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Cold Weather Tips Please


rascalsmom

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Like a lot of the country, we are having very cold weather. This morning it is -5, which I realize is balmy compared to you folks in the midwest! But this is very cold for us (Western PA).

 

So I've been putting Phoebe's coat on her when she goes out to do her business, and she's been fine, until this morning (-5). She did her thing, but on her way back to the house she started limping, and didn't even make it back the whole way till she stopped completely, lifting her front paws, and CRYING. It was awful! Fortunately my DD was just leaving for work, and she rescued Phoebe by picking her up and carrying her the rest of the way to the house. Good thing, since it would have taken me a few minutes to even get boots/coat on.

 

So what can I do to protect her paws? I did have some booties, but after my Jack died, I gave them all to our adoption group. I am afraid she will refuse to go outside after that experience. Anyone have any suggestions? And how do you cope with this when you live where it's even COLDER??

Phoebe (Belle's Sweetpea) adopted 9/2/13.

Jack (BTR Captain Jack) 9/28/05--11/2/12
Always missing Buddy, Ruby, and Rascal.

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I like to use some paw balms on my greys pads and use booties. You can always lay down a layer of straw over any snow. In southeast Wisconsin we are at -24 right now. My grey is handling it like a champ considering. She realizes she needs to potty immediately and we RUN back in the house. She wears 2 layers of jackets.

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K-9 Voyager makes fantastic boots, they go over the knee. You will have to order on line. It may take some getting used to, but needed for these kinds of temps. Muk-Luks work also, but do not go as high on the leg, many pet stores carry them. Good luck. I'm in Wi. also, I feel your pain, I have 3 greys and putting 12 boots on 5 times a day is rough. So looking forward to the weekend so we can go for a real walk!

 

Jaime L

Mom to Ranger (PB's Long Ranger), Esso (Kiowa Stay Over) and Cookie the rattie mix

Missing Kahn (Gil's Khan) 10-29-03 - 11-7-16  Belle (Regall Belooow) 8-9-07 - 3-12-17  Star (Greyt Star) 1-19-07 - 3-13-2020  Pitch (Emerald Pitch) 4-1-08 - 6-3-2020

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The dreaded frozen foot! It’s horrible to see them holding their feet up and unable to walk.

 

See this prior thread for my bootie suggestion. http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/324089-boots-for-cold-weather/

But that’s not going to help you today. I’d suggest any kind of sock or covering you can get on her feet to protect them. Baby or toddler socks work pretty well. You could use vet wrap to hold something up that doesn’t fit as well. With Lila, anything that prevents her toes from touching the snow/ice and keeps the snow out from between her toes seems to work.

 

Jamie, getting Lila suited up to go out is work. I can’t imagine getting shoes on 3 dogs.

Lila Football
Jerilyn, missing Lila (Good Looking), new Mistress to Wiki (PJ Wicked).
 
 

 

 

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If you have a farm supply store nearby, get a bale (or a couple bales) of horse bedding which is compressed wood shavings. Throw the bedding on top of the snow in a big enough area to give her a path to walk from the door and some area to do her business. I used to to cover Rocket;s turnout area in horse bedding when we lived in IL for this very reason. I always made sure to have enough to top it all off after it snowed or rained when the bedding got wet and froze again. It's cheap and couple bales of it go along way. You can also use a snow shovel to skim any new snow off of it and then top it off with some dry bedding to keep her area pretty dry.

 

It also rakes up easily in the Spring and you can throw it on your compost pile.

Edited by Time4ANap
rocket-signature-jpeg.jpg

Camp Broodie. The current home of Mark Kay Mark Jack and Gracie Kiowa Safe Joan.  Always missing my boy Rocket Hi Noon Rocket,  Allie  Phoenix Dynamite, Kate Miss Kate, Starz Under Da Starz, Petunia MW Neptunia, Diva Astar Dashindiva, and LaVida I've Got Life

 

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Baby socks work well for a quick out. Pawz rubber booties if you can get to a Petsmart/Petco type store -- even though they're thin, they keep the snow from balling up and freezing in the paw pads. Shovel to a firm path if that's not been done -- again, helps keep the snow from getting in amid their pads. I didn't need to use Time4ANap's straw suggestion but I thought about it; would likely work very nicely. Could also use mulch (wood chips) or even a thick layer of sand if it's a smaller area.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Hi there. I saw this on facebook yesterday, an emergency pair of boots---put socks on your dog (kids socks fit better) and put condoms over that!!!

