You Want Me To Do *what* In The Snow?

[Fruitycake]

I was just wondering how many others have had issues with hounds (of any type, not specific to greys) who react unfavorably to snow. It's pretty chilly around here (St. Paul, MN) and we just got our first snow on Saturday and Monty doesn't much care for it. In fact, he doesn't want to put his paws in it. At all.

 

We're trying to get him not to poop on the sidewalk (eww) and definitely not in the middle of the street (dangerous!) but at this point he will squat in the middle of the sidewalk and when he is nudged to drop onto snow he just stiffens up and stops all potty progress. This morning it was 5 times on our 20 minute walk that he would squat and when praised and gently nudged he would just stop. He won't walk in the snow at all if he can help it (drifts=some amazing leaps over them & areas not shoveled=he drags along behind like he's being dragged through hell). We are going to try the boot thing for cold paws, if we can get him to put up with them - but he also has shown great resistance to pottying while wearing his jackets so I don't know if the boots would make him even more resistant to doing anything at all.

 

I guess I just wanted to know if others have snow-fearing hounds and what you do to get the potty-train moving when they are like this. Is there any hope?

 

(Oh, and the neighbor 2 houses down probably thinks I'm nuts because last night he did actually continue doing the job after a gentle nudge and I praised him and praised him and told him was a good boy for pooping, etc. It wasn't until about 10 seconds of the praising - loud sing-songy praising - that I realized that the neighbor was out on the front stoop of the house we were in front of. [He also got a treat immediately after he was done.] The things we do for our dogs....)

 

toni, mike and Monty

[Batmom]

Why shouldn't he poop on the sidewalk? If it's a little mooshy and hard to pick up completely, just slide a sheet of newspaper or a paper towel under him as he's squatting.

 

I wouldn't want to step in a snowbank ......

 

Might try folding his jacket up with a bit of tape so it leaves his hindquarters mostly free -- so it's more like a vest than a full coat. Some dogs don't like the extra material flapping around their thighs and buttsky.

 

Good luck.

[lilythetigerdog]

Lily came to us 2.5 weeks ago (we live in Winnipeg, Manitoba) and the first time she came in from the snow she screamed like she was in pain and then ran into her kennel. She hides when she sees her winter jacket because it means she has to go outside. We have had several accident inside (about 1xday for 5 days) because she tries to "hold it" for as long as she possibly can.

 

Although she still doesn't love it we have made walking in the snow much better for her but putting her feet in booties. Lily prances around in them and seems elated with her new freedom of being able to walk in the snow without the snow getting between her toes. We have also gone outside with her every time she goes and give her much praise and a treat as soon as she does her business.

 

By the sounds of it, your praise and treats are working if he did his business in the snow last night. Booties might be a nice too.

 

I am thankful that it is freezing outside and most of my neighbors will never hear me sing the "pee" or "twosie" song. Lily is the only audience I need for that one. lol. Good luck!

 

Accident free since Nov 29,

 

Lily's mom.

[Guest Flint]

Why shouldn't he poop on the sidewalk? If it's a little mooshy and hard to pick up completely, just slide a sheet of newspaper or a paper towel under him as he's squatting.

 

I agree, why shouldn't he poop on the sidewalk. I can always tell when Flint is getting ready to poop and keep a bag ready. When he squats, I put the bag down on the ground (sidewalk, grass, street) and the poop goes ON the bag. When he's done, I put my hand in the bag, kind of grab the poop and pull the bag over my hand, turning it inside out. It only took Flint a couple of times to get used to me messing around with a bag behind his back while's he's trying to do his business. And it took me a couple of times to drop the bag and get my hand out of the way quickly! (It's a good idea to keep wet wipes in your dog walking bag)

[Guest Pip]

DH took Savannah out for her walk last night, and she sulked a bit about the snow, but it didn't seem to bother her too much-- she still walked in it and sniffed at all her usual spots. Then about halfway, she started limping, holding one of her front paws up. She'd limp a bit, then start hopping on three legs, then limp. He bent down to check her paw and she'd gotten some snow stuck between her toes. Once it was brushed out, she walked normally again. But, given that she probably had snow stuck between the toes of all of her paws, I am skeptical about how much it is actually bothering her. This is the same drama queen that limped around howling when her paw was bandaged and immediately stopped as soon as it was removed. Still, if she keeps it up, we'll be trying booties and see how she does.

