2021 ends in BC with the “deep freeze”. We live in the lower mainland and tend to dream of white Christmases more often than we receive them. This year we got our dream! We also got a good foot of snow overnight just 4 days later.
Riley is an older pup, geriatric according to many, at 14.5 years old. He has developed arthritis in his left fore-leg and is medicated for pain because of it. This makes winter and the cold weather quite challenging for my poor fur-baby. But that doesn’t slow us down! We just have to adapt.
Shorter Walks
But what do we do to help Riley enjoy the winter wonderland outside? We start by keeping the exposure times low. We step up frequency if he wants it but we lower duration of time outside. At -17 Celsius we went outside for no more than 10 minutes at a time. Even at 10 minutes if he starts to limp or struggle at all, I pick him up and carry him home.
Riley wants to run. He wants to be outside. He wants to walk. He loves the snow. But he can’t handle it like he used to, so we adjust for him.
We try to hit more short bursts outside during warmer times of the day. We shorten the walks we go on. And we always leave the house prepared to carry him home.
Dress for the Weather
Part of adapting is also keeping Riley warm. Even though he is a double coated breed and has a thick undercoat, he is not fully insulated against the cold. He is a pampered pup like many in our area. He is also spoiled by a milder climate. So we make sure when it is around or below freezing, Riley wears his winter coat for walks and outside play.
We want him warm but we don’t want him over heating. So we are careful with the temperature when he is wearing the coat. Riley wears a LoveGear with Cold Alert coat we picked up at Winners for $25. Its not meant for expeditions but for bombing around town its perfect.
This particular coat has a temperature indicator on the hood which makes it super easy for me to see when it is getting too cold for Riley to be outside. It has 3 stages: light blue for mild winter temps, bright blue for colder winter temps, and black for subzero freezing winter temps. The indicator tells me if its going to be a 20 minute or more walk, or if its a 10 minute potty break.
You’ll see a review of Riley’s coat coming soon to our Review section.
When selecting a coat for your dog keep in mind when coats get wet they stay cold. If you have dry snow this is not a big issue but wet snow seeps into the material and can drastically lower your dog’s body temperature. This can cause hypothermia and could be deadly to your pup. Wherever possible get waterproof or water-resistant coats for your pup, just like you would for yourself.
But when its not hovering around freezing, my boy goes coat-less! And he loves it.
If you have a breed that is bred for winter, like a husky or malamute, they tend to want to enjoy that cold as long as possible. These breed are meant foe cold weather. It is why they are the sled dog breed for those really cold and remote places. I wouldn’t put a coat on these breeds unless absolutely required. And even then I’d be hesitant.
Smaller dogs are generally thinner and get colder quicker. You want to be sure that you are assessing your dogs needs individually and not assuming they are too cold.
Signs your dog is cold:
The SPCA has some good information on the signs your dog will give you when they are too cold. The below list is also found on the Ontario SPCA Website HERE.
- Shivering/shaking
- Whining/Whimpering
- Lifting paws high
- Baying/yelping
- Slowing down/walking slow
- Snuggling up to your legs as you walk/can’t get close enough to you
- Hunched over and/or tucked tail
- Stumbling or limping
For more information about sings and symptoms of the cold in dogs, and how to keep your pet safe during the cold weather the BC SPCA has some very easy to follow advise HERE.
When Riley starts to hint at any of these signs we immediately pick him up and pack him home. Typically in Riley, we notice the limp in his bad leg before he gets cold cold and intervene before it progresses.
Paw Balms
We have also discovered paw balm. And what an amazing creation! My mom made all the dogs paw balm with coconut oil, beeswax, and olive oil when the first cold snap came through. And while Riley is not exactly thrilled when it is put on his paws, he doesn’t mind it either. The balm seems to really help keep the snowballs from forming between his pads while protecting his feet from the sand and salt. Though we still avoid salted walkways wherever possible.
Palm balm helps protect the pads of paws from damage from salt and hard ice. Dry and cracking paws are very painful for a dog. We use paw balm to keep those pads supple and protected through the winter months and Riley thanks us for it.
Before we exit the house Riley’s paws get a good dose of balm! We use two different kinds in our house: Muttluks Pawmagik and Crafty Morning’s Easy 3-Ingredient All Natural Paw Balm. Super simple to make and fantastic!
My favourite is Craft Morning’s simply because the container is easy to spin on Riley’s paws to quickly and easily coat the pads before a walk. The Pawmagik takes a bit longer to apply and has shae butter, virgin castor and avocado oils added to the mix.
Shoes and Boots
We have tried doggie shoes/boots…Riley has become very adept at losing them quickly. He has mastered the kick and flick to remove those snugged up booties in seconds. So we vet wrapped the boots to his feet!
When fitting a dog boot make sure that it is not rubbing against the dew claws. If the boot rubs the dew claw and the claw gets stuck you could seriously hurt your pup. You also want to make sure that the dew claw isn’t being strained or rubbed raw while walking with the boots on.
Now boots are not a normal thing for a dog. If your pup takes to them right away you are extremely fortunate! Riley did not. Riley hates them. He will tolerate the shoes inside for about 30 seconds, outside less than 10 seconds. We used lots of treats to get him to ignore the boots and focus on the goodies. We tried taking him out right away in the boots. We tried 2 boots at a time. We even stuck treats inside the boots so he had to shove his nose in them! The final verdict…he hates them but we will keep trying.
We ordered the above boots from Ebay for $16.99 USD: HCPet Dog Boots
Final thoughts…
We enter every adventure prepared to pack Riley out if necessary. This means we will carry the backpack for bigger trips now that he is used to it. And for shorter walks under 20 minutes, I have clothing that I can move easily in to carry him home. This is just the reality for an older dog with arthritis in the winter.
We do what we can to keep our boy safe and warm in winter and the hardest part of that, is knowing when its too cold to go outside for those walks he loves so much. Its finding the entertainment inside to exhaust him that becomes a challenge. We set up puzzles for him. We play tug and fetch. We play the “Find it” game with toys and treats. And then when is finally tuckered all out, he curls up on the couch and rests.
We’ll post a some of our favorite puzzles soon!
ASR Adventures 