Exercise In The Cold?

[Guest Arielle]

Hello all! I'm sure most of you are tired of hearing me overanalyzing everything. As a first time grey owner (and someone who never planned on owning one) I want to give Ari the best life that I can. I'm currently having issues with her and the cold weather. Usually every day when I get home from class I take her on a brisk walk to a baseball field where I let her run until she's tired. With the walking and the running she's probably outside for a little over an hour. If I skip her walk for one or two days then she's forgiving, but going any longer than that she's pretty unmanageable. This is becoming a problem as it has now dropped into the twenties here. Ari hates the cold; I usually have to force her out into the backyard to go potty, and when I tried to walk her yesterday I was basically just dragging her down the street before I finally gave up. Since she didn't get her walk for three days now, she's been very restless and agitated around the house. I've tried to play with her indoors, and I've also bought her about a zillion of those food puzzle toys, none of which she showed any interest in. Anyone have any advice on getting a hound's energy out when it's too cold to go outside?

[OwnedBySummer]

What is she wearing on her walks and stuff?

[Yamaha_gurl]

Where are you located? Perhaps you can find a greyhound group to run with, her...not you, I mean you could if you wanted to.

[Sambuca]

Is she wearing a coat when out in the cold? What about an training classes? Sometimes there's agility equipment that you can use. Does she like tennis balls? What about fly ball?

[Guest greysmitten]

I'm also curious what she's wearing.

 

At present, we're looking at weather that is hanging just around zero during the day. The mornings and evenings are below zero. Azi wears a simple fleece sweater for pottying (I, too, need to shove her out the door some mornings!). If we are going to be outside longer, I'll put her sherpa double-fleece coat on (with snood, if it's windy). But remember ... once Ari starts running around and panting, you'll want to re-assess her outfit. If she lays down to cool off, you'll know she needs to get the coat off pronto.

 

I live in Northern Ontario. Where are you?

Edited December 6, 2011 by greysmitten

[Guest Arielle]

She wears a double fleece coat when we go out, plus boots on her feet. I have tried to toss toys for her in the house, but she doesn't seem interested. I live in Missouri and have been trying to find a greyhound running group, but unfortunately I have never met anyone else here who has a greyhound. I adopted her from a blood donor program, and I don't think they would really be of much use in locating a group. I have the same problem when it rains - she won't go outside even if it's only slightly drizzling.

[Walliered]

I would leave the coat on and take the boots off.

[OwnedBySummer]

I would also ditch the boots. They aren't really necessary, at least not yet. I'm in southern Ontario and Summer is currently being walked barefoot and in a single fleece sweater. It's very, very rare that I'll walk her in her boots -- it has to be super duper cold and then... I don't want to go, either! I would also put her boots on if there was a lot of road salt but luckily I don't have to deal with that where we walk.

 

As for the toys... many houndies don't play with toys. And some just take time before they will.

 

And rain... again, many hounds think they will melt. Apparently, Ari is one of those delicate melting hounds! Perhaps a raincoat would help? Summer has a nice one from Chilly Dogs -- it has coverage up the back of the neck, which she likes.

Edited December 6, 2011 by OwnedBySummer

[Guest zombrie]

Ditto on ditching the boots. I live in MA and never needed them...

I would also see how she is without a coat, I have seen many greys who hated coats and didn't want to move in them

[greymatters]

I would leave the coat on and take the boots off.

Another voice on ditching the boots - not being able to feel the ground underfoot makes some dogs uneasy.

 

It gets pretty cold here, and last winter we literally had 3ft of snow on the ground for several months. Our boy wears coats during the winter - anything from light fleece to full-on winter gear depending on temps and wind - but we've only ever used footgear to protect an injured pad. He walks several miles a day without boots in cold, snow, and ice, and will only fuss if slush gets packed between his toes (which his dutiful servant then promptly removes).

[TwiggysMom]

As the weather gets really cold further on in the season, neither you nor she will likely want to be out for too long.

 

Often, mental stimulation is as good as physical exertion. You might want to look into training classes in your area (although avoid those that use harsh or negative reinforcement techniques). As suggested, agility or flyball could also be great fun for you both.

 

If local classes aren't a good option, you could do clicker training at home.

