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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on January 7, 2015 at 7:59pm

Sorry...I don't we have had below zero and temps and wind chill warnings here too. Do you take her out on a leash to where she normally goes? Mine go and come in very quickly right now, some faster than others:)

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Permalink Reply by Marcie on January 7, 2015 at 8:38pm

She won't go in her fence so I have to walk her. Normally in the winter we go half a mile in the morning and a mile in the afternoon. That gives her plenty of time to find the perfect spot. All the places she will currently go are off in the snow. She seems to freeze up faster in the deeper snow. Pee breaks are fast. Several neighborhood dogs go on a tree across the street. She'll always pee there.

For now I've decided that as long as she has opportunity to go, then I need to go with it. I might take her to try on booties this weekend.

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Permalink Reply by Yuki & Ellie on January 8, 2015 at 8:35am

Would it be possible to carry her off a bit to a slightly better spot?  My two are doing the three-paw limp as well, with Yuki being the worse of the two.  He can barely get back up the steps and stumble through the door by the time he's done circling for that perfect poo spot, lol. 

Regarding booties, there isn't much I can offer as advice there.  :(  My two are good about just going out the door on leash and doing their business as fast as possible when it's like this.  This morning they were sad to discover that the temperature is a frigid -8F outside.  The potty break was done in record time, heh.

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Permalink Reply by Laura and Tommy Jefferson on January 8, 2015 at 9:03am

Marcie, I am having the same problem with Tom. He too will not go inside the fenced yard and requires multiple long walks each day. Last night when it felt like -10 he was fine, but this morning it feels like -24 and he won't go. He started the limping and I had to carry him home :( 

It's gonna be a long day! 

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Permalink Reply by Holly on January 8, 2015 at 10:45am

Last time I went out it was less than zero degrees and Sully was actually dancing in the wind as if it were a balmy, spring day. I can never predict the response I might get in various conditions. We have almost no snow here right now so the three leg limp doesn't seem to happen this year. I know Sully prefers cold weather but last winter was more challenging as the ground was ice and snow-covered all year and since it was treated with rock-salt on the walking areas it was hard on doggy paws. I was considering using a disposable mat of some type but we just muddled through and limped along until spring. I wonder if putting newspaper down would be more appealing. Of course that is more difficult to dispose of since you would have to carry a garbage bag as well.

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Permalink Reply by Marcie on January 8, 2015 at 4:20pm

This morning it was -31 with the windchill when I took her out. She had to go bad enough that she pooped on the side of the road after pacing and turning for several minutes. I was in my pjs and freezing. She froze up trying to find a pee spot. I took her out again before work and she didn't make it to the end of the driveway before holding up her paws.

This afternoon she went out into the snow, then froze up. I had to go get her and carry her out. My neighbor cleaned out her paws while I held her. She was off running for a poop place as soon as I put her down. She is insistent on going in the deeper snow, and really hates going where it is plowed. I've found a couple of plowed places with grass footing. She's not sure about those yet.

Becca hates to be carried. I've been tempted to drive her closer to her spots. I decided that she has the opportunity to go, and this may help convince her to go closer to home. I hate to see her uncomfortable though.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Payerl on January 10, 2015 at 10:53am

We got some little rubber booties called Pawz for Sophie. They don't keep her warm but her paws won't freeze to the ground and they protect her enough so that she can nose around and find the right spot. They come several sets to a package. We reuse them but the box says they are disposable. They come in different sizes with each size a different color, so you will have to measure her paws. We got the red ones. I find them difficult to put on by myself but with one person holding her foot and the other putting on the bootie, it works well.

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Permalink Reply by Marcie on January 10, 2015 at 6:07pm

I took Becca to find some booties today. She made it clear that she would rather not wear them. I practiced this week by putting a sock on and off her feet. I guess I didn't realize how hard it is to get the booties on. The store I went to let me open the packages and try each pair out. The only ones I could get on her were too large. Let's hope the below zero days will be few and far between for the rest of the winter.

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Permalink Reply by Holly on January 12, 2015 at 1:30am

It is definitely the road salt or ice melt that causes the pain. It was so bad that Sully limped and just laid down to keep her feet of the ground and that is after walking only a few feet. Now I only walk her in the snow that hasn't been treated and she can walk forever even in the coldest weather. I know the combination of salt and ice burns so I wanted to prevent that. Carrying her is not an option but I am lucky to be able to take her out the back door into the yard that hasn't been treated. That stuff is so nasty. Even washing the paws doesn't seem to help much.

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Permalink Reply by Denis J. on January 14, 2015 at 1:30pm

Those latex booty could work for preventing the salt.

I haven't tried them but they look like deflated ballons you can buy at the local store.     I avoid side walks during cold snaps cause that salt and slush seems to hurt.    Wally lays down after a little brisk walk and goes to lick his paws.   I check them but if there's no clump of ice and snow in his pads, then it's the salt.    I also sometimes pick him up at intersections to avoid the muddy slush full of chemicals.

But yes, this morning was -31c. here in the Maritimes and after a quick pee and poop, it was running back home.   It was a maximum of 15 minutes which was too cold for both of us.    

 

I read something on this site about Extra Virgin Coconut Oil to apply to the pads.   I should try it when he goes to bed not to mess the entire home with oil foot prints...   :)

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Permalink Reply by Tanner CRowe on January 15, 2015 at 4:38pm

Here in Vermont we have a number of below zero days in the winter. I fell your pain my 2 year old Corgi Angus did not last that long at first before his paws started hurting.

Since then I have been using a balm for his feet called musher's secret. It will not protect as well as booties, but it will keep the salt and cold from getting to him too soon. It will also keep snow from bunching up between his toes. 

Hope that helps, keep warm. 

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