In the U.K. we are not always blessed with snow and so our dogs are not really used to dealing with it. Over the last few days we have seen lots of snow and Ralph my Toy Poodle has just loved it. The prompt for this post was the amount of people who commented on whether it was safe for them, when out for our daily walks. Paws and the extreme cold was the main concern. I must admit the thought had crossed my mind too. So I did some research.
Dogs in general will love playing in the snow, rather like a child would like playing in it. It’s new and they want to discover that new environment. That’s why you may see them rolling or digging in it. Ralph trying to catch it in his mouth was my favourite.
Obviously you may have a dog who is not so keen. Those who have a more nervous or cautious disposition may be opposed to trying out this new scary environment. Ralph was a little cautious to begin with. He certainly took a little while in the back garden carefully working it out. He was practically skipping for the first five minutes. I guess he was finding the sensation on his paws a little odd.
Toy Poodles are not listed as one of the breeds who are predisposed to existing in the snow but he certainly enjoyed it. He is not a great Sun lover. He spends the sunny days in hiding but took to the cold weather really well. This may be partly due to the fact that he looks like a small bear rather than a poodle as I do not go for the traditional poodle cut.
Eating Snow was on the agenda for Ralph but more of a ‘taste it and see’ activity. Through research, I have found that only 5% of snow is actually water so he definitely wasn’t thirsty. If your dog does eats the snow excessively it may be that they are super thirsty and it can cause stomach upsets if too much is consumed. So keep an eye out for this. A dog should always have fresh clean water available. Snow is not a substitute.
So back to the main concern of all my fellow dog walkers, our dogs paws. Dogs paws are brilliantly designed to carry them around but we do need to be a bit careful in extreme weather conditions. A dogs paws will not withstand the extreme heat of a hot pavement but are more capable of withstanding the cold of the snow. Snow is soft and will not freeze their paws on contact, unlike a hot pavement that will definitely burn on contact.
As you can see from this picture, Ralph actually came home with snow boots.
I have no idea why it matted to his fur like a snowball but it didn’t do him any harm. He just happily licked it off when we got home. It melted really quickly but I did need a towel on my sofa to save it from a soaking ! The upside was lovely clean cream paws.
Where we do need to be careful is when it is no longer snow but ice. While in quite usual temperatures like Ralph and I experienced ( -3 or 4 at the most ) it is not going to give them ice burn. The lower the temperature the higher the risk. Ralph was definitely not so keen on the crunchy icy pavements we needed to use to get to the park as he was with the untrodden snow.
So do not stop yourself from allowing your dog to go play in the wonderful snow. It will be a pleasure to watch them snuffling around for what they can find in this new found environment. They can definitely isolate smells more easily in clean fresh snow which makes for a snow filled face as Ralph’s picture testifies to.
Happy snowballing with your dog and don’t forget to let me know how you and your pooch get on with snow by commenting below.
You can also send me your snow dog pictures which I will add to the rogues gallery. Send them to karen@trainingmytoypoodle.com
6 thoughts on “Snow and Dogs – Is It A Good Idea?”
its started snowing where i am for the first time in a few years and i wasnt sure whether it is still okay to take my dog to the park when its cold and snowy. after reading this article i know what i need to look out for and what not to worry about and it definitely removed any doubts i previously had about my dogs safety
I am pleased I could put your mind at rest, I kind of thought “let’s just see what happens” and only realised that it may be a worry for some people after chatting with other dog owners on our walk.
I did notice there were quite a lot of the usual dogs and owners missing. It’s a shame they haven’t read my post!
If you live in the UK, you will know that we are recovering from a huge amount of snowfall, for this country anyway.
We had over a foot of snow (30cms) here in Mid Wales and it was the first time our two young dogs (17months and brothers) had seen real snow.
At first they looked out of the back door and didn’t move. This was unusual for them, they usually haired out the door in the morning running like loons around the garden. It was the outgoing Jazz who took the first tentative steps, but within seconds he decided this stuff was great fun. His brother soon joined him and they both bolted around the garden jumping like spring lambs to clear the foot high snow, all at top speed, but not for long.
