Walking Dogs in Poor & Cold Weather

Is it OK to walk dogs in rain, snow or cold?

We don’t really think about it, as for many of us, it’s just something we do every day; we walk our dog.

But are there occasions when we should actually give it a little more thought to walking our dog in rain, snow or cold weather?

With winter fast approaching, we all know that the winter woolies need to be dug out of the back of the wardrobe, we may need to hastily get our favourite winter coat dry cleaned and goodness only knows what our heating bills are going to look like this year.

But what about our dogs?

They have fur, yes, albeit some more than others, but we do have to consider ‘is it enough?’

Like us, some dogs may feel the cold more than others. Particularly prone are puppies, older dogs and the shorter haired breeds. For these, The Dogs Trust advises purchasing a winter coat. There are so many coats available for our dogs that it may be difficult to choose. Some are awfully stylish for the young pup about town, but maybe we need consider the effectiveness, visibility and practicality over style first? If I was looking for a dog coat, I’d want one that firstly, was pretty easy to put on my dog, secondly, one that didn’t hinder movement too much and in which my dog felt comfortable and thirdly, one that is well suited to their coat type.

Having a dog with an undercoat and very long hair myself, a coat is never something I’ve had to buy.

Again, The Dogs Trust has good advice on introducing a coat into your dog’s life, as it maybe not what they’re use to or indeed want.

Use these simple 3 Dogs Trust steps and you won’t go far wrong

1. Lay the coat on the ground, with a few treats thrown on top, that way your dog can have a good sniff, a quick check along with a tasty treat.
2. Lift the coat and feed another treat to your dog, via the opening. Gradually move the treat a little further back, to encourage your dog to put its head through the opening.
3. If this has been successful, the coat can be placed over the back gently. If your dog retreats, never force it, let them have the treat and try again later.
4. Once they’re a little use to the coat, scatter treats around and let them move around to find them, this will hopefully distract them enough, whilst they get use to the feel of the coat and how it may effect their movement.

So,  their own natural coat or a lovely new winter coat bought especially for them, will no doubt, keep our dogs warmer during winter walks, but let’s face it, sometimes the temperature can feel a little bit too fresh, for even the hardier among us.

How do we decide if it’s just too cold for our dogs to venture out?

Smaller dogs struggle with the cold weather more than the larger dogs, and there are an abundant supply of really useful weather charts to be found online, which can help you with your decision. Some weather charts say no colder than 0 degrees and some no colder than around -4 degrees. As these are only guides, we still need to exercise common sense when weighing up what is best for our own dog and not for us.

For colder times too, shorter walks are more desirable and a good rule to go by, is listen to your dog. You’ll know it’s body language, you’ll know it’s usual temperament, if your dog seems not at all keen on the idea of a cold, cold, colder walk, maybe wait for a little temperature rise or make the walk just long enough to get the necessary ‘things’ done, if your dog is that way inclined on toileting during a walk.

But what about when you’ve decided that actually, it’s not too cold to go out and about? 

Before setting out on a walk, something I always do, is a collar and lead check. Ensuring that all collars and leads are working as they should be, checking for wear and tear, ready to do the job intended. And if walking in the snow, it may be a better idea to walk our dogs on the lead; the snow may be covering up hazardous areas or items, and be sure to that the area is well lit to try limit any such hazards.

If out for a lovely winter wonderland walk, as pretty as it sounds, we do need to think about our route a little. For example, never let dogs walk or run over or near frozen ponds. We need to keep both ourselves and our dogs safe.

For everyone’s comfort, in rainy weather you may wish to make the walk a little shorter. Light rain or even moderate is absolutely fine of course with a healthy dog, but a heavy downpour can make the walk less enjoyable for your dog, and even harm your dog too. It’s a good idea just to watch how your dog is coping with it; if your dog is even reluctant to leave the house, I’d say it’s a pretty sure bet that he or she isn’t a fan of the rain.

During winter months, it’s important to wipe down paws, legs and tummies, before or when getting home. This isn’t just to avoid mud all over the floors, but the road grit, salt ( if it’s been put down) dampness and other nasties they may have picked up along the way, can irritate their skin and have long lasting effects. A quick wipe down removes off the surplus dirt and irritations and of course, helps keep your floors stay clean too.

So, there’s still  much sniffing and adventure to be had during the winter months for our dogs, despite what weather is thrown at us. We just have to be sensible about what weather extremes are acceptable and safe for our dogs and for ourselves. And I’m pretty sure it’s law or something, that getting back from walks in the winter, should always include a treat for our dog and a hot chocolate for us. Well… Pretty sure.