[Jackandgrey]

I am thankful that it is freezing outside and most of my neighbors will never hear me sing the "pee" or "twosie" song. Lily is the only audience I need for that one. lol. Good luck!

Accident free since Nov 29,

 

Lily's mom.

[Guest Pip]

Right, we've reached a new stage for the dramatics. This morning, though the sidewalks were perfectly free of snow, Miss Savannah insisted on walking in the grass, in the snow. Cue the tragic limping, this time she did change which foot it was. Then, she tried to limp while pooping, and almost fell over. I'll order some booties and see if she'll wear them, but I'm not really buying this act. She poops on the sidewalk all the time when it's not snowing, and doesn't seem to have problems with the snow when walking all over the snowy yard for pee breaks, or even the first half of the walk.

[Guest jupiterooos]

Normally Jupiter pees just outside of the gated courtyard we have in front - there's a spot near the sidewalk he likes. This morning as we went out the door, he took one look at the drifts of snow and peed right there in the courtyard! This is kind of embarrassing given that I am always bugging our neighbors to not let their dogs pee on the nice flowers and grass in the front yard But he was NOT going any further. Based on our experiences last winter I'd say he's not going to be taking walks until the snow melts.

 

So, no real advice here, but lots of sympathy!

[Guest Kitty_cat]

This is a funny thread :-) It's been snowy here for weeks and it would be a very long, miserable winter if Stewie didn't walk in the snow

I can totally understand that you don't want to have your dog poop on the sidewalk!

[greytluck]

I have the same problem here.

Until I got Hobbes I don't think I every saw a dog that disliked snow. He HATES it. He avoids walking in the snow, and when he walks on the side walks the salt bothers his feet and he begins to limp. I put paw wax on his feet but it doesn't seem to be making much of a difference. I have ordered boots but they haven't come yet. I'm really hoping that will be the solution or I'm in for a very long long winter.

 

I feel your pain with the side walk elimination. Hobbes is now doing this too, much to my embarrassment. If you find a solution let me know.

[Guest wolfieskitten]

Who else besides ME wants to hear the pee and twosie song? You must either type in the lyrics and give the tune or make a video...I'm voting for a video!!! :lol

[Guest First1Luiggi]

The company FourPaws makes a stick you can hang a plastic bag on, to catch the pop. It sort of looks like a plastic bag butterfly net.

It doesn't help with the snow, but it eliminates the poop on the sidewalk problem. I may look a bit silly , but

I love it because it catches what might have made a smear, and doubles as a defense stick if some strange dog threatens us.

When I get home later I'll see if I can find their website, if anybody's interested. I think I got it at Petsmart.

 

 

[JenniferS]

Quiet Man is having such a hard time going in the snow. We have just a few inches, but it's totally iced over and he can barely walk in the back yard. When we walk we have to walk on the street, and he'll pee on snow banks (easier for a boy), and poop on snowy patches but only if there's some leaves or brush poking through. When I lived in the city w/ my GSD, I put a newspaper under his bum when he was ready to go on the sidewalk, then just folded it up and put it in a bag, very easy clean-up! I am now so talented w/ Quiet Man that I can usually do the "swoop & catch" with the bag so nothing touches the ground.

[Guest DeweytheGreyt]

Poor Fallon is miserable with all of this snow and ice. Both Dewey and Roxie are fine with it, they do their duties like normal. Not the big white dope though, he's been pooping and peeing in the living room since Sunday.

 

Occasionally I have gotten him to pee and poop on the sidewalk and I am THRILLED when he does it. We are getting booties for him this weekend to see if that helps. Mostly his problem doesn't seem to be the snow, but more the ice underneath the snow. When he starts to walk on it and a foot falls through, he gives up and hops back onto the sidewalk. Poor fella!

[winnie]

Our grey Darcy squats really low to pee. When there is snow, she'll pop right back up without peeing once her fanny touches the snow. It's a real PITA because she'll simply hold it the entire walk rather than get her fanny cold/wet. She will at least poo since she doesn't squat down as low to perform that function.

 

Fortunately, we have a fenced yard. When Darcy doesn't go on walks, we just turn her out in the yard. The area under our deck is high enough for greys (and people) to fit under. It also stays pretty much snow free. So, Darcy will go under the deck to go potty.

 

Our other grey, Celeste, doesn't have any problem peeing or pooping in snow. Go figure!

