Too Cold To Walk?

[karinj]

This morning it is only 7 degrees, not much wind and about an inch of fresh snow. Of course the dogs want to walk (well, one more than the other!), but is it too cold? They have really nice winter jackets, but i worry about their feet and legs. I have done short walks in about 12 to 15 degrees, but under 10 concerns me. Would love any thoughts on this!

Also, does any one use booties? My one grey gets bloody feet easliy when they are out running in the back yard with the icey snow. Her feet seem very fragile compared to my other grey.

Thanks!!

[cleptogrey]

around here my dogs seem to do ok as long as there aren't any chemicals(salts-etc) on the roads or sidewalks.yesterday it was around 10 degrees. we usually walk them during the brightest sun of the day and it's a brisk abbreviated walk(none of our 4 mile walks). one of mine has a super warm coat from sue's happytails- berber w/ fake fur and a big chest panel to keep the heat in. the other wears a pair of polar fleece jamies under a wool coat that i made from a hudson bay blanket. both coats have long snoods up to the ears. when felix has had it he tries to get into a car if the door is open. but generally it's 45 min brisk get out and motor for us.

[Guest june]

Some dogs take the cold better than others. In the cold you describe coats are a must and if it were me I would use boots esp. your pup with the tender feet. They protect the feet a bit from cold, but also from road salt and sharp ice. Dogbooties.com is a good inexpensive place and they sell them by the boot. Shipping is the same no matter how many you buy. When we need them a friend and I usually buy what we need together.

Good luck,

june

[Guest mirinaaronsmom]

We walk every day no matter what the temperature. I put Pawz boots on their feet to help with the salt and cold. I've also been putting two coats on each - one is fleece and covers their bellies and the topcoat is for the wind. They don't seem to mind it at all. If they were cold, they would shiver. I'm the one that has the problem. We don't walk as long in this weather, but still go out for at least a half hour twice a day. And they wear their jammies when they go out in the back yard.

[Meandmy]

I'm sure Tori would love to walk whatever the weather, but I'm a sissy so we don't walk if the temperature or wind chill is below zero. That means no morning walks yet this week! I don't usually walk her at night in the winter because it's so dark where I live, but I'll be walking her tonight and tomorrow night - I feel bad that she's been cooped up all week!

[GeorgeofNE]

365 days of the year, going on 17 years now, I walk!

 

No boots.

 

George's feet do suffer if there is ice-crusted snow, but he doesn't actually seem to mind.

 

When it's this cold (it was 3 degrees this morning) he wears his jammies under his coat. Although he's one tough S.O.B. and that's probably more to make ME feel better than him! I have never seen him act cold. Now that's he'd 10 he's not too fond of cold rain, but we still go out.

 

I will not leave a dog all day while I work without exercise. I don't think it's right. A toot around the back yard, even if I had one, is NOT enough.

[Yamaha_gurl]

What kind of coat? How many layers? Wind proof? Does it cover the chest and belly? Cover the neck? I find that some coats are really useless, the one layer with thin strap around the belly don't do much.

[Feisty49]

There isn't much difference in how cold it feels between 12 or 15 degrees and 7, unless it's windy, so I don't think a 5-degree difference needs to be a concern.

 

Our temps this week haven't been out of the teens, and I've been walking Annie every day this week *except* for Monday (I think it was Monday) when the wind was 15-20 MPH with gusts up to 50 MPH. It was just too damn cold for me. We took short jaunts on part of the 12 acres I have, but coudln't go onto the trails in the woods because it's dangerous with wind that strong (old trees fall often back in the woods).

 

I have a very heavy coat for Annie with a matching snood and then I put a hat on to keep her ears safe. She likes walks, unless it's pouring rain, but in this very cold weather, she turns to go home about 3/4 of the way through our normal 30-minutes.

 

It's 1 below zero in my backyard. It's a little breezy. The sun is out, though, so in a few minutes, we'll start a walk. It'll be up to Annie how long we walk.

Edited January 24, 2013 by Feisty49

[BatterseaBrindl]

We walk if it is minus 15 C / .5 F....we'd go for 30 minutes or so.

 

They wear ChilliDogs coats and if it's windy, they wear hats/snoods.

We have been trying out boots as they really don't like the salt/sand mix and were always holding their paws up and jumping along on 3 feet. The boots really helps.

 

We've had bitter cold temps for the past 3 days minus 25 C / minus 15F... so no walking.

They can barely stand to be out in the yard to go potty.

[Guest jaws4evr]

We live in Calgary and it stays below 0C for many months, easily staying below -10C for a lot of this time.

 

We walk unless it gets down below -25C…The only time we don’t walk is if they literaly cannot go on because their feet are freezing (we know this because they hobble and we promptly turn around and go back home!!). This happens rarely, maybe a couple of times a winter?

 

Below -10C (depending on wind) we jacket our Grey. If we put her jacket on in any warmer weather, with our brisk walk pace she will start to pant, so we decide that we need colder weather for jacketing.

