Qs about exercising dog in cold weather

[Akane]

I know a lot of hunters here who go out in subzero temps with their dogs including hunting in and around water. My neighbor is always going on about this great duck hunting dog he had who was so enthusiastic he would break ice out to the middle of the lake to get the duck and break ice coming back as many times as necessary without bothering to use the same path twice unless it was a straight line to the next duck. My akita also has no issues wandering off in -20 to -30F for hours at a time if you let her and may come back coated in ice 6" up from walking in the stream. I've never actually heard of a dog dying from exposure to cold including getting wet. That said if your dog is a couch potato in a house kept at a very moderate temp sudden extended periods of time outdoors would not be a good idea.

 

[Tala]

I'm a really practical person ok, so bear with me. If you KNEW you were going to have a very outdoorsy lifestyle in a cold climate, why did you get a dog that isn't built for it?
You said so yourself that he isn't a "good" Lab....

Choosing the right dog for YOUR lifestyle is one of the most important parts of choosing a dog, and saves a lot of headache.

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You won't find any real hunters with "high maintenance" dogs

They only use dogs that are built for the lifestyle that they are living.

 

[True Grit]

Do you have a treadmill?

I don't really enjoy being out in temps much below 5 deg F and neither do my collies. Labs are better equipped I know and have higher energy but still I wouldn't want any animal breathing hard in -20 to -30 weather. Training my young collie to the treadmill worked great and I think the steady pace calms them down.

 

[patandchickens]

Thanks everyone! It sounds like for the sort of thing I mostly do, where Russell is more or less in control of how much running he does and how fast, cold and warmup are not a *big* issue, which is what I wanted to know

, but of course i will be more conservative in really cold temps. Dunno how long he'll wnat to stay out then anyhow

We live out in the country and the most exposure to ice-melters he's likely to get is if the weather is nice enough to take him on a continuing-socialization type walk around Main Street or the Walmart parkinglot once a week; if it's just like a half hour or hour, and I wash his paws well when we get home, he'd be ok without booties?

True Grit, a treadmill would be a great one if we either had one, could afford one, or had room in this small house to *put* one even if the first two things weren't problems

Maybe someday. Good idea though!

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Sorry, but I am TOTALLY missing where this dog is not right for my lifestyle. As I've said, I do NOT have a very outdoorsy lifestyle at all, in fact I loathe being outside in the winter

, but dogs need exercise, especially young dogs <shrug>.

Actually I have to say I think I did really well (um, actually "got remarkably lucky" <g>) in getting a dog who IS such a good match for us, as he is just stellar in all possible ways. I could care less how well he meets the lab breed standard <rolls eyes>. Frankly I'm *happier* with him being smaller and lighter built the way he is, and since it is not like he's going to be a hunting dog or a sled dog or such, I can't see where his thinner less-dense coat really matters much. He hates water anyhow, LOL

I just haven't been around a whole lot of dogs *in very cold-winter climates* (most of my vicarious dog experience is from NC and NJ) so I thought it'd be good to find out how winter is likely to change what I need to do, is all.

And this thread has definitely helped

Thanks!!

Pat