Too Cold
Our dogs here go out and come right back in. It's simply very cold especially with the fast drop.
This is Shady going for a walk in his new jacket. He seems to really like it!
Alene wrote:
Isn't shady gorgeous in his new winter wear?? we weren't going to get a coat but he starting shivering in this cold weather. boy am i glad? he loves his coat and want to wear it in the house, i think he's going to want pjs next! the boots are a challenge. i couldn't get the mutt-luk type on at all so went with these latex balloon ones. shady hurt his paw on the salt so i realized he needed something to protect his paws. what do you use?
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Alene: We use bag balm on the pads and rinse the feet off. I know Cooper's mom used the shoes. Maybe others can fill you in what works for them. We lost way too many shoes over the years so we don't do shoes any longer and some never adjust - others adjust fast and others just need some conditioning. Please folks tell Alene what works for you.
Reader Comments (10)
Hi For the most part I use a product similar to bag balm , when it is extremely cold I have muttluks for Cali and Kizmet. Tre so far has not shown any issues with the cold even at -27C.. not that I let him stay out long , but I'm always having to call him as he's running around in total bliss.. see somehow his gene's knew he was destined for AB temps.. I found the muttluks got easier to put on after they had been broken in abit.
Sorry, no help here. Scruffs likes his booties only for chewing.....he refuses to wear them. He doesnt seem to mind the weather but if it's really cold he does just choose to come in more quickly. His jacket he tolerates but we only use it to keep the snow off of him.
Shady looks great in his gear :)
hi stella wears mutt ucs also. i tried the balloons but had trouble getting them on. i just have to keep checking to make sure she doesn't lose one. they don't stop her at all from playing and chasing her friends.
This is our second winter using Muttluks and Cooper doesn't mind them. It is very hard though for one person to put them on. One person puts the boot on while the other keeps the hair back. In snow country such as Huntsville, they work well when we go for walks but we don't bother putting them on when we play outside in the yard. When he starts walking on three legs, we know it's time to come in.....although Coop prefers chasing snow and ice than coming in the house, even in -25 temps:-)
Love the picture of Shady in his coat. He looks so comfy!
I got great little rubber booties from Dollerama - several in a package for $1. Panda and Logan think it is hilarious that I bought them and don't like wearing booties at all. I wash their pads when they come in now. Panda loves jackets and has a cute raincoat that was a gift from Coco and Doozie. Logan wouldn't be caught dead in clothes. So there it is from the Tam clan!
Sasha hates boots (she picks up one foot after the other until she is trying to balance on 1 foot). I use something called "Paw Magic" which is like a barrier cream for her pads. It works well. I wipe her paws off when she comes in. Now - we don't have as much salt here in Edmonton, so she has been much better this winter.
She also wears a neck warmer (around her body between front and back legs) which keeps her tummy dry. Most dog coats don't cover her tummy and that is the only part that really gets cold and wet. Ergo - the neck warmer!!
A friend of mine uses the balloon type boots and swears by them.
Katie has lost a number of boots. I had a pair of NeoPaws at first but she out grew them. I now buy the fleece ones that are not too hard to get on. This winter I came up with a new idea. I attached ribbon to each boot and then knot them together on her back. Now if a boot does come off, it is not lost. I think my next attempt will have some elastic sewn to the ribbon so Katie will have easier movement. She did a funny dance when winter started but now gets dressed reluctantly. She hates getting her suit put over her head. In Winnipeg with our minus temperatures and windchills we all bundle up to go for a walk. The last few days it has been too cold and we are all sad.
We have just had some really bad snow and ice, I have a product called 'shaws paw wax' which helps protect against the salt and ice. I do wash paws off after a walk though, it also helps melt the snowballs on the long hair on her legs.
I am in the process of making a coat with a belly warmer, like you say Kim most retail coats don't protect the tum or chest.
thanks for letting me know what you use. the balloon shoes do seem to be working but are a hassle to get on. it looks like nothing is perfect....maybe a business idea for someone?! i can't imagine having to put on 8 or 12 boots per walk, for those of you with several dogs. i already can't wait for spring
We use Bag Balm. It's good for hot spots, for cracked pads and it is great to soften your own hands or lips. It works and it is cheap. :-)