 

We never use boots. They sore feet if it’s very (-15C or less) cold and they have to potty or stand in one place in the snow too long. As long as we keep feet moving there are no problems. We do have to watch for salted sidewalks, as this hurts their feet qutie a bit. I just go around these sidewalks as best I can.

 

Each dog is an individual, ours is more cold tolerant than you’d think!

[greytpups]

We go out in all types of weather. Our pups don't like wearing boots but will wear the little rubber ones that look more like balloons to protect their feet from salt. Most of the time we are able to change our route to avoid salt. If salt is on the sidewalk, we walk on the owners yard or blvd until we get past the salt which I will continue to do until people use something less harsh on the environment, shoes, boots and dog's paws.

[Guest greytone]

I would say it depends on the dog. If your dog doesn't mind the coat, then go. If your dog is a big baby about the cold, then I just would turn the dog out in the back yard.

[Guest KsFrets]

The only thing that stops us is a driving rain/hail, or lightening.

For our poops, a lot of it is the process. It really doesn't matter how far we go, as long as we go! Very importantly, when it's cold, we always start out going directly into the wind. We do this for as long as we can. This makes the return trip a lot warmer. Some days we make it miles, some days we only make it three houses up the street, but we go every day! I'm also a distance runner, so the dogs get to do a lot of training with me. If we are out running, no coats in any temps, if it's it's not windy. Even near freezing I can get their tongues to hang out with a brisk pace, and they are fine in much colder temps, as long as we keep moving. We've never tried any kind of foot wear and never seen a need.

[PrairieProf]

We walk in all weather (not much of a yard so no choice). 7 degrees is pretty standard for a January morning. Beth wears her coat and often her jammies as a layer underneath. I'd keep it on the short side in that weather, at least if there's wind, but your dog will tell you. Cold is easier on them than heat.

 

I am a passionate fan of Pawz disposable booties as a protective layer if one is needed. I mostly use them on Beth if there is salt on the sidewalks, but when it's super-duper cold they do seem to help prevent her feet getting really cold. Much more comfortable for them than formed boots. www.pawzdogboots.com I think -- but you can get them on Amazon.com. Blue is the right size for greyhounds.

Edited January 24, 2013 by PrairieProf

[3greys2cats]

We walk everyday 2 times no matter what, I have a double fleece and also put on 2 snoods, one for neck and one for the ears in this single digit wind chill weather. Max loves the cold and hates the heat, he is a Noo England Greyhound ! I also have a Chili Dogs rain coat for him and he is fine in rain as long as it isn't blowing in his face. He stays pretty warm if he keeps moving and he dictates how long, if he statues, we are done. I have a fenced yard for him to do zoomies and like many others have said, it is not enough for him to just walk @ yard, he loves his walkies and so did my Bridge girl, no boots, only if there is an injury and I walk @ parks and not on pavement mostly.

[RedHead]

We HAVE to walk every day, at least twice (before and after work) or Teague gets very restless and whiny. If I didn't go in the cold we wouldn't be able to walk all winter! I think you just need to judge your dog. The only thing that cuts our walks short is if they are limping...I can always put a coat on them but if their paws are sore we cut it short. Dogs do have different tolerances, but they will let you know if they don't enjoy things (whining or limping). We have been going all week in -20F temps with coats (no booties as they hate them) and have just cut the walks shorter and done more indoor training and activities.

[carronstar]

No choice here, we have to do three walks. I found the best mix last night: jammies, coat over those, snood over those, fleece hat (she hates the hat) over her head. This is what finally stopped the massive shivering. Walks are much shorter in this weather 2-4 blocks out and then back. As much playing in the house as she wants to do.

[Guest Gillybear]

Gill always HATED wearing a coat, and hated boots even more. Even with a coat, when the weather was too cold he made every effort to get back in the house. It was an effort to just get him to potty in the yard! like others have said, it often just depends on the dog.

[Guest Alichou]

Double fleece jacket with snood and boots are what we sport for this cold Alberta weather.

[Guest 2greys2cats]

It was 9 degrees here and we still walked. We walk faithfully twice a day. I don't let them run in the yard though, otherwise their feet get cut up because the ground is bumpy and too hard/frozen. We don't use boots on the walk, but we do put their PJs and then a snood coat over.

[JenniferS]

We walk every day, and in these temps the walks are shorter, and the layers are heavier. It takes me longer to get us all dressed & undressed than the walk itself! lol

They wear their normal fleece coats, plus snoods, plus an extra overcoat that is fleece-lined wind-breaker type material. I have been starting to use mushers secret on their paws if the roads are really a mess too.

[RedHead]

It takes me longer to get us all dressed & undressed than the walk itself!

 

lol I can relate!!

[Guest IrskasMom]

We go everyday to the Park twice . It has been really cold , maybe not as cold as in Canada or New England , but so around 15 degrees for sure. Double Fleece Coat with Snood and we are fine .