It didn’t take long before they both came slowly to a halt and Jazz looked at me from across the snow and wimpered. He was so balled up his two front legs were stuck together. Bandit his brother wasn’t quite so bad as his hair is not as thick. Being Bichon x Yorkies was a distinct disadvantage for frolicking in the new snow.
We brought them in and gave them a warm shower. They then scratched at the back door to be let out again. 5 showers later….
The biggest problem Jazz had was doing a poo. Sticky your bottom into the snow to try and go was something he wasn’t keen on and we had to clear a patch for them to go wee and poo!
Oh Ches, that is the greatest story. I can just imagine the legs sticking together and the pleading” help” me eyes.
Good for you in letting them play and then having to shower them over and over. I actually tried the hairdryer on Ralph for his snow boots but he wasn’t having any of it.
I too am in the U.K but in the Midlands. I don’t think we got quite as much as you, good job really, Ralph would have been buried !
Have to say that I neither have a dog nor live where it snows. However, I love dogs. Ralph looks very nice and I adore his “snow boots.”
Since I don’t have a dog or live around snow, this post was a wonderful vicarious experience for me. I love looking at pictures of dogs, especially when they not only look cute but happy.
I think your post is important for people who have dogs and live where there’s snow in the winter.
It seems that most dogs are pretty adventurous, but dog parents need to keep an eye to make sure they’re out of harm’s way and that they are happy and healthy as possible.
its started snowing where i am for the first time in a few years and i wasnt sure whether it is still okay to take my dog to the park when its cold and snowy. after reading this article i know what i need to look out for and what not to worry about and it definitely removed any doubts i previously had about my dogs safety
thanks for posting
Hi Jacob and thanks for stopping by,
I am pleased I could put your mind at rest, I kind of thought “let’s just see what happens” and only realised that it may be a worry for some people after chatting with other dog owners on our walk.
I did notice there were quite a lot of the usual dogs and owners missing. It’s a shame they haven’t read my post!
With Grace and Gratitude
Karen & Ralph
If you live in the UK, you will know that we are recovering from a huge amount of snowfall, for this country anyway.
We had over a foot of snow (30cms) here in Mid Wales and it was the first time our two young dogs (17months and brothers) had seen real snow.
At first they looked out of the back door and didn’t move. This was unusual for them, they usually haired out the door in the morning running like loons around the garden. It was the outgoing Jazz who took the first tentative steps, but within seconds he decided this stuff was great fun. His brother soon joined him and they both bolted around the garden jumping like spring lambs to clear the foot high snow, all at top speed, but not for long.
It didn’t take long before they both came slowly to a halt and Jazz looked at me from across the snow and wimpered. He was so balled up his two front legs were stuck together. Bandit his brother wasn’t quite so bad as his hair is not as thick. Being Bichon x Yorkies was a distinct disadvantage for frolicking in the new snow.
We brought them in and gave them a warm shower. They then scratched at the back door to be let out again. 5 showers later….
The biggest problem Jazz had was doing a poo. Sticky your bottom into the snow to try and go was something he wasn’t keen on and we had to clear a patch for them to go wee and poo!
Oh Ches, that is the greatest story. I can just imagine the legs sticking together and the pleading” help” me eyes.
Good for you in letting them play and then having to shower them over and over. I actually tried the hairdryer on Ralph for his snow boots but he wasn’t having any of it.
I too am in the U.K but in the Midlands. I don’t think we got quite as much as you, good job really, Ralph would have been buried !
Thank you for sharing.
With Grace and Gratitude
Karen & Ralph
Have to say that I neither have a dog nor live where it snows. However, I love dogs. Ralph looks very nice and I adore his “snow boots.”
Since I don’t have a dog or live around snow, this post was a wonderful vicarious experience for me. I love looking at pictures of dogs, especially when they not only look cute but happy.
I think your post is important for people who have dogs and live where there’s snow in the winter.
It seems that most dogs are pretty adventurous, but dog parents need to keep an eye to make sure they’re out of harm’s way and that they are happy and healthy as possible.
Hi there Boo and thank you for reading.
I hope you had fun reading my post and looking at my very cute and happy pooch, Ralph.
With Grace and Gratitude
Karen & Ralph