Snow Day!!!

Its funny. People often ask me what I do with the boys when we get so much snow or if the weather is freezing out. I give them the "are you kidding me look"?!!? What do I do with them?!! How bout me!!? I put every piece of Under Armour on that I own in the hopes that I can stay as warm as I would like so that they can have some fun in the snow...while I would much prefer to wait for some fun in the sun!

Winter is often hard for many dog owners. While a lot of your pups who are not snow dogs enjoy it, you need to pay careful attention so that they aren't outside too long. Just like humans your furbabies can get hypothermia as well. Do you know what the signs and symptoms are??

Hypothermia symptoms vary with the level of severity. Mild hypothermia is evident through weakness, shivering, and lack of mental alertness. Moderate hypothermia reveals characteristics such as muscle stiffness, low blood pressure, a stupor-like state, and shallow, slow breathing. Characteristics of severe hypothermia are fixed and dilated pupils, inaudible heartbeat, difficulty breathing, and coma.

That can be found on PetMD as well as the symptoms for frostbite...Yes! Many of your dogs can get frostbite just like us. We've all experienced the frozen paws at one point or another. My min pin used to get them all the time and Cullan the grouchy sister gets them too on the days that the ground is bitterly cold. Unlike the boys, she enjoys just looking at the snow from her nice warm bed, though she will get the energy to play in it for short bursts.

So what do you do when you do have cold weather loving dogs who are addicted to the dreaded white stuff? You find creative ways to play inside. Keep in mind, while you might be happy curled up on the couch with a fire and a movie, your furry buddy, especially a puppy is going to want to play at some point, in doors or out. Tug of war and tossing a ball are quick and easy games to tire them out. If you have a long hall way put some things that they have to jump over like pillows, for a little added work to getting that ball. Playing hide and seek is a great way too and not only works them physically but practices commands as well as provides mental stimulation as they try to find you or your children.

What about those of you that have a small apartment like I do and maybe one or more dogs? Puzzles are a great thing. We have a variety of them with varying degrees of difficulty. Some release treats easier and are designed for younger or less motivated dogs, while others require quite a bit of thinking and work to release the treat. (To find puzzles just type in "dog puzzles" at Amazon.com) We also play "get it", "go get_____" or "go find it" as it reinforces their ability to fetch certain items for their handlers, but can also be a fun game. I will also hide some of their favorite toys around the house and tell them to "go find it" and of course, there are always chew toys! Cullan and Scouty Scout love to chew while Gunnar now enjoys it because he is not to be left out, but he much prefer batting tennis balls around the house and throwing them as far under the couch as he possibly can. Forgot to stock up on toys before that 2" unexpectedly turned into 12"??! TRAIN! Work with your dogs on different obedience tasks. This may not seem like it is going to tire them out, but it will. If they know their basic obedience on the first command, then work on teaching them a new trick...if they learn fast teach them two. Every dog owner should plan to invest at least 15 minutes a day in training their dog, if they are puppies this is significantly more, but the day you commit to that puppy, you have an obligation to it to give it the training that it needs to be the dog that you want...and that friends, family and neighbors like.

(As you can see, they are clearly lacking toys after a generous donation)

These are just to name a few, but I do encourage you to spend a few minutes with your pup in the snow and if they can...let them bounce and hop their way through the deep stuff. That is best and fastest way to tire them out, but please, please remember to watch your dog carefully and be mindful of how long they have been outside. Some of the smaller dogs like Cullan could never withstand being outside while I brushed off and shoveled out, while a lab or retriever may be able to. Each of your pups are different, just like your children. They all require different things but at the end of the day, they want your love and they want your guidance!

Until next time, stay warm....especially if you own a snow dog!!