Dealing with snow? (insurance, neighborhood, school)

[puffle]

Here is a question no one has asked regarding snow....how do you walk small dogs in a couple of feet of snow and do you shovel out a part of your rear yard or walk them down the street. I have four small dogs and live in a condo in California and walk them about 4 or 5 x a day. Looking forward to having a yard with a doggie door but not sure what to do with snow? Help???

[ColdCanadian]

Originally Posted by puffle

Here is a question no one has asked regarding snow....how do you walk small dogs in a couple of feet of snow and do you shovel out a part of your rear yard or walk them down the street. I have four small dogs and live in a condo in California and walk them about 4 or 5 x a day. Looking forward to having a yard with a doggie door but not sure what to do with snow? Help???

Where I live, somepeople try to drive when there's 2 feet of snow on the ground, since in our neighbourhood, the city plows might take over a week to get there. This leaves tire tracks that my bichon prefers to walk in.
(and if it's too deep elsewhere; does her business in the tire tracks too)

You might not want a doggie door in a northern climate. I've never seen a doggie door in real life. The fact we can be below freezing all day long for 100 plus days a year is probably why.

[puffle]

Originally Posted by ColdCanadian

Where I live, somepeople try to drive when there's 2 feet of snow on the ground, since in our neighbourhood, the city plows might take over a week to get there. This leaves tire tracks that my bichon prefers to walk in.
(and if it's too deep elsewhere; does her business in the tire tracks too)

You might not want a doggie door in a northern climate. I've never seen a doggie door in real life. The fact we can be below freezing all day long for 100 plus days a year is probably why.

I have two Bichon mixes myself and one of them hates to get her feet wet. Do you ever put snow gear on your dog, like booties or a jacket? Any other suggestions out there on walking small doggies in the snow?

[grammy164]

Originally Posted by puffle

Here is a question no one has asked regarding snow....how do you walk small dogs in a couple of feet of snow and do you shovel out a part of your rear yard or walk them down the street. I have four small dogs and live in a condo in California and walk them about 4 or 5 x a day. Looking forward to having a yard with a doggie door but not sure what to do with snow? Help???

I'm afraid my little Yorkie didn't get much outdoor activity during the winters in OH. He usually preferred to stay on the sidewalk, but even that was pretty cold on his paws. If he did run through the snow, it would often clump up on his fur and we would have to bundle him up in a towel and until it thawed off. I think it was worse when spring would start and the snow melted. The ground was always very damp and muddy. Always keep a towel by your door or you'll have paw tracks going through your house.

[ColdCanadian]

Originally Posted by puffle

I have two Bichon mixes myself and one of them hates to get her feet wet. Do you ever put snow gear on your dog, like booties or a jacket? Any other suggestions out there on walking small doggies in the snow?

My dog sometimes likes to hop over puddles too. She doesn't like being wet either. Pretty funny how one day it was 100 F outside and the family was out in the backyard, so of course, she wanted to be too. She was obviously panting kinda hard, yet still happy and cheerful to be outside with us so we brought her a little tub of water a few inches deep to see if she wanted to go in. I even tried putting her in it and she still HATED the idea of getting wet so I gave up.

We did buy rubber "booties" for her and she hated them. When she had them on she walked funny. They didn't stay on very well and she loved kicking them off. I don't know if we still have them, perhaps some of them went missing. She'd rather have cold, bare feet than booties, even at -20 F so we don't bother. It does sometimes make her walks quick though.

We have a snow suit (aka space suit) for my dog. It covers most of her legs, a small part of her chest and all of her back. We put that on when it's really messy out or below -10 to -20 F, because she hates it too. But at least she can't kick it off.

It's red with a iridescent grey/silver band around the neck. I call it a space suit because she looks like a Star Trek cadet. It's got a bit of insulation in it, about as much as a thick sweater and the extrior fabric is water resistant.

Some times my dog will hop over deep stuff (10-18"), if it's light and fluffy sometimes she'll walk right through it. I never force her to go anywhere she doesn't want to. Most of the time she goes through rain or snow without anything on and we just towel her off when she comes back in.

[puffle]

Thank both so much for the info. I was kind of looking forward to having a yard for them to go in for a change since we have lived in apartments for the last couple of years which means lots of walks! Maybe I can use something to clear a path in a yard when it gets deep?

[ColdCanadian]

Originally Posted by puffle

Thank both so much for the info. I was kind of looking forward to having a yard for them to go in for a change since we have lived in apartments for the last couple of years which means lots of walks! Maybe I can use something to clear a path in a yard when it gets deep?

You could shovel some space for them, but my dog is usually fine with snow if it's packed hard enough for her to walk on without sinking too much so it may not be neccessary. We often shovel a few paths for our dog on our deck however.

[puffle]

Originally Posted by ColdCanadian

You could shovel some space for them, but my dog is usually fine with snow if it's packed hard enough for her to walk on without sinking too much so it may not be neccessary. We often shovel a few paths for our dog on our deck however.

Oh to have just one dog again. We have four and I usually walk two or three at one time, fun,fun, fun!

[DaninEGF]

Hello

Regarding small dogs in the winter....I live up in the northwest corner of Minnesota near Grand Forks North Dakota and we get really cold....on average about 40-60 days a year with temperatures at some point during the day below 0F. Our snow stays on the ground most years from early November til early April. We have a malti-poo and dont usually take her for walks anytime below 10F it is a bit too cold for her paws. We own a home, and we keep a path way clear for her to go from the garage side door out to a part of the backyard for her to run about and do her business. I have seen doggie doors up here, not attached to the living part of the house, but to the garage side door. That way you can let one door open a bit but not have to go into the cold garage and open another door. Also many people here have their garage heated as well so kids can play in them in the winter when it is too cold outside. When I say cold I usually mean -10F or colder....zero is not too bad (if no wind).

Dan

[Cosmic]

Most dogs love snow. But if you get a lot they will freak out after a bit. I always shoveled the sidewalk as it was snowing, so had a place to let the dog out. If they get snow between the toes will hold up that foot, multi-feet, they lay down and lick the toes. That strange look on the face, Hey my footie ain't working any more.

Real deep snow, they try to jump and porpoise moves, with a lil experience most don't like it, Husky and big playful dogs will go wild. Dogs love to run and play with others in snow.

Usually you have to plan on having a clear space somewhere for smaller dogs. They just don't do snow all that well.