What kind of weather can dogs handle?

[cali]

lol like glacier said 0F is around -18*C which to me, is warm enugh for light pants and tang top lol just toss on a light sweater to go outside lol thats the kind of weather our snow MELTS in lol

[CagneyDog]

its gets to around -50*C over here

With windchill I'm assuming? Where the heck do you live?

[cali]

canadian prairies lol my city was the coldest place on earth last winter people around here are proud of that fact the movie "just friends" was filmed in my city last winter, I read an artical in the paper, some of the acters stepped off the plane were shocked to say the least, the cameras had to be wrapped in quilts

[K9soul]

I somehow doubt your city was colder than the Antarctic .

edit to say: My first impression by your words was that you meant the coldest place during the entire winter. I can believe for one day a bit easier

[CagneyDog]

canadian prairies lol my city was the coldest place on earth last winter

That's a bit of a exaggeration.

[Alysser]

Sassy would never be able to handle such freezing tempertures like that. She has very short hair now becuase she got her haircut. But we only take her out for walks in spring and early-mid fall. Also summer. Not winter though. To cold! Even with her coat on. In mid fall we use the coat! Sometimes even in spring!

[cali]

That's a bit of a exaggeration

ummm no, actually it was a fact, it does not noramly get as cold as it did, but at one point last year my city was reported to be the coldest place on earth. no joke, no exaggeration. we froze if we opend the door, and non of the dogs would go outside they all pottied in the house cuz there was no way they were going out that door!

here I got some proof if ya dont believe me key lake was the coldest, but my city was -52.1*C that day

this is an exerpt of a speach by premier Lorn Calvert:
Premier's Speech: Premier Lorne Calvert
SASKATCHEWAN URBAN MUNICIPALITIES ASSOCIATION
Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts
Regina, Saskatchewan
February 2, 2004

President Badham, President Hardy, Delegates, Legislative Colleagues and Friends:


Thank you President Badham for your introduction and the opportunity to speak to the 99th annual convention of SUMA.


On Wednesday of last week, Saskatchewan earned the dubious distinction of being the coldest jurisdiction on earth that day. Key Lake, Saskatchewan at 52.3 degrees below zero was the coldest community on the planet.


That same day the Mars Rover reported back a temperature on Mars of minus 27 degrees. It struck me that if I were to move my truck to Mars it might have started!

[CagneyDog]

Oh...for one day. Sorry I thought you meant over all.

[cali]

lol no I meant at one point last winter normal is around -50 with the windchill, last winter was simpley abnormally cold, and thank gawd we dont have to deal with THAT every day! lol

[Cuddles]

http://www.hsus.org/video_clips/page...temID=27260098

I would suggest to view this video from the Humane Society of the United States.

[anna_66]

I have to say my three love the cold weather much more than they do the warm. Now it usually doesn't get below zero much here, but they seem just as happy outside when it's 30 or when it's 0. They do have a doghouse but most of the time refuse to go in it (Roxey would much rather sleep on top of it ). It's not unusual for them to be out for hours at a time in the cold...because they want to be. If they want in all they have to do is ask (scratch on the door or bark).
They expecially love it this year because we have quite a bit of snow on the ground, they play like crazy

Of course I do have a husky and a chow, but Bon must be warm blooded because he stays right out there with the girls! I have noticed that they've been eating quite a bit more since they stay out so long.

So I think as long as he's used to it and wants to be out in it there not a thing wrong with letting him be out as much as he wants!

[Ree'sKujo]

Zero will do just fine with the cold and can handle it for quite awhile.Kujo is an Akita to and when we lived in Florida I could never get him to stay out now that I'm back in Illinois and he's in the cold weather I can't keep him in.My experience with all of my Akita's has been that their much more tolerant to the cold then they are the heat.Once it would hit 85 degrees I couldn't get them to do much of anything other than drinking water and sleeping.They just hated the summers.Once it got cold they sprang back to life.I'd worry more about making sure he's comfortable temp wise when it 's hot .Akita's do very well in the cold,it's the heat that gives me the most trouble with them.In fact,Kujo has asthma and during the summer I have to give him meds at least every other day.I've only had to give it to him once since it's gotten cold.

[ontariogreys]

That will vary based on the individual dog, breed, type of coat, age of the dog, their health and even their diet.

Dogs with longer double coats and good levels of body fat are better at handle a wider extreme of temperatures both hot and cold, since their coat and fat levels act as an insulator, even in high temperatures that insulation helps to keep their core body temps cooler,

If you have a dog with low body fat and thin coat the weather extremes there can handle is much less than the group above. during the hurricanes in the southerns where many people lost power and could not run AC or were trapped in the long traffic tie ups ended up losing their greyhounds to the heat. If I am going to outdoor events with my greyhounds on hot summer days where I won't have indoor shelter for the dogs to cool down in then I have to carry bottles of water some frozen to either pour over them to cool them down or put beside them when they are laying down to help keep them from overheating, my american eskimo though she is older can tolerate the heat better than them and does not need the water soaking.

Dogs that are ill or hyperthyroid will have a harder time with temperature extremes.

As dogs age you will often see reduced ability to handle extremes in temps

Diet, for dogs that spend a fair bit of time out of doors, they will burn off fat faster, so should be fed a higher percentage of fat during cold weather, or fed slightly more,

Windchills and humidity can also be a determining factor on how longer the dog is comfortable outdoor

As for feet, it is not so much the cold and snow that causes a problem but salt. My dogs will get frozen feet at temps below -30 C can handle -10 not problem in the backyard, but walk them on the where is just below freezing where sidewalks and roads are salted and they are holding up the feet crying

[dogzr#1]

Can't help you much. we don't go below freezing here. the dogs seem to enjoy it when it is cold though.

[dappledoxie]

Claire and Rebel always stay inside, they don't go outside for long but more so because I don't want to be out in the cold for too long, lol. They don't like it too much, especially Rebel, dachshunds get cold pretty easily most of the time.