Coldest You'll Walk Your Dogs/Let Them Out?

[Fasb's Owner]

Just wondering. The early part of the week looks to be abnormally cold and windy, so it might be one of the few times in his life Fasb doesn't get out at least once a day. Kinda wondering how I'm going to handle it. Fasb can stay in. We taught him to go to the basement and go on a pee pad when we're not home or can't take him out for whatever reason. Problem is, he's used to going outside after meals, so he often waits for me to take care of him and whines/begs/hangs around acting odd when I don't take the hint and get him ready to go. I kinda think he's going to be upset and disruptive if I can't get him outside.

Note: usually, he'll hang around "begging" for a bit, and if we don't take the hint or can't take him out that time, he'll eventually go to the pad and do his business.

Cold doesn't seem to bother him, but I worry about taking him out when it's really frigid. Generally, I walk him late mornings and early evenings to avoid the coldest weather around here, so it's usually in the 20's when we go out. Maybe teens some during January. Last night it was 9 degrees when we went out for the evening walk. He didn't seem at all bothered by the temp. His previous owners walked him at 6 AM regardless of weather, so I imagine he's had a fair number of walks in single digits/sub zero temps (I take him with me when I get up and get the newspaper, but when it's really cold early in the morning, I either leave him in or just go out to the paper box with him and don't walk him). I vaguely remember waiting around on a sunny Sunday when we first got him for the temp to rise above zero so I could take him out.

I've heard various things about walking him in the cold, but he's never seemed to have a problem either keeping warm or with his paws. I worry most about the paw pads getting cold since they aren't covered in fur and the ground is often snowy/icy when it is this cold.

Anyway, just curious how people who live in colder climates deal with walking during the winter months. Any tips for keeping him calm and normal if he has to stay in some on Monday and Tues (he should get out Monday morning at a minimum).

 

[bi-blacks]

We too are expecting extreme cold conditions over the next couple of days, wind chill of -40 to -50 C (not sure what that is in F ). Our 2 love the snow and cold but when it gets that cold we don't do walks but play in the back yard for 10-15 mins. We all get a case of cabin fever when it gets like this but we all make it through in one piece I guess it depends on what your dog is used to and how long you are comfortable being out in the cold. There are booties for their paws but our 2 are not big fans of them.

 

[Fasb's Owner]

There are booties for their paws but our 2 are not big fans of them.

Forgot to mention that. Fasb's arthritis was visibly worse in 2013, and cold theoretically could worsen that (it doesn't seem to, in his case), we bought him booties. So far, he's not having any of that silliness. The booties will probably end up where ever his doggie sweater is (putting it on him was like trying to squeeze toothpaste back into the tube, so we gave up).

 

[Eagle]

We taught him to go to the basement and go on a pee pad when we're not home or can't take him out for whatever reason.

I just let mine out very briefly when it is frostbite cold. I find throwing a soft squeeky ball that won't break anything a great way to run off a little energy in the house.

How did you teach your dog to use a pad in the basement? A previous dog of mine, when he was elderly, needed to go out in the middle of the night every night for a while (fortunately it was temporary). I tried and tried, but he would not use a puppy pad. I would have loved to have just been able to leave a pad out for him at night, but he wanted no part of it.

 

[corbinam]

I'd never encountered "too cold" for my two until a couple days ago. I believe the wind chill was around 0 and Lexi was not interested in being outside in the snow for more than just long enough to do her business. That is VERY unusual for her as I typically have to call her in because she's out there running and biting and eating the snow.

We also can't walk the dogs when it's in the teens/twenties and snowy. The dogs' feet get too cold (unless the sidewalks have been shoveled). They end up limping and we end up carrying them the rest of the way home Normally in that case we just play in the yard for a bit.

Next week there are a couple dad where 0 is the high. Personally I am quite concerned (we're transplants!) but I imagine we will take the dogs out just long enough for them to go to the bathroom, then we will play games inside.

 

[trini]

We have been well below zero for the last 3 nights and only in the single digits daytime. When it is this cold mine never go out in the yard alone...I am always with them and bring them back inside the minute they have done their business. Tonight we are finally due to stay above zero and tomorrow will feel like a heat wave with temps headed into the low 30's! I do put a fleece jacket on my yorkie because she doesn't have a double coat like shelties have and she gets cold super fast. None of mine like anything on their feet. Road walks are totally out in this weather and we just have to fill in with lots of inside games.

Trini

 

[Toffee's Mom]

We too are expecting extreme cold conditions over the next couple of days, wind chill of -40 to -50 C (not sure what that is in F ). Our 2 love the snow and cold but when it gets that cold we don't do walks but play in the back yard for 10-15 mins. We all get a case of cabin fever when it gets like this but we all make it through in one piece I guess it depends on what your dog is used to and how long you are comfortable being out in the cold. There are booties for their paws but our 2 are not big fans of them.

lolll
when it gets that BLEEPING cold out Fahrenheit and Celsius meet and say hello! At minus 40, it's minus 40 in either, silly measurment that Fahrenheit foolishness lol

-50Celsius is around -58Fahrenheit

As it has been awfully cold I just have to watch the salt more than anything, it doesn't dissolve in those temperatures and gets stuck in paws, and turns to ice and worse... I admit if it gets to about minus 20 C I kiss walking around the block goodbye, it's not worth it to me I am not as hardcore as the people in Manitoba... now they GET cold up there! I have never seen -50, neither do I care to... minus 42 I think was the worst I ever had to endure, lol

I do still try and find a snow covered field that we can romp around in, the dogs don't mind it. It's the windchill that kills ya at those temperatures, but the dogs coat is well insulated for it.
The boys tell me when it's time to go home, they still love the snow even if it gets that cold, I never had boots on them, but would if I had to walk the city streets

Games like find the treats I have hidden everywhere with your nose, trick training and crate games and filled Kongs are your friend in this weather!

photos are from yesterday during the Blizzard, the windchill was up to minus 25 or worse... rather ridiculous..

 

[missjenneygirl]

This morning it was minus 5 degrees when I did the dogs at 7:30...(overslept). They stayed out about 15 minutes, and then all were at the door to come back in. Then it seemed every hour they wanted to "go out". I felt like a doorman. They would run around for a few minutes, and then realize it is REALLY cold!

 

[EJHUNTL]

I'm spoiled! When it's cold, as in anything below minus 15 Celcius ( that's about 5 Farenheit) Hanna gets let out to pee on the deck ( we have a pile of snow and she likes to go on that, I make it big enough it doesn't go all the way through - then shovel it off when it warms up). Sometimes she'll stay out there watching the birds and squirrels for a few minutes but mostly she wants back inside pretty quickly. I'm only out long enough to pick up the poopsicles - else she finds them and eats them.

We play fetch/tug in the house until she's panting about 3 session of 15 minutes each. Hubby sometimes takes her for a walk but last time he ended up wrapping her inside his jacket and carrying her home for the last mile - he thought maybe her paws were cold.

So long as it's warmer than that and no wind chill we get out - she loves to play in the snow.

 

[Mignarda]

We had temperatures in the low teens with snow this weekend, which is about as cold as it gets in Delaware. Dickens had no problems with it, although I wouldn't leave him out for extended periods of time. He goes out for about half an hour, then comes in, then half an hour later is ringing the bells to go back out.