what are you all doing to manage dog walks in this wearher?

[WTFwasthat]

it is grim

I love long wet muddy dog walks now I've got got clothes sorted - North Face waterproof parka, Sealskinz gloves with silk liners underneath, waterproof trousers over thermal leggings, Mountain Horse yardboots (thanks to the OP who recommended these, so warm and easy to walk in compared to wellies).
My lab prefers to be soaking wet on a walk, he always goes in the river for a swim whether its raining or not.
We've got a tiny utility room and floor is covered with towels before we go out, dog gets rubbed down and stays there till fully dry.
Evening walk is shorter, on a lead and even if its raining only his paws and back seem to get wet so dries off quickly.

at all these utility rooms... One day, when I move to the country.

Road walks, rather than across the fields to try and keep some of the mud off the low-rise terrier. It is boring, but better than nothing.

Ours has to go out ,otherwise he just keeps barking at you! I do a mix of the previous posts, I have a caped coat ,a peaked hat and good wellies, when we get back there is a towel at the door . Then it's straight out the back garden to have the mud hosed off . The only thing I seem to differ on is that I then use the hairdryer to dry him ( he has his own hairdryer).

Waterproof trousers, waterproof coat.

They've purposefully flooded fields near us by way of floodgates to lower river levels. So fields are now a lake. Daft dog was bouncing along in chest deep water and didn't realise there was a wide ditch separating two fields. She can't swim, went right under, head bobbed up, went under again, frantic paddling and managed to get out!

When the weather is awful i think maybe I should have got a little lapdog instead of a bouncy, weatherproof Springer Spaniel

We are out whatever the weather. If its extremely muddy we go to the beach as sandy dog seems easier to clean than muddy dog. If the field is unavoidable, he usually goes in the shower when we get back

We have coats for our Cocker Spaniels. Aquafleece. You can get them for all breeds. They do look a bit silly but it does mean they are only wet on the very bottom of their legs and their heads and the rest is bone dry! Genius. You can leave the coats to dry or just rinse & spin them in the washer then use again.
I wish I had such a good coat! They are a bit pricey but worth I I think.
Hth.

I put dog1 in the shower too! He stands there looking totally woebegone and bedraggled, completely forgetting that I have just seem him joyfully leaping through puddles and racing about quite happily in the pelting rain, dragging ds2 behind him. Yet put him in lovely warm shower and he behaves like he's being abused. Dog2 watches with interest but has no need of shower as I can wash him in washing up bowl.......chihuahuas rock!

2blessed Shame on you for embarrassing your Chi (and DS2) with a silly coat. My DD is desperate to dress our dogs but I won't let her embarrass me!!!

The smaller 2 of my 3 are Affenpinschers and the bigger one is a poor example of a Mini Schnauzer.

Does anyone else have a self cleaning dog?
I've never bathed him, luckily he's not interested in rolling in stinky stuff.
He swims and gets wet most days, often covered in mud when we get home and being a yellow lab it really shows up. He's towel dried, and after a few hours he's lovely and clean. Perhaps its something to do with the oil in the coat and the dried mud falls off.

We are out in all weathers with Mumblingdog! Although she is a Border Collie, she doesn't approve at all! Obviously she is not a working dog so
in her very pampered mind we are insane for going out in the rain! She has a lovely coat to keep her dry and the humans in our family all have waterproofs and thermal layers, I actually enjoy going out just for the excitement of getting home and in the warm, curled up on the sofa with the fire on tucking in to a lovely bowl of soup!!

Labs are bred to retrieve even from rivers and lakes, so expect they do have a special waterproof coat.

I want a self cleaning dog Actually i think mine deliberately gets muddy so he can be showered. If i leave the stairgate across the stairs open, he runs up to the bathroom, jumps in the empty bath and waits for me to get there and wash him

Mine is quite self cleaning. Once he's dried and brushed he doesn't smell or anything.

Inspired by this thread, I'm heading out early for the school run to give the little sod a decent run about in a flooded field which is less likely to have fatal debris. I hope you're all proud of yourselves

Saw two pointers the other morning, all tggged up in dogie raincoats with snoods and hoods, they were still so wet they were shaking themselves.

I don't mind the rain tbh but the mud is making it really slippy :( and the dogs really muddy (obv)

I have to force BigDog out in the rain. Where he will then stand shivering pathetically until its time to go home.He is miserable.But I dont care because I am evil.

LittleDog also hates the rain. He sits down on the floor and refuses to move. We have to half drag him. He then goes under the tree.

Its great fun.

Staffies hate the rain. i think they would be happy to just go outside the back door for 30 seconds, although i think BigdOG would prefer i held an umbrella over his head and put wellies on his feet.

We just get very wet

Actually, a word of warning, because its something I've never come across before: MuttDog has recently suffered from "Limber Tail" as a result of jumping into a flooded and freezing pond. I thought she'd broken her tail . It's normally 'up' like a Pointer, but was hanging forlornly between her legs. I don't think it was hurting her, but she was definately uncomfortable and sad about it - wouldn't even come up to bed.

Vet said she sees it a lot in 'working' dogs with tails - Mutt is a Springer / Collie / Something-or-other and a lot more the wetter and colder it is.

3 days on Metacam and she's fine, but it's something I'm going to have to keep an eye on.

I think the thing is you have to carry on as normally as possible whatever the weather because once you start saying " oh I won't bother today " it can be a slippery slope to becoming someone who only takes the dogs out a few times a week. Sadly my dog won't allow this to happen!

You need a leather hat , one like this - www.amazon.co.uk/Tayberry-Austrialian-Styled-Oiled-Leather/dp/B005OAS8N2/ref=sr_1_sc_3?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1353940589&sr=1-3-spell

It's the most waterproof thing i have found that doesn't muffle your senses like a hood. I have Springers that pay no regard to the weather...

Oh, that didn't make sense, I meant

Vet said she sees it a lot in 'working' dogs with tails (Mutt is a Springer/Collie/Something-or-other) and a lot more in these dogs the wetter and colder it is.

My dog looked miserable today on his walk. Normally he doesn't mind the rain at all, but I have cut his coat quite short and I think the wet was getting to him as a result.
What is the consensus on the thread about getting your dog to wear a manufactured coat? Is it ever necessary (for a tough, resilient working-type breed -- mine's a PRT)? I would buy one in a flash if I thought he needed it, but I feel a bit daft about dressing him up if it isn't helping him.

Lolly dog is not a rain lover but would never turn down a walk

Our old girl doesn't seem to notice weather at all

We get very muddy and very wet
House is manky too but dogs are happy

LtEveDallas my Lab x Staffie suffered from that, he would always wag his tail,we were walking by pond and playing fetch throwing a float in the water for him and on retrieval he came out with a very unhappy looking tail! It was awful, but he made a quick recovery. It was so perculiar to see him with a tail just dangling there!

Hubby wanted a dog - he walks the dog - I stay home all toasty.....

the dog "knows" I don't dooooooo walks, so does not give me the stare he sits and stares at hubby as soon as he comes in the door, looks so funny!