Outside dog and cold weather

[7mmfan]

So i'm getting ready to do some scouting for the late Teanaway Cow hunt that starts the 19th, and I'm planning on taking the dog with me. I've never had a dog out in temps as low as what they are calling for in the next few days along with the snow. I was curious if I should be worried about her as far as her paws go or even her body temp. I know dogs are tough but i'd hate to assume she would be fine in 10 degree weather and find her paws frostbitten. Any input?

[jackelope]

I've had more problems with my dog's pads getting chewed up by the snow. it doesn't look it but it can be really rough. he spends a lot of time outdoors and he's got pretty tough pads but they still get tore up pretty good every year with enough time spent in the snow.

[7mmfan]

I know that they make little dog booties, is that something that I should think about or am I thinking to much about this?

[rasbo]

Ive had the snow cut me,might cut the dogs pads or webs

[jackelope]

i'd only get the really good ones becuase i bought some from the pet store thinking they would help but they just fall off. it would have been easier to just flush some money down the toilet.
after a time or 2 in the snow, they toughened up and didn't bleed anymore. maybe the good ones from cabelas?
that or spend some time in the snow running him and he should maybe toughen up his pads pretty quick.

[runamuk]

I know that they make little dog booties, is that something that I should think about or am I thinking to much about this?

What type of dog?  and yeah the boots work if the dog will wear them, in a pinch just smearing vaseline or bag balm on their feet can provide some protection, reapply like you would sunscreen on a baby if the dog has lots of toe hair watch for snowballs...the vaseline also prevents balling of snow.....

my dogs have all loved the snow but it can really tear up their feet if they aren't used to it.....

[WDFW-SUX]

I was just out with a dog in the teanaway and it didnt go well... way to cold right now the pads on her feet turned into frozen clubs.. With the wind chill its below zero but I guess you know that.

[Birdguy]

Booties work pretty good if you get quality ones. It is also very helpful to have the dog wear them prior to the time you need it to, as they feel funny and most dogs do not know what to think about it. Will most likely be most entertaining for you  . Other then that keep an eye on her and you should be fine. Keep her hydrated and warm when possible just like you.

[7mmfan]

She's a black lab, about a year old. LOVES the snow but I just want to make sure she's taken care of properly out there. Thanks for the tips guys.

[runamuk]

She's a black lab, about a year old. LOVES the snow but I just want to make sure she's taken care of properly out there. Thanks for the tips guys.

I was curious due to the toe hair....lol...she is a good candidate for using vaseline or bag balm not a ton of hair, its messy but it does help...and booties are great fun the first few times they wear them 

have fun

[Shootmoore]

I use some stuff called tuff pad, pad tuff...sorry at work cant look at the can.  It helps condition the pads without drying them out.  It also gives them a little better traction when its slick out.  Watch her temp and keep her hydrated and fed.  She will burn off more calories when its cold out.

Shootmoore

[sisu]

I wish the people in my subdivision cared about their dogs as much as the people on this site do. Had a BIA cop here in the subdivision that killed two dogs during cold weather. One was the most perfectly conformed German Shepard I've seen in years. Froze to death. The other GS drank his container of anti-freeze. This guy was a major piece of work. Dumped the first Shepard under a contractor's dumpster!!!

The advice here is all good. I also keep Gus in my cab of the truck before and after every hunt. He worked as hard or harder than me and deserves a nice warm spot.

[Forrestrover]

My wife and I go skijoring ( x-country skiing with our dogs) and our husky/chow gets really bad ice-balls between his toes. He just stops running when this happens, he's in too much pain to move. So we use booties. We put them on him just before we start. If we bootie him up too early he will just tear them off. Check out dogbooties.com, or just google  dog mushing supplies. For running in snow, fleece booties work great. If it is going to be rocky or dirt/gravel terrain, they have booties made of cordura .

[bobcat]

I use some stuff called tuff pad, pad tuff...sorry at work cant look at the can.

It's called Tuf-foot. I've used it, works good. It's like super glue.

http://www.tuffoot.com/

[Shootmoore]

I use some stuff called tuff pad, pad tuff...sorry at work cant look at the can.

