Too hot to walk. Too wired to sleep.
The Walk Got Cancelled. The Energy Didn't.
When the footpath's too hot for paws, most dogs miss more than a walk. They miss the chase. Here's how to give it back to them indoors, in ten cool minutes.
See the toy that runs on the tiles ↓
Already sold? Buy 1 Get 1 Free →
You've probably just seen a dog flat out on the kitchen tiles, or a cushion on the lounge-room floor at 8pm.
If you've got a dog in an Australian summer, you know how the week goes. It's 34 by ten in the morning. The footpath is cooking. You put your hand on it, take it straight off, and the walk doesn't happen. Fair enough. That's the right call.
But the dog didn't get the memo. By evening there's a lap of the lounge, a cushion on the floor, and a pair of eyes following you from room to room like you're hiding something.
This page is about that gap: the walk you rightly skipped, and the energy that's still there. It's also about a fix that takes ten minutes, happens inside, and doesn't need you to throw anything in 38 degrees.
Three things first.
- Skipping the midday walk is the right call. Hot footpaths burn paws, and dogs overheat far faster than we do. Nothing on this page says otherwise.
- Your dog isn't being naughty. A dog that zooms at 8pm after a day stuck inside isn't misbehaving. That's energy with nowhere to go.
- A walk was only ever half of it. The other half is the chase: see something move, stalk it, chase it, grab it. A walk covers a bit of that. A toy lying on the floor covers none of it. That's the bit you can bring inside.
A January week
Here's an illustrative week, put together from the messages we get every summer. Yours may look a little different, but probably not by much.
An illustrative week
One dog, one hot week
- Monday. 36°. Walk skipped at lunch. Evening walk at 7:30, when it's still 31.
- Tuesday. 38°. No walk. Zoomies through the hallway at 8:15pm.
- Wednesday. 35°. Walk at 6am. Back inside by 6:40 and staring at you by 7.
- Thursday. 39°. No walk. One cushion on the floor. One sock "missing".
- Friday. Storm. Nobody's going anywhere.
- Saturday. 37°. Short walk at 5:45am, done before the sun got up.
- Sunday. 40°. Everyone lies on the tiles. Except the dog. The dog is standing in the doorway.
And that's a mild one.
What everyone suggests
You've probably tried most of these. They're good ideas. Here's what each one does well, and the part it doesn't touch.
"Walk at 5am instead." Yes, do this. Keep doing it. It's the single best summer habit there is.
What it doesn't touch: a 39° day when 5am was already 28, or the six hours between breakfast and dinner.
"Frozen Kong, lick mat, snuffle mat." Brilliant for calming down and cooling off.
What it doesn't touch: they're slow and still. They give a dog something to work at, not something to chase.
"A clam pool and the sprinkler." Great fun, early or late, in the shade, with you there.
What it doesn't touch: at 2pm on a 38° day the pool's in full sun and so are you.
"Doggy daycare." It works if it suits your budget and your dog.
What it doesn't touch: at $50 to $70 a day, a summer of it adds up fast.
"Throw the ball down the hallway." Closest yet. That's real chasing.
What it doesn't touch: then the ball stops, and it waits for you to throw it again. For the fortieth time. While you're on a call.
"More toys."
What it doesn't touch: more on that below. The basket is usually full. Nothing in it moves.
The 7-second test
Before anything else, here's the rule most dog owners use in summer.
Asphalt, concrete and fake turf can get much hotter than the air. A 30-degree afternoon can mean a footpath you can't touch. So the walk moves to early morning or late evening, and some days it doesn't happen at all.
Summer safety
- Walk early or late. Skip the walk when the footpath fails the 7-second test.
- Indoor play only in the heat, in the coolest room, in short bursts.
- Water out, always. Stop for a drink and a lie-down every few minutes.
- Flat-faced breeds (pugs, Frenchies, bulldogs), older dogs and heavy-coated dogs overheat faster. Go shorter and gentler.
- Heavy panting, drooling, wobbliness, vomiting or a dog that won't settle can be signs of heat stress. Stop, cool them down and call your vet.
This is general advice, not veterinary advice. If you're unsure, ask your vet.
Why the energy doesn't go away
Dogs come wired with a sequence. Nobody had to teach it to them.
The chase, in five steps
See, stalk, chase, grab, settle.
- See
Something moves.
- Stalk
Head down, eyes locked.
- Chase
Go.
- Grab
Got it.
- Settle
Then, and only then, flat out on the floor.
Why a walk isn't the whole answer. A walk is great for the body and the nose. But the sequence above rarely happens on a lead. Your dog sees a bird, stalks it for half a second, gets "leave it", and that's that.
