Cold weather question

[schteve_d]

I live up in the Great White North and walk my two dogs (lab x and shephard x) down to about -23 celcius, below that they start to hold up their paws. I like to get out for a walk no matter the weather ('bout the only exercise I get!), and can always bundle up. What I wonder is if a "doggy jacket" would do anything to help their paws in the cold. That may sound dumb but I know in humans the warmer you can keep your core, the warmer your extremities stay, I wonder if it is the same for dogs? I tried little boots on them before and they both freak out, lay down and bite them off.

Steve

[KYS]

Welcome to Pet Talk.

I was going to suggest the doggie boots until
I read the end of your post.

I wonder if use use the doggie boots for a short period
under supervision daily if they will get use to them?
Whem my male hurt his paw a couple of years ago,
I had to put 1 doggie boot on him every time he went
outside.
He hated it and I would find the boot
laying around the back yard about 10 minutes later.
After a couple of weeks he got use to the routine of wearing
that one boot when he had to go out to go potty.
This last time he hurt his paw, he took to the boot with no
problem.

Not sure if a dog sweater or Jacket would help in the
paw department but it would keep them warmer from the legs up. :)

[dragondawg]

I can understand the Shepard having problems, including ice build up on the fur. But it's rare for a Lab to be bothered by cold, although the temperature you gave seems chilly enough.

It's doubtful a wrap on the dog will do much for the paws. You might try feeding before walking. But again -23 C seems like tundra wolf weather.

[Lexi_Lover]

I think the jacket may actually work because I use it on my girl and now she runs around and she is never cold, she took to it right away!

With the dog boots it is probably best because they are most likely lifting up their paws form the cold but from the salt on the roads, it burns their paw pads and makes it really uncomfortable to walk!

Get them to wear the boots inside the house and when their eating so they see that they aren't bad, keep trying and don't give up! The boots are a very effective way to keep their paws warm, dry and free of salt burns!

KEEP WARM PUPS!

[schteve_d]

Thank-you for the replies.

They don't use salt up here (sand only) so that is not a concern, and I am walking them off-leash in the snowmobile trails in the bush behind my house so there is definately no salt.

It is actually the lab who seems to suffer from it worse, of course they are both getting older (9 years old) which may be a factor as I don't remember it bothering them so much before. My lab X comes running up in front of me periodically on three legs and won't let me continue walking until I hold the affected paw in my hands for a few seconds. Come to think of it, it could just be an attention ploy (LOL).

The other problem I had with the boots is that they don't seem to stay on very well while they are off running (even while they are not biting them!) and I spend half my excursion trying to find doggie boots in two feet of snow! I think I will try the jackets and see what happens, they certainly can't hurt. I'll post results for you other cold-weather dwellers.

[Lexi_Lover]

I'm not sure...but I heard that SOMETIMES...sand may affect them, I don't knowhow but anyways. Keep us posted and see what happens!

The booties...well that ahppens with Lexi too so I know those won't work. Labs don't tend to become unenergetic until their late, late years around 11 or so...maybe later for mixes! The attention may be one thing...:D !

Finbd something out! There are only a couple more weeks of winter around here!

[schteve_d]

Geez, I wish there was only a couple weeks of winter left here! I bought the jackets today and now the forecast says it's going to warm up some darnit (never thought I'd say that!). Might be a few days but I will post my entirely unscientific results when the weather cools again, which shouldn't be long!

[Lexi_Lover]

LOL! That stuff always happens...but what you should do in the meantime is put the jackets on the dogs inside and let them get used to the feeling! They may nip and chew at it but tell them to let go and if they do then give them a treat! It worked with Lexi!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by schteve_d

... in humans the warmer you can keep your core,
the warmer your extremities stay...


This is quite correct!!

But in both humans and warm-blooded FurKids, the cold
eventually starts to effect the core temperature
and the body begins to react...

As more "cold" blood returns from the extremities,
the body begins to preserve its core temp by reducing the
flow of warm blood out to the extremities.

A warm coat or jacket will help for a while;
but the "booties" will insulate the feet from the cold and
have a longer lasting effect on overall comfort.