It's called Tuf-foot. I've used it, works good. It's like super glue.

http://www.tuffoot.com/

Thanks!  yep thats the stuff.  You saved me was going to rack my brain for the next 4 hours trying to rember the correct name,

[bobcat]

Yeah I used it on my dogs for chukar hunting. Running on the rocks all day would just tear up their feet. I'm not sure about snow. As others have said, some dogs end up with snow and ice balled up on their feet. I would think with a lab it might not be as much of a problem, due to the fairly short hair.

[7mmfan]

Yeah well i'll get her out for a short day and see how she does then go from there. Thanks for all the advice guys, its all good stuff.

[LLEWELLIN]

Just curious as to what others do to keep there outside dogs healthy and happy in this cold weather. My dog sleeps in an unheated garage in a crate that i have covered with blankets stuck that inside a cardboard refer box and draped that with old comforters. Constantly breaking ice for water and am now looking into some sort of heated watering system. My kennel is 10x10 built on a deck that is about 13x13, the deck area is located in a fenced yard area so he can come and go into the kennel as he pleases and I have windblocks up on the kennel fencing with a doghouse that contains multiple blankets in it and that seems to be fine for the day. Was looking at a dogden 2 but it seems kind of pricey for what you get so will am thinking about a design for a new insulated doghouse to replace the petbarn thing he is using now. Let me know how you are handling it for your dog.

[Machias]

As long as their bedding is dry and they are out of the wind they can withstand some pretty cold temps.  With my hunting dogs I would also put warm water on their food to make sure they were getting plenty of water.  They loved it.

[sisu]

We made insulated dog houses in Alaska that we put lots of straw in for warmth. A tiny light bulb in the ceiling for some heat is what another neighbor did for his dogs. Water to drink is a big +. Go buy on of those electrical heated bowls to make sure they are getting enough water.

Here is a link from Cabelas but I'm sure you can get them just about any where.

Link to Heated Water bowl at Cabelas

How'd he do that?

[CoryTDF]

I put this into my dogs house. It works great keeps it at about 50 degrees all winter long. It has a thermostat and is very simple to install. I would recommend it to everybody.

http://www.gundogsupply.com/hound-heater-dog-house-furnace.html

[Machias]

You have to be a tiny bit careful making it too warm/comfortable for them as they will really struggle if they have to spend a night or two out in the woods on their own, which for most dogs is not a concern, but hounds tend to range much farther and have been know to be out of tracking range for a day or two.  Always made for sleepless night (me) when one of the pack was not at home.  One time I snowmobiled into Kelly Creek area over in the Clearwater of Idaho, 35 miles one way in.  We went in through Superior, MT, over Hoodoo Pass and down into Moose Butte area.  Turned loose on a bobcat track.  Took me two days to find my lead dog, Whisper.  Honestly I could see sheer joy on her face when we found each other!!

[sisu]

I give up with using the hyperlink here is a link to a heated-airconditioned dog house for those with deep pockets.

link to heated dog house

Hey I fingered it out! I got  the hyperlink to work but not Ray's way.

[Machias]

   My dogs would never come outside that house!!!  Where do you hook up the DISH network.   

[rasbo]

if that was my dog house I would be in trouble all the time

[sisu]

  My dogs would never come outside that house!!!  Where do you hook up the DISH network.   

If it came with DISH I'd move in. We live on rabbit ears and that weird box.

[Forrestrover]

I think I need to try Tuff-feet for one of my dogs. His feet are sensitive and now are cracked from jogging around our neighborhood. The streets around here are really rough.
We picked up some really expensive booties yesterday, made by Ruff Wear. They are basically running shoes for dogs, (Vibram soles!)
So we tried them out today. We went for a little mountain-bike ride. I strapped my shotgun to my backpack hoping to see some grouse, but no luck.
Nice day, though.

[benbo30]

its been in the high teens and low 20s at night here on the west side for the last week or so , my dogs sleep outside with blankets and hay , they do great , i bring them in occasionaly , they are doing fine

[huntncoug]

I pretty much spoil my dogs but I think that dogs can handle, and be comfortable in a lot worse conditions then you guys are giving them credit for.  For example, my grandparents in Eastern Montana have a couple ranch dogs, Shepard mixes.  They have a couple insulatated dog houses and sleep outside all winter in all but the worst occasions and are just great.  I am talking 20-30 below.  I hunt my labs all winter in eastern Washington and have never had to put booties on them, the occasional iceball between the toes is easily removed and they will get small cuts on there pads but they dont bother them at all.