What do YOU do in the winter?

Hey,
I live in northern British Columbia, so the winters here get quite cold with pretty deep snow.
I am thinking Bransen is going to need shoes and a jacket this year, 15 minutes outside and his feet are icicles!

He was full of energy last night so I took him out for a run, and when we reached the open field near the river (we go there lots) I let him off his leash to run free for a while. He was running around all crazy as usual, looking for one of the foxes that lives in the field, having a good time.
Then he started to slow down a bit and stopped, he looked at me all pitiful and started holding his paws up one at a time.
I don't blame him, his paws were frozen!

It's not easy like when he was little and I could just pick him up and carry him home or until his feet were warm. I can pick him up, but there's no way I could lug 100 lbs of squirming dog all the way home through the snow!

He gets so restless inside, but he can't be outside very long at all because it is too cold. I play with him indoors but it is just not the same.

On top of this, his chain spot is out of commission until spring because the snow is way too deep for it!

Ugh!

How do you guys deal with the cold?

 

100 lbs. of squirming dog, I assume the dog is an apbt mix or that is one huge bulldog :eek:. Anyways, if you live in cold climates like that, the garage or the basement is your best friend. If you have a garage and don't mind parking outside, you can fix up a springpole and attach it to the top of the garage. If your garage is large enough, you can even do some flirtpole in there. If you have a large unoccupied basement, that is even better. If you have place for a mill, you can also do mill work with your dog. I prefer roadwork but the mill works well. That's just a few of the things you can do. Also it is common practice for most dogmen to put an extra 5-15 lbs. on their dog during the winter months. Most bulldogs are fine in the winter, even outside, if their house has sufficient bedding and they have a few extra pounds on them.

 

Haha, yes, he is a mix. Said to be with Rottweiler but I kinda doubt it.

I was actually just thinking the same thing about the garage/basement unfortunately I don't have access to either right now!

A mill is an excellent idea, I think I would have the space in our laundry room.
Maybe I should fatten him up a bit, too.

Thanks!

 

same problem im here in alberta.... its 20 below already my 4 month old apbt cant go outside for more than 5 minutes im thinking of purchasing shoes and sweater... kinda dumb looking but oh well its for the benefit of the dog.... gotta do the walks even in winter

 

O my my dogs would go insane during the winter

 

Can you post a pic of your dog? I have a friend that has a 50/50 rottweiler apbt.

 

Hey Bransen Iam on vancouver Island so not as cold as you .but like others said a spring pole in the garage.Or a mill.You can also purchase those boots that the sled dog folks will use.

 

If it gets too cold for the dogs to stay out during the night,I bring them in and let them stay in my man cave during the night and then i take them out the next morning,double up on the feed and give them plenty of water

 

Thanks for all the advice everyone.
I think I'll be buying some booties!

NewSchoolDogMan, I will post a pic here when I get a chance.

 

Thank god for arizona lol

 

Thank god for Australia!

 

We usually don't drop below the 30s but once we are in the low 40s and 30s and we are going to walk for a couple of hours I put a sweater on her. Also if it's really windy as in gusting winds I also put her sweater on. If it's raining which that's what we usually have during the winter here, we are trapped inside just playing fetch on the stairs or tug of war which I tie a tug toy from the treadmill handle bar and she works that and then of course, the mill. She's an inside dog and my only dog so I don't worry about keeping her warm as she is comfy on her bed in my warm room/house.

 

Good advice all around. Like coop said, They make snow gear for dogs- check out some pet supply online stores that specialize in snow/sled dogs and snow activities. There's Gore Tex dog wear, down parkas, Insulated booties, everything you can thing of for dogs.
Take care of those feet and increase his crude fat intake for a natural insulation layer:dogtongue:

 

whe dont got realy freaky cold winters bud it can be realy cold... snow ice it can be mean haha...

i dont got problems whit the feeds of my dogs bud thats maybe because its not freaky cold over here.

what whe do is go dragging in the snow and trow snowballs haha
and when whe come back home i make hot choco

i love the winter bud only for the snow haha

thats what i whant for cristmass this year alot of snow :p:p:p

 

Haha, ya me and Bransen had a snowball fight this morning.
Well, I threw snowballs at him while he ran around like a psycho barking at them and eating them. Silly boy!

Last night was not so fun though.
On our way home on our walk, about 4 blocks from the house, he couldn't take the cold anymore. He started sitting down and trying to lift up all four feet at once. Kind of funny, but I had to pick him up and carry him for like 2-3 blocks which wasn't so funny.
For me anyways, everyone who passed by seemed to be amused at the sight of a teenage girl carrying her big mutt up hill in the cold.

Today is warmer though, it is only -17 so that isn't so bad. The wind chill makes it worse though.

I'll be ordering him a good pair of boots for sure.
The jacket I am not so sure he needs, he has a light one already that I don't use too often.
His body stays warm for the most part it's his feet that I worry about.
He was left on a balcony in mid-december (which is COLD here) as a pup and had bad frostbite so I try to keep his feet from getting any more damaged.

 

Thought I would just add something, Bransen is an indoor doggy.
He doesn't stay outside by himself (except at my moms, where the yard is nice and secure, in a good area where I trust the neighbors) and when he does it's not for all that long.