Cold weather question

[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!).

[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

[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!!! If you are cold, your dogs are cold. Imagine going barefoot in that weather!!!