A question for Glacier

[cassiesmom]

It's miserable outside, -48C, today.

Glacier, what do your dogs do when it is that cold? Do you bring everyone inside? It is 9F (-12C) in Chicago today, but it doesn't feel quite that cold because there isn't too much wind and it's a bright sunny day. I can't imagine how cold -48C must feel.

Could you give some hugs for me, please!

[Glacier]

The huskies handle that kind of cold much better than humans! Mac is currently trying to find someone to play chase and wrestle with him! Heyoka is sunning his belly! It's always clear and sunny when it's this cold.

There are insulated dog houses everywhere that are filled with straw. I put out another full bale of straw a couple days ago.

Food rations double in extreme cold. They get snacks throughout the day of high fat stuff, except Earle and Paxil who can't have fat. They get way more baited water too. Ozzy and Anvik are allowed to eat as much as they want in the cold. They are both hard keepers and get dangerously skinny really fast.

They rotate through the house and the shop all day. The shop is heated too. Most of them sleep inside at night. I had 19 in the house last night and a few more in the shop. Delta and Deuce were outside, by their own choice. Deuce has never voluntarily come inside. Delta was bedded down and wouldn't come out of his house. I bought another crate a couple days ago for Goldie.

I'm waiting for a locksmith right now cuz the back door to the shop, aka the gate to Kayleigh's pen, is broken. Brass doorknobs don't like -48C(-56F)! Climbing Kayleigh's fence is the only way into her pen right now and that's not much fun! Although I think she's highly amused by watching me do it!

It's supposed to warm up to -25C(-13F) by Monday. That will feel like a heatwave! Until then our highs are around -40, which is the same in both scales.

[caseysmom]

I figure the dogs are built for that my question is what the heck do you do? You have some good thermals or what?

What is baited water? I am figuring it has fish something in it???

[Cinder & Smoke]

Most of them sleep inside at night.
I had 19 in the house last night and a few more in the shop.

OMG! --- 19 Dawg inna HOUSE??

I'll bet da KATS were just beside themselves jumping for joy (NOT)!

And to think that I once thought 'FIVE anna KAT' was a "CROWD"! ---
NINETEEN would be like sleeping with a MOB!

... the back door to the shop, aka the gate to Kayleigh's pen, is broken.
Climbing Kayleigh's fence is the only way into her pen right now and that's not much fun!
Although I think she's highly amused by watching me do it!

Kayleigh: Tickets, please! Grab you seats - the Show's about to begin!
. . First Act: Mom climbs over the fence ... Will she MAKE it?

[caseysmom]

I can't imagine that kind of cold, we are having a supposed cold snap here at 32 degrees and some doors at some school froze shut.

[WELOVESPUPPIES]

OMGosh that is freaking cold, all these negatives, my bunch would never make it LOL. Duke and Champ would be like, hey where is our inside potty box!!?? We had temps a couple of weeks ago where it was 19 F in the morning and I think the high that day was 30 F something. I guess I should think of you guys way a north before I start complaining about those temperatures.

[cassiesmom]

I had 19 in the house last night and a few more in the shop.

Glacier, you are a WONDERFUL MOM!!

[pitc9]

Kayleigh: Tickets, please! Grab you seats - the Show's about to begin!
. . First Act: Mom climbs over the fence ... Will she MAKE it?

Oh.. how I wish Kayleigh could take snappies of THAT!!

[Glacier]

I figure the dogs are built for that my question is what the heck do you do? You have some good thermals or what?

What is baited water? I am figuring it has fish something in it???

Baited water is just water with something tasty in it. It ensures the dogs drink before the water freezes! Sometimes it's fish or meat, drippings from a roast or chicken. Today it's Ol' Roy Meaty Gravy food! I'd never feed it to them as a regular diet, but a few cups of it in five gallons of water isn't going to hurt them and they love it. We call it Ol' Roy Puppy Crack--no one ever refuses that junk!

I have awesome winter gear and lots of it. My favorite pants for the cold are US Army Flight pants, bought from a surplus dealer. They are lovely army green, heavy and none too flattering, but I have never been cold in them! Helly Hanson makes base layers that can't be beat. Couple of those top and bottom, army pants, sweater and a down filled jacket and I'm toasty.

