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How do you walk you dogs in the winter months? This will be my first winter in CDA. Any info would be helpful and appreciated. I'm a Southern California Refugee lol...I know it's going to be a shock to my system, but I am trying to be as prepared as possible and embrace the season!
[mod note] Moved your post to a new thread as it is a new topic and reviving a dead thread is not the right way to go. [/mode note]
I just took one of my pups to the vet the other week because I was concerned about her heart. (Maltese who are know for heart problems, and she was "huffing and puffing" long after my other pup recovered from our walks.) Her heart is fine and the vet just said she has a lower tolerance to heat than the other pup.
I specifically asked about walking them on the snow and ice in the winter and if that was dangerous for them or would hurt them. She said the only thing to watch out for is sharp edges on ice where they can cut themselves. Otherwise, walking on snow or ice is not a worry. The temps during the day when one would walk their dogs rarely get much below freezing temperatures. She said that I didn't need to be concerned about getting them little booties to wear.
They were adopted last November, so we had a couple of months where I walked them on the snow and ice. Of course, they would want to avoid the snow and ice if possible, but seem to walk on it just fine. With the fur between their toes, they did come home with little snowballs on their feet. A quick rinsing took care of those.
For you . . . pick up a bottle of vitamin D and take one or two a day. What really got me the first winter is the length of the daylight hours in the winter. We are way north of SoCal and it was just weird to be pitch black at 8:00 in the morning and then again by 4:30 in the afternoon. With the constant cloud cover in winter, I was really feeling the blues. The next summer, someone turned me on to vitamin D and it has made the world of difference. Still don't like the length of the daylight hours, but they are much more manageable now.
p.s. I too was born, raised, and lived my whole life in SoCal before I retired and came home, (ancestral roots in Idaho back to 1897), so was used to those seasons. The snow and ice isn't a big concern. Just slow down, be patient and be courteous . . . as almost everyone else is.
The only issue we have with walking our GSD is that at times he gets snow/ ice balls in between his toes. They are uncomfortable for him to walk on, so sometimes we have to pick them or of his feet. He does have lots of hair between his toes, which I think makes him more susceptible to this problem. I'd also note it only happens with certain snow conditions, and usually isn't a problem on shorter walks.
They do make a wax type product that helps prevent this. We usually only use this when we're talking him on a longer walk, often when we are headed out for a snowshoe.
This will be my first winter in CDA.... I'm a Southern California Refugee lol...
Welcome to the forum! Lots of knowledgeable folks here. (Not me, I'm also pretty new.) Coming out of SoCal, your first winter with snow will be a trip. Enjoy it!
If this is your dog's first snow experience, expect a little possible freak-out that won't last for very long. Watch and observe your pet as closely as you can, and the dog will tell you most of what you'll need to know and do for its care.
If you have a really short dog like a Corgi, or a miniature dog that's tiny, they could have trouble navigating in deep snow. That's not always true, however, as some shorties learn how to plow their way through it.
Some dogs have trouble with snow collecting around their snow pads. These dogs will often stop and begin chewing the snow and the pads, which can lead to very sore feet. Sometimes it can also lead to constant chewing on their feet, as some dogs tend to become obsessive about stuff like this.
If you pay very close attention to your dog's reactions, there are lots of ways and things that can be of help. Dog booties, for example, can really help an active dog who loves the snow stay comfortable with protected feet. Sled dogs often get a set just to keep their feet sound and in good shape.
A short-haired dog will likely need a protective coat out in the cold, and a long-haired dog may be quite comfortable, but cold sometimes make them shed more inside the house. Some heavy-coated dogs who spend a lot of time outside may need a cold room inside to be comfortable, as they're too warm at comfortable human temps.
Dog houses are good to have during the winter. Dogs need protection from rapid weather changes, and a dog house is excellent protection.
Dog houses need to be faced so the door is away from the prevailing wind direction.
They need to be dry inside too. Don't put a pad that holds moisture in a dog house. There are pads with wood chips and other things that will stay dry, wick moisture away, and still insulate.
In very cold temps, a small lightbulb inside the dog house can keep the dog quite warm, but don't use a heat lamp or anything that's too hot. If the wind isn't getting in the dog house, that's all a lot of dogs need to stay warm if it's dry inside.
Dogs can withstand tremendous cold if they adjusted to it. It's the wind that affects them the most, along with the moisture.
It's a good idea to allow the dog to find his own levels of comfort and go with them.
Some dogs, no matter how well suited they are for cold and snow, hate being out in it.
Other dogs will be just fine as long as you're with them.
Still other dogs will love it outside so much in the winter they don't want to come back inside.
Allow them to make some of their decisions and you'll both be happy- the dog will almost always oblige the owner's wishes first, and I've found it's not a big deal to let them in and out as they want. They're usually better behaved if they get their way occasionally.
My present dog hates getting wet, but he's OK with cold and snow as long as he's still dry. He lets me know how much he wants to go out or come in, but I mostly know beforehand how much time outside he will want before I ever let him out, just by looking at the conditions of the day outside.
His dog house is on my deck, up on some 2x4's to keep the water out. I'll need a new pad for it before the snow flies.
It might be good to find a local pet store or a farm & ranch store and talk to them about winter stuff. They'll have it all.
Welcome to the forum! I hope this helps. I hope f5 chimes in on this; he's a dog lover and spends massive time outdoors with them year round.