[Guest itscath]

 

If its really cold my dogs dont want to be outdoors for more than a nanosecond to do their business. They wear blizzard boots for walking when the temperature dips in the double digits below freezing.

[Guest lapatte]

well, we have lots of snow...and Hima won't usually poop on our walks anymore... she prefers the backyard...

she did go once on a the sidewalk, but I could tell she was not comfortable with that...for whatever reason...even though she pees fine on the sidewalk...

let the dog go where it pleases =o) it's actually "nice" to pick up poop in the snow! hehe well, nice is not the right word...it's easier anyway...

 

nat

[Guest asbprimeau]

We live in PA, and we've had some snow (not much in the way of accumulations) and its been in the 20's and 30's lately. Poor Hazel hates the cold (she's from FL) and does not enjoy snow! So...she just does her business ASAP and urges us to go back inside. She straggles behind on walks and tries to direct us down the roads that lead to home.

[Guest GreyGhost]

I have another one who doesn't much like to go in the snow. We're in Calgary and it's so cold here, I can't really blame her, but we've had a few accidents in the last couple weeks because she just won't stay outside long enough.

 

Booties do help. Casta doesn't like her booties but if she doesn't have them she starts limping within minutes. I wish I could explain to her that the faster she does her business the faster we can go back inside.

[Guest willber421]

I'm wondering if I can get any tips or advice for getting my two girls to go in the cold/snow. Both have spent most of, if not all of their lives in or near Texas. Recently we moved to Indiana and things were going fine with chilly (20-40) weather and powder snow. However, it's now in the single digits much of the time and there is a good amount of solid snow, ice, and salt on the ground and these two are not happy about it. As soon as we get outside they start doing the "paw dance" where they statue up and take turns alternating which paws are in the air. When we got wise to that act, they started either laying/sitting down and not moving or acting like a paw is hurt and squawking until we go inside. We're hoping that boots will work with them, but if not we're not sure what to do. Please help!

[GeorgeofNE]

I'd be thrilled if George pooped on the sidewalk. Much easier to clean up than plunging my hand into the snow digging for it.

 

Why is that a problem? It's winter. No one is going to be walking around barefoot. As long as you clean it up, I'd let him go where he wants.

[Batmom]

If you have a fenced yard, shovel some paths for them. If no fenced yard, then booties and walk fast .

[Guest Snazzy_Chloe]

You know these dogs don't have a lot of fur in between their claws, or on their paws, and when it gets single digits - I am sure that their feet do get very cold - hence the statuing. My dogs love to run in the snow when it is loose, however when it freezes or is icy hard - it is hard on their paws - besides being slippery.

I have also learned that they can tolerate natural snow for quite a few minutes when it is very cold, but when you get them near salt melted snow (slush in the street-driveways) they are done walking almost immediately. Or also if they get a ball/clump of snow inside their paw palm - they won't walk on it. I just dig it out and we are off again.

 

I guess I got off tread topic of pooping in the snow, try to run them in a circle with their leash to tramp down the snow - so when they squat, their feet don't sink in, and they poop as normal. If it is super cold like it was in Mpls- it will be a quick in and out. Once they get cold - their mind is not on bathroom, but in getting back into the house. After a quick warm-up I put them out again to finish the job. Walks are short until it gets up to 30 for us.

[Guest issy]

...wow, we are so lucky...

 

Little Enzo-from-Florida doesn't have a problem...he loves the Utah snow...

[Fruitycake]

Wow, this was a while ago!

 

Monty still doesn't like snow (last Saturday with our 17" was very humorous because the little dog loved it and Monty still needed to be firmly encouraged to continue to walk).

 

I have now begun just catching because we never know what the result will be, bounce or splat. And I don't think I'd appreciate poo smear all over my nicely cleared off sidewalk. I was going to say "if I weren't a dog owner" but I have to say I just wouldn't appreciate it. Eww.

 

He does better with booties, but still just doesn't want to walk in snow (it might not just be the cold/wet but maybe the resistance?). When I opened the door this afternoon (after about another 2-3 " of fresh snow) he put on the brakes again and tried to turn back around. I booted him gently out the door and he sighed hugely and walked with his head down nearly the entire way. (Oh, and you would think that as a boy dog, the 2+ foot tall piles of snow everywhere would make it easier for him to find a proper place to pee...not so. He still fakes about 4-5 times before he actually will release anything - sometimes taking 45+ minutes to find that one perfect place. That's just the way this boy works. )

Edited December 21, 2010 by Fruitycake