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.

@LadyTangerine I know, the problem is getting there in the first place. We are on a hill and as soon as we had the second thick covering of snow on Tuesday afternoon it froze solid again. DH tried to get the car out this afternoon as we could have driven somewhere a bit better but we had no chance! We've got a full day of sun tomorrow apparently (although still very cold) so hopefully that might make a difference 🥶

Rain or shine, snow or hail...out we go 🐕 🐾

I'm in Lancs, West Pennine Moors, pretty high up. The sun is not helping at all because the snow on the pavements here is compacted and frozen solid and it is treacherous no matter what your footwear. We always wear proper walking boots and this week we are in Winter Trax as well but it is still dangerously slippery.
We have ventured out onto the nearby fields with our pup every day but we certainly would not be doing a long pavement walk at the moment.

Our show cocker loves this weather. He has been out for an hour a day plus his several garden visits. We only don't walk him if it's torrential all day as he doesn't like being drenched.

Are you assuming that those not walking their dogs have small, or no gardens? Plenty have large gardens. I have a Weimaraner and two Toy Poodles. I am a 65-year-old women who isn’t prepared to risk breaking a hip by walking on ice. My Toy Poodles shouldn’t be walked in these temperatures due to their size and tendency to lose body temperature quickly. My Weimaraner would be fine, but my garden is large enough for her to run, there are bushes for her to mooch about in and lots of sniffs to be had. You have made your point. I think it’s time that you stopped lecturing other dog owners whose lives you know nothing about!

God I have to force mine outside to go to the toilet in this type of weather and they're back at the door a minute later to get in! She will just stand there and look at the rain then look at me and walk off back to the sofa.

I had stopped but then you've just quoted me! With the correct footwear it is perfectly safe to walk. I understand some people are anxious about falling so perhaps hire a dog walker for January? Our garden is large but certainly not interesting enough to keep a med/large breed dog stimulated sufficiently.

Anyway it's mild from Monday so hopefully all the dogs will be back out, but then wet and windy the week after..

No I haven’t taken my dog out, it’s incredibly icy, nothing is gritted, there are people walking with ski sticks where I live and others falling over all the time: and it would be miserable for her, she’s only a small terrier. will make up for it next week

YakTrax are the best things you can buy for walking on ice and snow - I’ve been walking ChenDog with them on, they’re brilliant things.

Our greyhound will not countenance going out if it's icy. Today was bloody cold but mostly just a thick frost, we had very little snow, so we did get out for a short one. There was a bit of black ice around on one bit but fortunately neither of us came a cropper.

Not been out in 3 days - luckily a huge garden and they barely want to do out. Freezing temps and sheet ice are not good for their paws. They have plenty of enrichment and attention and are more chilled than when out for their usual long walks.
Not been above freezing for 2 days. We live down a lane covered in sheet ice with a thick layer of snow. Won’t do any harm to have a few days off walkies but would if I fell and broke a bone on the ice.

As I've already said, with the "correct footwear" it is not safe to walk in my area. There is thick ice covering the pavements. Even in Grisport Avenger walking boots and winter trax it is still a struggle even without a 45kg puppy on the lead.

Do you live in a city or big town?

We live rurally, in the North.

As do I. West Pennine Moors, up a hill which is bloody lethal atm.

I’ve noticed ddogs paw pads are looking very dry and rough. He doesn’t like toileting in the garden but maybe I should cut his walk lengths down until it warms up.
should I put anything on them or will they heal on their own?

Vaseline if you have any, but you can buy paw balm too. We use Mushers.

I notice you didn’t reply to my comment on you saying people are not fit to own dogs if they won’t walk them in all weathers. No doubt because it showed up your lack of knowledge!

She just says "hire a dog walker" which I find patronising, I've walked my own dogs for 47 years and I'm not about to panic over an odd missed day for torrential rain or extreme heat. We have got out every day this week but to say the pavements are easy with "correct footwear" is just ridiculous.

All her comments are ridiculous and, as you say patronising. She states all but elderly dogs should be walked in all weather daily. I posted a list of dogs who shouldn’t be walked in very cold weather which illustrated her lack of knowledge and surprise, she didn’t reply to that.

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

People all over the country (even North and rurally) have been going to work, shopping, walking their dogs, going about their normal business albeit with winter clothing on and the correct footwear yet so many people on here haven't been exercising their dogs because it is freezing, in January. Yes care has to be taken but it isn't 6foot snow drifts. Barring illness I think we all need to venture out, it is good for our health as well as our pooches.

I'll be out Sat giving a wave to the other all weather dog walkers! I'll try not to reply again as I'm obviously annoying you, sorry. i think we can agree to disagree there's no need to call my comments ridiculous.

My pup has been out for a walk every single day this week but regardless of correct footwear it isn't easy, and it's absurd to keep insisting that it is.

Here we go. But no doubt Queen dog owner will have yet another answer for this.

My boy (flatcoat retriever) loves the snow and will spend ages making snow doggy angels! He's getting two hour long walks everyday, the only time he doesn't get long walks is when it's too hot!

Well that's good that he's been out! I was referring to pp like the one with a lab who didn't go out in the wind and rain.

It isn't necessarily easy, but with preparation and the correct clothing it is certainly doable.

Absolutely, lucky in some respects that it’s a very short walk to open fields , literally the only times we don’t walk the dogs is when the temperature is too high