Why a toy on the floor doesn't do it. It doesn't move, so step one never happens. A dog will sniff it, carry it, maybe chew it. They won't chase it, because there's nothing to chase.
Why the zoomies at 8pm. If the sequence never gets finished, the energy doesn't vanish. It comes out on its own schedule, usually right as you sit down. Those 8pm laps of the lounge aren't the dog being bad. They're the dog finishing the sequence the only way it can.
Why the tiles
In most Aussie houses, the coolest place in summer is the tiled floor. It's where the dog ends up anyway.
So that's where you play. Pick the coolest room, close the blinds and put the aircon or a fan on. Ten minutes of chasing, a big drink, then a lie-down on the cool floor. That's the whole plan.
Short bursts matter more than total time. Five or ten minutes of real chasing, with breaks, does more for a cooped-up dog than an hour of pacing. And because you're inside, in the cool, you can stop the second they need a breather.
Yes, we read the comments
"Just walk your dog at 5am." We agree. Please do. Nothing here replaces a walk. But anyone who's lived through a Brisbane or Perth January knows some mornings are already 28 at 5am, and the walk still has to be short. The chase is the bit you can add inside.
"Dogs got through summer for thousands of years without toys." They did. They also weren't stuck in a three-bedroom house from 9 to 5, waiting for someone to take them out. Their days had things that moved: birds, lizards, other dogs, stock. Ours mostly don't.
"Just get a clam pool." Get one. It's great, early and late, in the shade, with you watching. It just doesn't help at 2pm, and it doesn't do the chase.
Why the toy basket doesn't help
Have a look in the toy basket with one question in mind. What in here moves?
Pile one
4Waits for you
The ball, the rope, the squeaky duck, the Kong. Every one of them needs a person to make it move. In summer, the person is lying on the tiles too.
Pile two
3Moves, sort of
Cheap "smart balls" that roll in a circle and get worked out in two goes. Toys that die in a week. Toys clearly designed for a cat.
A toy that sits still only works while you're throwing it. A toy that goes round in circles stops being interesting by day two.
Kongs and lick mats are fine as extras. They're just not the chase, and the chase is the bit summer takes away.
The five-point checklist
Here's what a summer toy actually needs to do. Check it against anything you already own.
- Does it move on its own, without you throwing it?
- Can your dog predict it? Or does it keep changing direction and speed?
- Does it suit short bursts? Does it stop when your dog stops, so you can take a break?
- Does it work on your floors? Tiles, floorboards and carpet.
- Will it survive your dog?
My dog couldn't stop playing with it. Every time it would move or tweet he would go on another round of chasing it all over the house. He was completely pooped afterwards. But it was just the thing I needed to give him exercise and stimulation during the winter months when walks aren't as frequent. Having two toys means one is always ready while the other is charging.
I have an American Staffy. This is a game changer. She LOVES IT. Plus has given her an afternoon workout. She chews this, but has not broken the outer shell.
The ball scores zero. Most of the "smart" balls score one, maybe two. One toy scores five.
The one that scored five
It's called The Chase Buddy. Yes, we make it, so take this bit with whatever grain of salt you like. Here's how it lines up against the list.
Three ways to get the game going.
Gentle rolling and pauses. Start here, and stay here on the warmer days.
Quicker movement, turns and changes of direction. For the cooler evenings.
It powers down when your dog stops. A nudge starts it again.
"Moves on its own." You don't throw it. Switch it on, put it on the tiles, sit on the couch under the fan. It does the running.
"Can't predict it." The movement is randomised. It cuts sideways, spins, stops dead, bolts.
"Short bursts." That's Interactive Mode. When your dog stops for a breather, it stops too. When they're ready, a nudge sets it off again. The dog sets the pace, which is exactly what you want in summer.
"Works on your floors." Carpet, tile and hardwood inside. In summer, keep it on the coolest floor in the house.
"Survives your dog." A chew-resistant ABS and TPU shell. The rope arms take the beating. Safe for small, medium and large breeds.
USB-C, about 90 minutes to charge, up to 24 hours of play. Twenty to thirty minutes a day is enough, and in summer, split that into short sessions. Play with it together, then pop it back on the charger.
Free shipping · Ships within 24 hours · 30-Day Happy Dog Guarantee
What a 38° day can look like
This isn't one dog's diary. It's a simple routine that works for a lot of dogs. Adjust it for yours.
5:45am
Walk, before the footpath heats up. Keep it shorter on hot mornings.
Do the 7-second test on the way out the door.
11am
Blinds down, aircon or fan on. Water bowl topped up.
The house is the cool place now.
1pm
Ten minutes with The Chase Buddy on the tiles, Slow or Interactive. A drink halfway through.
Short burst. The dog sets the pace.
1:15pm
Flat out on the cool floor.