Now if we could just 'splain all that to the FurKids... :rolleyes

[lovemyshiba]

Here's an interesting article I got from my shiba board:

http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041212/NEWS/412120310

[Luna]

When I take my dogs for a walk, my puppy gets a build up of ice between her toes. They bother her when she walks, and she always stops to chew them out. I've wanted to try the booties, but the ones I saw looked slippery. Has anyone ever had success with booties, and if so, where did you get them. Can you find a pic online?

[Lexi_Lover]

Go try out www.dogboot.ca it has really good boots for different purposes! They are really good...I have had heard they are really good! They don't come off easy and the dogs don't mind them that much!

Hope this helps!:D

[Luna]

:D Wow! Those neo-paws are really cool. They look like they have really good grip, and a dog shouldn’t mind wearing them. I’m going to have to get a pair. I wonder if they would make then with a heel, my puppies legs are pretty short and maybe they would give her a bit of height.:D :rolleyes:

Thanks Lexi Lover;)

[Lexi_Lover]

No problem, LOL!

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I have nothing else to suggest to you, sorry. I wish I could help though:) Anyway, I had to buy Tango some boots because both salt and sand hurt her feet. I bought her some from Wal-Mart, they were only $4.00 and they are insulated really well, they also have a very good rubber grip on the bottom. If any of you have a Wal-Mart store near you, I'd check and see if they have any.

[Glacier]

Check out a mushering supply store. For a Canadian supplier try www.tanzilla.ca You should be able to find booties at a reasonable price. I go through tons of them on my sled dogs and I only use them on a few of the dogs. If you know anyone who runs a dog team, talk to them. They might have a few around or know where to get them locally cheap. Or go walk on their mushing trail--the booties fall off a running sled dog pretty often. Last winter I hardly bought any--I picked up at least 100 off the trail though!;)

[schteve_d]

Thanks alot for all the replies and ideas. On a related note, I just noticed tonight how very long the fir is on my Shephard X's paws, WELL beyond her pads, should I trim this hair, or leave it be? And since I'm the "new guy on the block", I thought I'd post a picture of my "kids" since I CAN'T GET MY SIGNATURE TO WORK (any help appreciated!).
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-10/845171/budtash5.jpg

[bckrazy]

yeah, try trimming the hair down on Tasha.. balls of ice form more easily in the hair. that should help! Booties also work well, and you should definately look for the better quality sledding booties in Glacier's link.. some of the cheaper ones you get at pet stores will come off in a few seconds :rolleyes:

[schteve_d]

Ok, I apologize in advance if this is too long. The last two days I have not taken Buddy and Tasha out as it was just too cold (yesterday morning the windchill reached -50C). They have not been very pleased about this as they are used to at least an hour of off-leash running a day (often an hour and a half to two hours). For some un-Godly reason I awoke at 4am today and could not get back to sleep (f&*^%*g shift work!) so I got up, showered, got dressed and ate, which is the "Twosomes " cue that it is time for a walk. I tried to explain to them that, like the last two mornings, it was too cold and we'd have to sit this one out but they'd have none of it, they played leash tug, danced around, barked, etc. so I figured, me being the smart one, I'd show them. I bundled up and decided I'd walk them down the trail five minutes and prove to them how damn cold it is and they'd hold up paws, whine, cry, etc and want to come home. Well, guess who was in for a surprise! We did the whole loop (which takes about an hour) in the pitch black, with the tempurature at -33C and a windchill of -39C and niether one held up a paw the entire time (no jackets, booties, or anything). They had a blast: Running, playing, chasing, etc. What gives??!!!
(Please read my original post if you don't get the point I'm trying to make here). It didn't bother them at all, I just don't get it!! If them two little buggers have been playin' me for the last nine years I swear I'll, well, I don't know what, but I swear I'll sumthin'! Anyway, comments, thoughts, etc. appreciated, I have to go and break the ice from my goatee (sp?).

[Chica]

Dooggie Booties and Coats!!!Sweaters are needed also!!! :D If you are cold, your dogs are cold. Imagine going barefoot in that weather!!!:(