Last edited by banjomike; 09-24-2020 at 12:15 AM..
Yes, I walk my dogs all year round and in the summer (warmer months) at 3:30 in the AM to keep the walk nice and cool for all three of us. They get about four to five miles a day; depending on weather. Rain no walk; blizzard love to walk. (Yes, I'm as weird as the dogs when it comes to cold weather walking)
However, in my case, my dogs live for snow (and food). So a lot depends on the dog breed. Alaskan Malamutes, regardless of age, go crazy in the first snow fall of the year.
And the problem with the first few heavy snows of the year is to actually get them to walk and stop rolling or playing in the snow....
So, more info is needed on the breed of dog, and it almost appears from the OP that they are more worried about themselves and their adapting to the weather, than actually how the dog adapts. I agree, dogs are great at adapting to the environment and almost anything. They tend to go with the flow. But there are some dogs who will despise snow, as well as there are some that will despise grass. (My female when I first moved here from Moab, hated wet grass. Something she saw very little of when living in a desert. But now, she loves it.)
Dogs walk well on snow and ice. Humans, not so much.
If you have any sort of balance issues or fragile bones, get yourself some snow spikes/ traction device for your shoes before walking the dog on ice. Y a k trax is the best known brand, but there are several good ones available They go onto your shoes with a sort of big stretchy rubber band, They stay on well and give you grip so you don't slip on ice.
Dogs aren't bothered by cold as long as they are dry and active.
If street maintenance is spreading some sort of chemical on the roads (they probably aren't), then wash the dogs feet when you get home so the dog does not lick his feet and ingest the chemical.
When we have snow my family takes the snow blower and makes a "race track" around the back yard for the dogs.
There is a point when the snow starts to melt that a crust might form that supports the dog's weight for a few seconds and then collapses. Dogs can have their tendons injured when they are unexpectedly dropped. But if the dog can step right through the snow, or the snow supports the dog's weight, it is fine.
I just wanted to add one thing as everyone already covered that dogs love snow and sometimes it gets stuck in their feet (my Golden is terrible for this), but the only really HUGE, SCARY thing that hasn't been mentioned is ice covered water. My dogs love the water- snow and ice doesn't scare them away and they have no fear of the ice when they should. This is time you really need to watch them and keep them leashed if they are tempted (we have a number of off-leash dog walking parks where I live that are near water).
I've caught my Husky skipping right across a frozen river section (thankfully didn't break through) and had a really scary moment with one of my Goldens when they ran over to get a drink from a pond and crashed through the ice...the worst part was I was chatting with a friend on our walk and didn't notice! After awhile I am looking around and calling and was horror stricken to find my Golden clinging to an ice bank and unable to get out. People have died trying to rescue dogs in these situations.
As far as hiking in the snow for humans, most of the time you just need a good pair of waterproof hiking boots, wool socks and some stamina. It can be difficult to walk in some snow conditions and sometimes I just can't get out for a few days until conditions change or the snow gets packed down on some of the trails. Also, wear light layers and even your jacket shouldn't be too heavy if your really hoofing it because you will get really warm fast. You just need to cover head, hands and wear wool socks and light layers and you might need wind and water resistant hiking pants. Mine are actually made for dirt bike riding, but I love them because they have special knee sections that allow you to move freely.
I am wondering if people in areas that keep snow cover for long periods of time take up cross country skiing? The snow melts in my city pretty fast, but I do cross country up at Lake Tahoe a bit...and that is my excuse for butting-in to the Idaho forum since I live in Nevada...I really wonder if people cross-country ski more up there to replace hiking?
Otherwise, dogs love snow and get really crazy rolling around in it and it's hecka fun to play with them
Dogs, even those with heavily furred paws like Malamutes can get frostbite in the paws; that's why you will see dog sled dogs wearing booties. So if do a lot of traveling in the snow, booties might be a good idea. Takes a while but it can happen. As for snow in paws, due to the heavy fur in the paws, mine are not affected too much by packed snow in the paws; however, if it does happen, they are happy to stop sit or lay down and remove the snow in the paws all by themselves.
And dogs can get injured when walking on ice (as well as the owners) even for northern breed dogs that can actually extend their claws about a 1/4 inch for traction.
As for humans due to the idiots who refuse to shovel their snow in this area, and the facts the roads are plowed but never treated (ok with me) the sidewalks and roads become quite icy in the winter. My best go to for walking on these types of slippery surfaces is Stabilicers Maxx. The lugs are stainless steel bolts, easy to remove and replace (and quite inexpensive too) and they last for quite some time.
All other types I tried wear down too quickly due to going from ice or packed snow to concrete/blacktop.
I am wondering if people in areas that keep snow cover for long periods of time take up cross country skiing? The snow melts in my city pretty fast, but I do cross country up at Lake Tahoe a bit...and that is my excuse for butting-in to the Idaho forum since I live in Nevada...I really wonder if people cross-country ski more up there to replace hiking?
Going off-topic for a moment. Last winter was terrible for cross country skiing. All winter, the snow 'came and went' and never got thick enough to groom the usual trails. There might have been some up at Schweitzer or Lookout Pass, (local mountain ski resorts), but not at Farragut, (state park down here in the lowlands with a groomed XC system). It was a disappointing season. The winter before, was able t get out several times.
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