high risk for a heavy-coated breed like this. When in doubt, keep them home and cool.
Personality and summer walks
Finland's national dog and arguably the world's most vocal breed. Bred specifically to bark, and will not stop.
A lively dog keeps up a high level of activity even as the temperature climbs, and that liveliness does not automatically switch to caution once conditions get uncomfortably warm. Friendly dogs still want to greet visitors and other walkers in warm weather, and it takes deliberate management to keep those interactions brief when the temperature is high. An active dog wants its usual level of exercise regardless of the temperature, so the owner needs to actively substitute shorter, cooler sessions rather than rely on the dog to hold back.
Heat, training and behaviour
Teaching a dog to settle in the shade
Finnish Spitzs respond reasonably well to basic settle training, which helps on hot days when the aim is simply to keep the dog calm and off its feet during the warmest hours.
Barking and restlessness in a heatwave
Finnish Spitzs are already a vocal breed, and heat-driven restlessness (pacing, panting, an inability to settle) can show up as extra barking rather than the calm rest a hot day actually calls for.
Family and other pets in a heatwave
Finnish Spitzs generally do well around children, though hot weather adds a job for parents: making sure excitable play with kids in the garden does not run on longer than the dog can safely handle. A cat in the same household should have its own cool retreat well away from this breed, heat or no heat.
Cost and ageing in hot weather
Finnish Spitzs typically live 12 to 15 years, and older dogs of any breed regulate heat less efficiently than a fit adult, so senior finnish spitzs need shorter, cooler outings and closer watching during a heatwave. Insurance for a Finnish Spitz in the UK typically costs about £22 to £50 a month, and heatstroke is exactly the kind of sudden, serious vet visit that cover exists for. A Finnish Spitz puppy, usually priced around £700 to £1500, overheats more easily than an adult dog as well, since puppies have less developed temperature regulation and tire without always showing it.
Full guide to Finnish Spitzs
Read the complete Finnish Spitz guide →