The nap that usually doesn't come until after the zoomies.
7:30pm
Evening walk, if the footpath passes the test. If not, another ten minutes inside.
No laps of the lounge at 8:15.
Results vary from dog to dog. Some take to it on day one, some take a week. The Chase Buddy is a toy, not a substitute for walks, water, shade or common sense in the heat.
The maths
The Chase Buddy is $54.99 AUD incl. GST. Put that next to a summer of doggy daycare at $50 to $70 a day. A chewed cushion. A pair of thongs. Another squeaky toy that ends up in the basket.
Right now it's Buy 1 Get 1 Free. Two for $54.99 AUD. One for the cool room, one for the other end of the house. Two dogs? One each. Don't make them share. Buy 2 Get 2 Free is $109.98 AUD.
Free shipping on every order. Ships within 24 hours to Australia, New Zealand, the US, the UK and Canada.
Not just one dog
"This toy has been a lifesaver for tiring our boy out."
"Our Staffy loves his new toy."
"Our boy loves it, quick delivery too!"
"A friend told us about this and it hasn't disappointed."
If you think your dog is the extreme case, they probably aren't. They're not being naughty. They're stuck inside with nothing to chase.
4.7/5 from 1,422 reviews · Not sold on Amazon
The guarantee, in plain words
It's called the 30-Day Happy Dog Guarantee. If your dog isn't happier, email us within 30 days of delivery and send the toy back in its original packaging. Once it arrives, we refund the product price. Return postage is the only cost to you. Full terms here.
Fewer than 1 in 50 people ever use it. If it doesn't work for your dog, you've lost a bit of postage. If it does, you get your evenings back.
Not happier in 30 days? Send it back for a refund.
Two ways this summer goes
The first way, it goes like every other summer. The walk gets skipped on the hot days, which is right. The energy builds. The laps of the lounge start at 8pm. You spend February counting down to March.
The second way, you keep the early walks and add ten cool minutes inside. Slow Mode, on the tiles, water out, day one. Watch what happens at 8pm.
The walk can wait for the footpath to cool down. The chase doesn't have to.
$54.99 AUD incl. GST · Buy 1 Get 1 Free · Free shipping
Common questions
Is it safe to play when it's hot?
Inside, in a cool room, in short bursts, with water out: that's how we recommend using it in summer. Don't use it outdoors in the heat, and don't push a hot dog to keep going. Interactive Mode stops when your dog stops, so they can take a breather. Flat-faced breeds, older dogs and heavy-coated dogs need shorter, gentler sessions. If you see heavy panting, drooling, wobbliness or vomiting, stop, cool them down and call your vet.
Does it work on carpet, or only on tiles?
It works on carpet, tile and hardwood. We suggest the tiles in summer because that's usually the coolest floor in the house, for the dog, not the toy.
Can it replace the walk?
No. Your dog still needs walks, early or late when it's cooler. The Chase Buddy adds the part the walk can't give them in summer: the chase.
Can I leave it with my dog while I'm out?
No. It's a battery-powered toy, so use it while you're home and with your dog, then put it away on the charger. Twenty to thirty minutes a day, split into short sessions, is plenty.
We've got two dogs. Do they share?
Don't make them share. The Buy 1 Get 1 Free offer is one each. Two bored dogs aren't twice as tired. They're twice as bored.
How do I introduce it?
Slow Mode for five minutes on day one, indoors, in the cool. The first session is about letting your dog work out that it moves and reacts to them. Most dogs engage within minutes. Move up to Interactive Mode over the first week.
What if my dog doesn't like it?
You're covered by the 30-Day Happy Dog Guarantee. If your dog isn't happier, email us within 30 days of delivery, send the toy back in its original packaging, and we refund the product price. Fewer than 1 in 50 people ever use it.
P.S. Three things. It's Buy 1 Get 1 Free right now, so two Chase Buddies for $54.99 AUD incl. GST with free shipping. One for the cool room and one for the other end of the house. It comes with the 30-Day Happy Dog Guarantee: if your dog isn't happier, send it back within 30 days for a refund. And it isn't sold on Amazon. The real one only comes from floofypups.com.
Get 2 Chase Buddies for the Price of 1 →Buy 1 Get 1 Free + free shipping
2 for 1
The Chase Buddy
$109.98 AUD
$54.99 AUD
for two incl. GST
- Moves on its own, at random. No throwing in the heat
- Stops when your dog stops. A nudge starts it again
- Runs on tiles, floorboards and carpet
- Chew-resistant shell. USB-C, up to 24 hours of play
- Free shipping on every order
- 30-Day Happy Dog Guarantee. Not happier? Send it back for a refund
- Not sold on Amazon. The real one only comes from floofypups.com