Comment

Comment by Sam Tsang on December 14, 2010 at 6:59pm

@CorGeek, have you tried a pair of Muttluks? it's Canadian made and weather proven. Also musher's secret will help protect Oliver's paws.

 

Keep a bowl of warm water and towel near the door, salt irritates the skin, trim the fur between paw pads also helps. Most dogs will take longer time to go #1 #2 in the snow, it's harder for them to smell / id the spot. Keep the humidifier on in the house, dryness can cause itchy skin. Here are more winter tips

Comment by Beth on December 14, 2010 at 10:14am

Maddie will start limping if it's in the very low teens or single digits.  Jack is fine.  I think some just have more sensitive feet than others.   I would suggest having her out for 10 to 15 minutes and then in for a few and then back out again.  When it's frigid we keep walks short and I will feel their ears to make sure they are warm to the touch and not cold.

Comment by Rachael & Waffle on December 14, 2010 at 9:30am

I wish Waffle would experience this phenomena so Waffle will shut up.  We're having the coldest temps I've ever lived through in my short life (10 degrees F) with wind chills in the negatives-- and Waffle is like "Hey why aren't we going outside?" And when we go outside, "Why are we going inside?!"  

Comment by CorGeek on December 14, 2010 at 9:07am

I wish it was as simple as avoiding salt and slush...there are none in my backyard and Oliver attempts to remove all of his feet from the snow after less than a minute. I can't blame him...it's -14F with wind chill this morning. Hard to convince him that he needs to go potty.

Comment by Patricia A Columbo on December 14, 2010 at 6:34am

Your right Bev - last year Tootsie lifted her feet in the snow because it was just too cold!!!!  I don't think their paws can take the very cold temps...

Comment by John Wolff on December 14, 2010 at 1:37am

We had rare snow in Seattle at Thanksgiving.  Temps above 20 F.  Dogs didn't seem to get cold, but I did note a couple instances of sudden pronounced, obvious limping that vanished almost as suddenly as it appeared.  Salt might have been the culprit, but few bother with salt around here, it's unnecessary.  

Comment by Jennifer Markley on December 13, 2010 at 8:22pm

I knew it was cold this weekend when I let Seanna out before I left to go to work.  Normally I have to ask her if she wants a treat to get her in--this time she barely put her butt in the snow before she was booking inside.  She then threw me the "don't ever do that to me again" look.

Comment by Sam Tsang on December 13, 2010 at 8:20pm

Hi Laura, the key is stay away from slush + salt, the combo melts and refreeze the snow between the paw pads. When you notice  Tobi starts to lift her legs, use your fingers to clear the snow between the pads and then move her off the sidewalk, keep her on deep snow (grass) area. 

Comment by Bev Levy on December 13, 2010 at 8:04pm

I went out this morning for our normal walk and before too long Sparty and Izzy were limping. It is just too cold for their feet right now so we kept our walk short. When the temps are in the teens or lower it does seem to bother their feet. I grew up in Grand Rapids area and they do get more snow but also get more sunshine than we do here in Lansing. I don't know about Ann Arbor, we are Spartans! Lol