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Walking dog when cold ?

2K views 12 replies 13 participants last post by  3ps 
#1 ·
Hey! I live in CT and it is currently 19 degrees here, sometimes it’s 3 degree in the winter. For anyone who experiences cold winters and owns a poodle how do you guys allow them to potty/walk them ? I take sadie outside but she is shivering the minute we step out. (Yes this is when her coat is on ). I let her use a pee pad this morning but not sure if that will confuse her with going outside. Also I know she needs her daily walk exercise. Any suggestions ?
 
#2 ·
I live in NY, I exercise my toys indoors, nothing better than game of indoor fetch. All mine have both used pee pads and potty outside as well. I bring my toys to work in CT, they are warmly dressed and potty outside quickly then come back in.
 
#6 ·
I have a variety of coats for my dogs depending on the conditions. It's good you are watching your dog's behavior for clues on her comfort level. If she is fine wearing a coat inside, but shivering it in outside, she needs something warmer and perhaps more coverage.

I find knit sweaters and tshirt material are better used indoors.

I like thick fleece or a down filled dog blanket for warmth - look for a style that covers a good part of the chest. Fleece is probably more comfortable for a dog because it's soft.

If it's damp or windy, a lined wind proof coat is warmer.

But there's no problem for most dogs to use both an indoor potty pad and to go outdoors when the weather is nice.

There's also lots of games you can play to exercise a dog indoors. There have been many posts here with great solutions that you can use the Search Community to find. Search threads


I'm confused by this chart. It was designed as tool to determine if dog's are being abused and used by canine officers, police, humane societies and other professionals to assess environmental conditions. It makes sense if you are looking at dogs living outside.

I'm not sure it applies to a well kept indoor pet who is being taken outside to potty or for a short walk, especially if the dog is wearing a warm coat and the owner is keeping an eye on the comfort level of their dog. My dogs go out in all kinds of weather - including below 0 degrees Fahrenheit for potty breaks.
 
#5 ·
i think your following your poodle parent instincts is a good choice. Sadie's ~1.5 years, small mpoo if I can piece together from your old threads.

Re: Potty.

I wouldn't worry about it. I think she's probably more relieved to know "mom said it's okay to pee on the pad". I'm still relatively new, our girls are about the same age. Basils a Spoo. We also have mild Winters (PNW), but your story isn't unique. I haven't seen threads of parents adapting for the weather short term, like a typhoon, and coming back like "now my girls broken". So, if I were you then I wouldnt be worried that your going to wake up to puddle of pee every morning just because of short term weather.

I think it's just part of the parent learning curve.

You might want to look into full body winter dog suits and shoes. You have 10+ years ahead together and more winters to come.
 
#8 ·
A new indoor game for us, totally inspired by Oliver's cues, is to use two fun squeaky toys in turn. I toss one, he retrieves it, then I throw the other (hopefully well enough; not much of a thrower, but Ol forgives); and he runs for that while I pick up the first toy. When he finds and brings back the second one, I show the first, then toss it.

And so on for a bit. Oliver loves this and there are little revs we do as they come up, including complete stops for chest and tummy cuddle loves 😊. I'm a horrible tosser, but once in a while manage to send it somewhere he can access, just not at first sight 🤫. Of course, when I send it somewhere he can't get to, it's a retrieve and re-toss by Mum.
 
#9 ·
Mine, as with Twyla's, is pad and outdoor trained. He actually came that way from the breeder.

He actually doesn't even want to go outside. If we take him anyway, he does his business and runs back toward the house.... that's if he even walks more than 10 feet from the house :)

We're fortunate we have a garage and set up a potty station there. Formica on the floor with a pad on top. It's easy to clean and not nearly as cold.
 
#10 ·
Trixie gets walked (Yorkie). Potty breaks are outdoors on a leash, and very fast. Walks/daily snow runs have her in boots and a sweater. Boots make a huge difference in keeping her warm. She gets cold fairly quickly because of her straight silky hair, so often wears a sweater layered under a coat. Offleash running is better for her keeping warm than a walk.

Our mini mix (20 lbs) when I was a kid got walked 3 x per day, even in -40, with boots and a coat.

Oh, and Annie (standard poodle) wears a coat below -10 to -20 c, depending on how cold I am feeling, if it is snowing, and if it is windy, how short her fur is, and how long we are going out for. She also wears boots.
 
#11 ·
Both my toys go outside when -40, no coat or boots. No pipi pads here, I am too sensitive to smell. I don’t walk them, just open the back door and they go. They have to make it quick and I make sure to open the door fast when they want to come in. Oh, I let their coat grow in winter. No short clip !

If I had to walk them, I would put boots on and a coat and find spots with very little snow for them. Or even none. Dogs get used to the cold, just like we do.
 
#12 ·
Upstate NY here- 2 degrees F yesterday and dipping back there this weekend! No pee pads here either, they go out in all weather. In the bitter cold, it’s a quick trip out to the yard. The only one really affected by cold is Lily, my poodle mix. She gets a warm coat and out she goes!

it’s been cold here so Gracie, young mini poo, does have some excess energy that she would usually expend cavorting about the yard. However she is happy retrieving a ball/ toy or convincing Max or Lily to play for a little bit. She is a nudge until she gets it out of her system.
 
#13 ·
I just went through 2 1/2 weeks of -38 to -45, it was torture for the dogs. The little 4 pounder had to use a pee pad, the 10 lb and standard pup survived but it was the fastest pees and poops you have ever seen lol .It finally broke on Monday and it's like t-shirt weather for us Canadians now haha. A pee pad does not hurt them if they are fully house broke. If not you may have to refresh the routine once the weather changes.
 
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