I have a pair of mitts that were handmade for me by a First Nations lady. Super warm and beautiful beadwork on them. They look ridiculous with my ugly pants, but I have warm hands. I wear a fleece face mask and top it either with my husky fur hat(spun from my dogs' fur) or a fleece lined nylon hat with ear flaps.

The trick is to get enough layers that you are warm, but not so many that you start to sweat. Sweat is deadly in these temps!

[Glacier]

OMG! --- 19 Dawg inna HOUSE??

I'll bet da KATS were just beside themselves jumping for joy (NOT)!

And to think that I once thought 'FIVE anna KAT' was a "CROWD"! ---
NINETEEN would be like sleeping with a MOB!



Kayleigh: Tickets, please! Grab you seats - the Show's about to begin!
. . First Act: Mom climbs over the fence ... Will she MAKE it?

The cats are pretty used to the dogs. Felicia hides for a bit. Once they all find their spots it's not that bad really. The ones who bug the cats are crated or confined to cat free zones. Plus it helps keep me warm! Who need an electric blanket when you have a husky or five on your bed!

The show is over--The Father in Law showed up and fixed the door. Well, it opens anyway. The door knob is done and will need to be replaced when it warms up. For now he put on a hook and eye latch so at least I can get to Kayleigh and she can defrost inside the shop! We built her pen there specifically so she could have indoor access. (Kayleigh hates all the dogs and hunts anything smaller than her so having her in the house is very tricky!)

[Freedom]

The temperatures; the dogs; the cats; the dogs who don't get along with the cats and have to be in certain places; the dogs who don't get along withanything and have to be in certain places; feedings and extra feedings in the cold weather; baited water; having to bundle up in 16 layers before you even start any of it;medications and special foods for this one and that one but NOT the other one . . . . your life is quite different, and I don't mean sledding with huskies! Wow. Bless you, Tamara, the pets up there really needed someone like you in their area.

[cassiesmom]

Who need an electric blanket when you have a husky or five on your bed!

O-Kay! I'll get my air bed and be right there! Seriously, I think I would find their presence really comforting. Sometimes I wake up in the night to find Cassie sleeping near me ... I like when she chooses to do that. And I totally agree with everything that Freedom wrote!

[joycenalex]

..'k i have another question...angel duke snored, LOUDLY. the wonder dog snores, princess pretty paws peanut passes gas, loudly. how noisy is it when your dogs sleep in your house. and the "i gotta go out right now biped" noise of one dog is impossible to sleep through, how do you get them outta the door into the yard in the am? and where does muskwa sleep?

[Glacier]

..'k i have another question...angel duke snored, LOUDLY. the wonder dog snores, princess pretty paws peanut passes gas, loudly. how noisy is it when your dogs sleep in your house. and the "i gotta go out right now biped" noise of one dog is impossible to sleep through, how do you get them outta the door into the yard in the am? and where does muskwa sleep?

It's actually quite quiet once they all settle into their spots. There are usually 10-12 inside, even in the summer. They aren't allowed to wander the house all night. They end up confined or outside if they won't settle down. Occasionally some of them snore a bit, but not too bad. Sleet giggles in her sleep, at least that's what it sounds like.

They wake me up usually by whining. Bandit rings the cowbell on the door handle when he needs out. Tehya starts to kick her crate wall! I usually get up fairly quickly. Stuart can sleep through all of it!

Getting them back to the right spots can be tricky. Have to remember who's where and who gets along, which can be a little foggy in the early morning! Heyoka is in the big yard overnight( he won't stay in for more than an hour). He isn't allowed near Tehya. So I have to bring him in the porch before she can go out. He is not always cooperative with that plan! For most of them I can just open the door and go back to bed. Pacer can't be left out there unsupervised(he gets beat up). So I wait for him to do his business and he comes back inside til I get up. Goldie has to be leashed and walked back to her pen. Always fun at -40 and 5am!

Muskwa sleeps beside the bed on Stuart's side. Occasionally he comes up on the bed, but he never stays for long.

[joycenalex]

when alex was on the potassium bromide in high doses, he drank lots of water=2/3 trips out at night. i was tired, but your and their routine is sooo much more challenging. giggles huh? nice to know she's happy