Skipping dog walk in the cold

[Pawtucketbrew]

It's about 2 degrees here with frost on the ground. I have a small shorthaired dog breed (chihuahua x) who seems to want to spend her days lying under my duvet. I could take her for a walk now and I don't mind braving the cold but honestly she seems just as happy skipping her walks.

She's been out in the garden twice for wees and poos. She does have a coat but she's shivering just from doing her business in the garden.

Anyone else skipping walks for their little ones at the moment or should I force her out in the brisk weather 😅

Spot the dog 🤣

Replace 'beagle' with 'border collie ' and you'd have me! We'd love to miss a walk orv3 in this cold weather, but ours is a little shit if she's not walked for several hours a day. The only time she refuses is if its pouring down, though is fine if its drizzling.

I am so jealous of all your snuggle buddies. My golden retriever thrives in the cold and had me out marching in the snow this morning at 6am. She went outside to lie on the frosty grass at lunch. I think she thinks she's a husky 😀

There's a woman near me with a chihuahua and she was dragging it around the streets yesterday in -2. The poor thing was shivering like mad and kept planting it's bum on the ground but she still dragged it along with her :(

Chihuahuas aren't bred for the cold. It's absolutely fine to keep them home!

I've no knitted jumpers (as a pp asked) but I do have one with him in a fleecy onesie & a puffa jacket... and his toast face 🙈

When is it too cold and frosty/icy for paws? Obviously you hear a lot about not walking dogs on hot pavement but do they get a dog equivalent of frost bite on paws when it's frosty/icy? I know salt/grit can irritate them. Mine is a spaniel - she was shivering when she went out in the garden this morning -2 and she ran straight back up to bed after so clearly didn't fancy playing in it or walking. Saw some other people dragging dogs along with jumpers on but they didn't look impressed!

Watching with interest. Mine is going stir crazy so I’m thinking of taking him out for a walk to let him run off some energy - now wondering if I should. We’ve done scentwork and training games on the house but I don’t think that’s sufficient for him today.

I have a German shepherd who will literally frolick around and roll in any frosted grass he finds, he's in his element right now, loving life 😂
If I had a small short haired breed that didn't want to be walked, I'd stay in

I never walk mine in really heavy rain as he hates it and I don't see the point as the walk is for him not me.

Unfortunately he doesn't care about the cold so out we go in the freezing temperatures 🥶

Unless you're well into the minuses, I don't think it's too cold for most medium and large dogs - just be careful where the gritters have been as the salt is bad for their paws.

My beagle went out as normal this morning (with a coat) for a good 90 minute adventure up the woods and he was absolutely fine - it was -3 here.

When I took her for an offlead forest walk the other day it was 0 and a bit of frost on the grass she ran the whole time - 45 mins, like zoomies running, DH said poor thing is prob trying to keep herself warm so then I felt bad especially as all the other dogs we saw had coats on!!

My pup just plain refused to walk today. Luckily he's only small, I can pick him up and go home.
I tried several times to encourage the walk, but he was having none of it. Now he's all cosy and dosing on the bed.

It's normal for dogs to have zoomies in the frost - lots of new smells!

Small/medium DDog had a short but very active zoom around the park with a heavy frost, lots of running so kept herself warm, then in and snuggled under her blanket with now sign of any urge to go out again.

It's normal for dogs to have zoomies in the frost - lots of new smells!

I agree. Mine loves it when the seasons suddenly seem to change as it brings out lovely new smells (he's a spaniel so hunting is his thing).

DDog tucked up...

My Dachshund will drag his feet a bit when it’s cold. I usually take him to a small green a 5 minute walk away and let him off for a sniff about but he’s happy enough to come back home and snuggle. He gets restless at about 7pm so I will either do the same again or play some games with him.

Definitely not walking a distance every day which we were doing without fail up until about 2 weeks ago.

I will be taking my girl out, but wary that she could pull me over on the ice ..

We have 2 dogs Lhasa Apso. This morning DH went to take them for a walk but 1 dog stood in snow, yelped and ran back into house. The other one did not mind, so DH just walked 1 dog. Later as snow gone both dogs will go. I don't think it hurts them to miss an odd walk. When DH had Covid they only got 1 walk each day for 3 days. They did not seem to mind. They have a large garden to run about in too.

I read this as you were taking the dog out and skipping instead of walking.

Our spaniel has been out for 2 walks today. She's gets excited as soon as you pick up her equafleece.
Spotted a couple "walking" their little dog earlier. One holding the lead and one carrying the dog.

Daft dog went potty in the snow when I let her out in the garden and she’s just back from a 2 hour ramble with DH. She’s a medium sized dog and is now fast asleep 💤
Yesterday she had a short walk in the morning and several trips out into the garden but wouldn’t go for a longer walk because there’s shooting (terrifies her ☹️😢) so having walks isn’t necessarily essential.

I have a mini poodle and her coat is clipped reasonably short. I have taken her out the last few days when it's been cold but today it was a shorter walk than usual because it is bitter. She won't wear a coat (I have tried).

I always rinse her feet upon return to remove any grit and salt.

Today I was the only one out walking at first and did worry that I shouldn't be out. But she loves her walk and was happy to go.

(Photo of her snoozing on top of our armchair)

I think you have to really go by the dog.

Some will hate it or be shivering and I can't think of anything positive for the dog to be dragged outside. Others will not care one bit and therefore require the owners to suffer the cold whilst they run around enjoying themselves.

I used to think you needed to walk dogs twice a day religiously but now I think the best thing you can do is give your dog what it needs even if that means a day or two inside.

My JRT hates the cold and wet. He went out for a wee/poo this morning and nearly broke a speed record running back inside and headed straight upstairs and hid under the duvet