 

here is the photo I saw a boxer with condom socks on. I can already imagine the lineup for condoms to use as condom socks :hehe

 

51014228_10106155581926579_6074071611906

Tin and Michael and Lucas, Picasso, Hero, Oasis, Galina, Neizan, Enzo, Salvo and Noor the Galgos.
Remembering Bridge Angel Greyhounds: Tosca, Jamey, Master, Diego, and Ambi; plus Angel Galgos Jules, Marco and Baltasar.

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:lol LynnM used to recommend XL condoms as foot-bandage covers for greyhounds. Never tried them but bet they work great. And easier to find than Pawz.

 

 

 

PS: I throw on sweatpants and yard shoes on my way out of bed and keep jacket, hat, gloves by each door I let the girls out. That way I'm ready for anything.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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If you have a farm supply store nearby, get a bale (or a couple bales) of horse bedding which is compressed wood shavings. Throw the bedding on top of the snow in a big enough area to give her a path to walk from the door and some area to do her business. I used to to cover Rocket;s turnout area in horse bedding when we lived in IL for this very reason. I always made sure to have enough to top it all off after it snowed or rained when the bedding got wet and froze again. It's cheap and couple bales of it go along way. You can also use a snow shovel to skim any new snow off of it and then top it off with some dry bedding to keep her area pretty dry.

 

It also rakes up easily in the Spring and you can throw it on your compost pile.

Hm....we actually have chickens, so I have pine shavings already....that might work. Now to persuade Phoebe to do her business NEAR the house rather than in the furthest corner of the yard.....[The chickens are their own problems recently--frozen water because the lightbulb in our 'cookie tin water heater' burned out; frostbite on the combs; trying to get out there to gather the eggs before they freeze....I am having all SORTS of fun today!]

I used to have quite the supply of baby/toddler socks, back when I had the other dogs; I used them many times for injuries on feet. May have to run to the dollar store. Fortunately this cold snap should be over sometime tomorrow.....but the problem of today and this evening remains.

Phoebe (Belle's Sweetpea) adopted 9/2/13.

Jack (BTR Captain Jack) 9/28/05--11/2/12
Always missing Buddy, Ruby, and Rascal.

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Hi there. I saw this on facebook yesterday, an emergency pair of boots---put socks on your dog (kids socks fit better) and put condoms over that!!!

 

here is the photo I saw a boxer with condom socks on. I can already imagine the lineup for condoms to use as condom socks :hehe

 

51014228_10106155581926579_6074071611906

OMG that is just a great idea. !!!!

Kim and Bruce - with Rick (Rick Roufus 6/30/16) and missing my sweet greyhound Angels Rainey (LG's Rainey 10/4/2000 - 3/8/2011), Anubis (RJ's Saint Nick 12/25/2001 - 9/12/12) and Zeke (Hey Who Whiz It 4/6/2009 - 7/20/2020) and Larry (PTL Laroach 2/24/2007 - 8/2/2020) -- and Chester (Lab) (8/31/1990 - 5/3/2005), Captain (Schipperke) (10/12/1992 - 6/13/2005) and Remy (GSP) (?/?/1998 - 1/6/2005) at the bridge
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." -- Ernest Hemmingway

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Poor baby. I just rub my guys' footsies until they thaw. They won't wear booties. I've also tried musher's secret to protect against sale, but I don't know if it will be anything for the cold.

siggy_robinw_tbqslg.jpg
Xavi the galgo and Peter the cat. Missing Iker the galgo ?-Feb.9/19, Treasure (USS Treasure) April 12/01-May 6/13, Phoenix (Hallo Top Son) Dec.14/99-June 4/11 and Loca (Reko Swahili) Oct.9/95 - June 1/09, Allen the boss cat, died late November, 2021, age 19.

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There are dry, non-lubricated condoms available in most drug stores. A friend of mine who does sound work for stage shows uses them to protect microphone transmitter units from shorting out due to the sweat under actor's costumes. I've also heard of people using them to protect electronics while camping or out in the weather while working events.

rocket-signature-jpeg.jpg

Camp Broodie. The current home of Mark Kay Mark Jack and Gracie Kiowa Safe Joan.  Always missing my boy Rocket Hi Noon Rocket,  Allie  Phoenix Dynamite, Kate Miss Kate, Starz Under Da Starz, Petunia MW Neptunia, Diva Astar Dashindiva, and LaVida I've Got Life

 

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:wubsite Oh, what we learn on GT! You all are the best!!

 

So understanding having had 16 paws x 7 outings per day. I feel for everyone affected in the snow and polar vortex region.

 

If anyone duplicates the Boxer in Mom2four's post, please remember to remove them immediately upon returning to the house to prevent reduced/blocked blood flow to the paws.

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