doggie's in winter?

[hillman1]

My golden loves his boots. I've finally settled on ruffwear bark-n-boots. They are the best pair yet, and stay on perfectly all the time. I have two other companies booties, and I don't think they are nearly as good. He didn't like putting them on in the beginning, but now he knows it means we are going out for awhile. The ruffwears are cut to accomodate his ankle and really fit amazingly well.

 

[HockeyPuck]

Zach

I have a 10 month old black lab (Toby) who loves to hike. I started him off with short walks and gradually increased the distances and elevations. During all hikes winter or summer I keep a close eye on him for signs of fatigue and take a break every 30 minutes for water. I've noticed that Toby's conditioning is much better than mine. He seems to struggle on steep icy sections but who dosen't..

Hockeypuck

 

[Barry Sr]

For a lab, I try to leave nails a little longer in the winter for a crampon effect.

I actually asked about this and a vet and other experts say no.
leaving the claws longer will change the position of function of the paw and hurt their feet. Either get booties that have a rough nonskid surface or just be careful.

Get a Karelian and use it as an extra blanket.

 

[Buddur]

Feed Them Lots Of Treats..............And Love

My dog never liked the booties from the getgo, but we all sure did get a good laugh at his expense watching him try to walk with the boots on. The ones I have seem very slippery to him as there is no traction just a smooth rubber surface.

Dogs may seem accustomed to the cold weather but they still need protection from the elements. In frigid conditions I have mine wear his backpack even though it doesn't carry anything but treats. I have a groundpad that straps to the top of his pack that goes with him and he knows where to lay when we're resting.

At night, dogs still need cover, and I spent many cold nights cuddling my dog with an open sleeping bag to keep him from shivering. He spends the night in the tent and on his pad, nowhere else!!! I do bring something I made for him, which stays on even when he tosses and turns at night.

 

[Dugan]

Barry - you and your vet are right, overly long nails can lead to problems too.
However, I leave Dugan's nail only slightly longer in winter. In non-winter, I keep them trimmed such that the claws do not contact the surface he's walking on (no clicking on wood floors). In winter, they're maybe 1/16 to 1/8" longer, slightly above or even with the pad. Long enough to click, but short enough that he still has to dig in hard to get a benefit from them. As for a stickier surface on a bootie, the only thing I've ever seen that helps on ice are bare paws and claws. If we hit an icy pitch, he strains, leaving scratch marks in his tracks, but makes it. My last dog once started sliding down an icy stretch that we were attempting to ascend - bad enough that I was crawling - as he was sliding he planted all four feet, dug in with his toes and came to a stop. You could see from his tracks that his nails were what enabled him to stop the slide.

Yes, packs can make a good outer layer for a dog. Looks a little more "hikerish" than a coat!

As for sharing a sleeping bag, I've never winter camped with a dog with a sparse enough coat to require extra insulation. I carry a closed cell foam pad for the dog. It also helps to protect the tent floor from dog feet. A big furry dog can also help keep a tent 10-20 degrees warmer than I can alone. Of course, then there's the dog breath condensation factor....