 

Also, I have heard other people recommend taking your hound for a drive if she likes the car, and tends to stand, it works a lot of muscle groups. (Of course, won't work too well if you don't have a car).

 

Do you have stairs? If so, maybe you can get her to chase you up and down the stairs. That's good exercise for everyone!

 

I hope you find something that works for you both!

[silverfish]

I too would ditch the boots!!

 

I don't know how cold it gets where you are, but a good option for really cold weather is to double layer the coat. Put a lighter, single fleece one underneath a single layer fleece top coat (Voyager K9 Apparel do great options on this, and sell a 'tummy warmer' which would be ideal as an under coat). Have her wear both to do the walking (both to and from the field) but take the top one off to let her run, or she may overheat.

 

Also, bear in mind that when it's really cold the ground may actually be too hard to safely let her run. They can easily injury legs, feet and joints on unyielding ground - either super dry compact ground or frozen earth.

[GeorgeofNE]

She does not need boots. In my PERSONAL opinion, dogs don't need boots unless they have a cut or some other physical issue that necessitates them.

[silverfish]

She does not need boots. In my PERSONAL opinion, dogs don't need boots unless they have a cut or some other physical issue that necessitates them.

 

 

I agree - though there are some places where they might be necessary, like parts of Canada. And they salt the roads and pavements/sidewalks in your area, in some cases the additives can be toxic, and in any case the salt can damage sensitive skin so it's advisable to wash paws if you don't use boots.

[rascalsmom]

Another vote for ditching the boots. Also, try some Static Guard on the coat...maybe it's 'shocking' her and she doesn't like that.

 

I have a friend whose greyhounds HATED coats, and she walked those dogs in very cold weather without coats. Longish walks, too, not just to the corner and back, and they were fine.

[Guest BrianRke]

I was going to suggest the Static guard too, or wipe her down with a dryer sheet. I too, would say to lose the boots. She probably doesnt like them.

 

You could also try some Melatonin to knock the edge off.

[Guest Iceman41]

First time grey owner also.

First winter also.

I do plan on walking. Mine was freaked on the coat.

Took a while but now around the block with the coat on is ok evened pooped and pee

Keep trying she deal with it

[MerlinsMum]

She does not need boots. In my PERSONAL opinion, dogs don't need boots unless they have a cut or some other physical issue that necessitates them.

 

 

I agree - though there are some places where they might be necessary, like parts of Canada. And they salt the roads and pavements/sidewalks in your area, in some cases the additives can be toxic, and in any case the salt can damage sensitive skin so it's advisable to wash paws if you don't use boots.

 

Nope. Merlin DOES need boots. I hate putting them on him, he hates me putting them on him, and I don't put them on him all the time, but it can get extremely cold here in Maine in the winter, and when there is a lot of ice or snow on the ground AND it's brutally cold AND the wind is blowing, he needs them. Otherwise I have to stop every five minute son our walks to warm up his pads, because he holds a pad up and limps, walking on three legs. No fun for anyone. So booties it is. Sagan does fine without though (and would probably cry and yelp until I took them off!)

 

To the OP - I would try ditching the boots and also not being out for an hour if it's 20F. 30 mins should be fine in that weather if it's a nice vigorous walk.

Edited December 6, 2011 by MerlinsMum

[Feisty49]

I've got a chilly-weather coat, a rain coat, and a really-cold weather coat for Annie Bella. I do not have boots. I just don't think she'd tolerate them. I did buy Musher's Secret to protect her feet from rock salt and icy snow buildup. It won't keep her feet warm, but I don't expect to do our mile-long walks when it's zero degrees with a wind chill of minus 10.

[XTRAWLD]

When my boys start raising their paws cause the ground is too cold...and then the boots come out. They have coats on though once it drops around freezing that's for sure.

 

How about taking up running?

[Guest Arielle]

Thanks for all the great advice! I have ditched the boots, even though the reason I bought them was because I thought her feet might be cold and that's why she didn't want to walk. I managed to get her out for a brisk fifteen minute walk this morning before she literally refused to go any further. I got home from class about a half hour ago and tried taking her out again; she would have none of it, even though it had stopped snowing. Went out with her in the backyard and she did two zoomies before running to the door. Now she's plopped down on her bed again. I feel bad because I know this isn't enough exercise, but she refuses to do anything more and I have to hit the books soon!