Are you walking your dogs in this weather?

[loveawineloveacrisp]

Just that, really. We have lots of snow and it's due to get colder. He didn't get walked yesterday. Seems perfectly happy but I feel bad. Has access to garden for toilet, obviously.

labradoodle, not fussed if he walks or not so if it's raining all day we don't bother, but got a very long walk a couple of days ago.

It's not getting above freezing here for the next few days and everywhere is very icy. Don't think it's safe to be honest. Sofa cuddles and indoor games it is.

Working border collie here. No such thing as bad weather in his mind, we are out in everything.

I'd love to not have too but they are terrier x and want to go out all weather! One prefers shorter walks in his coat though sort of round the block for 20 mins but his brother would go for miles all day every day so he comes to the horses with me whatever the weather
Enjoy your sofa snuggles :)

My kitten, now six years old, tries to kill me most days, tripping on stairs, poking through the bannister to take my eye out as I walk by. Picks on the dog who will cry for me to run interference if cat is on the chair and dog wants to come in. Picks on the older cat. She's a madam but I love her spirit. And I've seen the older cat kissing her..

Miniature poodle is happy to go out. It's ranging from zero to 4 degrees Celsius where I am. We are out for 30 mins at a time, once or twice a day. If it's below 2ish/visibly frosty I'll stick an equafleece on her.

She still HATES walking through water though. I'm not asking for sits in freezing cold mud slush either...seems unfair somehow!

We've been out today for the first time since Saturday. Pouring with rain all weekend . My dogs hate the cold and wet and are happy lounging round at home . Today we had bright sun so wrapped up warm and went to the red woods to get some fresh air .

I'll walk mine in fresh snow/torrential rain no problem. But the day after when it's been packed down to sheet ice no he won't have a walk that day or the next day if it's the same

He has a garden to run about in and I don't fancy a broken leg/hip

My German Shepherd loves the snow, she gets the zoomies!

Yes with an Equafleece on, but a shorter walk. Instead of 45 minutes just 20 to 30. We do an hour or so in the summer as we also sit in the bench and people watch. X

We’ve had a lot of snow as usual and have labs, they need 3 decent walks a day and they’re walked in all weathers. They swim most days too no matter how cold it is. I tried the Equafleeces to keep them dry but that never worked out well as they ended up in the loch wearing the fleeces 😂. I seem to spend half my life drying dogs.

It's not getting above freezing here for the next few days and everywhere is very icy. Don't think it's safe to be honest. Sofa cuddles and indoor games it is.

It’s been below freezing for over a week where I am and snow on the ground for the past few days. DDog is out twice a day for half an hour or so - he loves the snow and ice tbh and won’t poo in the garden, so out we go. I’m constantly rubbing his paw pads with Vaseline to prevent cracking.

Try 'mushers secret' good stuff👍

Labs don’t care about cold weather so unfortunately - yes the walks continue.

Thanks @wavingfuriously I’ll give that a try.

I do, she seems to really love the snow, but I'm confused as how best to approach it as she's a mix of breeds. I think she has a double coat, she doesn't shiver anyway, so I've stopped coating her unless it's an on lead walk, but yesterday she was limping mid (delighted) walk and I realised she had big blocks of hard ice caught in the hair between her paws. She has saluki paws so I'm not sure if other dogs get this? I just kept stopping and getting the ice clumps out but I felt a bit like a neglectful owner.

As you can see she wasn't fussed 🤷‍♀️

We have an older lab/collie cross, and two small poodle crosses.

They all wait at the door for their walks, so I’m not off the hook, even in the worst of weathers!!

We've always had Pyreneans, they have very large hairy paws with double dewclaws. When they walk in snow they accumulate what we call "ice balls" on their feet so when we get back we have to check between their toes, the dewclaws, the feathering and break up any chunks of compacted snow.

I've two; one yes the other no, as he can be reactive and I fear he'd pull me over on the ice, my ex has come round a few times and taken him as he's a bit stronger/braver, looks like it will thaw this weekend so I don't feel toooo bad

I couldn't live with mine if she didn't get her walks. High energy, neurotic Patterdale - we do a four/five mile run in the morning with at least a couple of miles off lead, and then shorter sniff-walks the rest of the time, which might be cut short if it's raining and she's feeling 'that way out'.

She won't go in the garden, except at night, and is a right pain in the arse if she doesn't get enough exercise. So we go, even though I'd rather be tucked up in the warm.

@Unluckycat1 - I can't advise on the snow-balls other than doing as PP said and just de-balling them.

But, more importantly, I wanted to say she is stunning! Her coat is in such beautiful condition (her actual coat, not the yellow one although that is very snazzy!)

Ah thank you! She does have a lovely, if not a bit confused as to what dog she's supposed to be, coat.

@CoubousAndTourmalet do they seemed bothered by the ice balls on the walk? She was limping until I removed them but then seemed fine, and kept diving back into the snow to make new ones 🙈

Sometimes yes @Unluckycat1 , we have had to stop and loosen the chunks from around their toes on a walk. Once you're aware of it happening you can generally tell if it's bothering them.

I don't think you should have a dog if you aren't prepared to walk them in all weathers.

We see posters in the summer saying it's too hot and yes it might be at 1pm but it isn't at 7 or 8am. Now it's too cold, in January.

Dogs need mental and physical stimulation. So yes it is cold but wear warm clothes and a hat and take your dogs out!

It adds a layer of protection against snow and ice, my dog stepped on frozen puddle and it may have actually cut his paws without it. It doesn't nourish paws however...😊