Cross Breeds

dog and snow?

I have a few problems with the snow and my dog. Since this is her first winter she loves the snow but 1. she isnt used to peeing/pooping on snow so it takes her awhile to find the "spot" 2. she gets so cold quickly she comes back inside not giving her time to pee/poop 3. the snow (kind of like small ice cubes) gets stuck to her hair and is a hassle to get out

Public Comments

1. YOU MUST GET BOOTS! dogs can split their pads if they don't have boots! just to let you know... and a coat would be nice too i bet!
2. I have had to shovel a path and area for my dogs to use when the snow get too deep. They appreciate the clean area to do their toilet. You might try that , and if your dog is small, perhaps a little coat so she doesn't get so cold?
3. AWW! but i dont see how any of these things are problems, this is what makes a dog, a dog. However, my dog is "naked " on his underbelly and i have to put a sweater on him but still gets wet and gets cold, I would suggest that you should bundle up and stand there with her, and about the snow "dingle berries" they will melt. but if you do put a sweater on her it may eliminate some of the "snow dingle berries"
4. 1. Shovel a spot for her to go so that she does not have her fur touch the snow and she does not have to find a spot where it will be easy for her to potty. 2. Buy her a little doggie jacket to keep her warm. It will keep the parts she needs to potty open, but keep the rest of her warm. It may be her paws that get cold though, so I would start with just booties, they are cheaper anyways. 3. Refer to number one. Also, if she is a small dog, they make litter boxes for dogs, but i am sure that gets stinky. It could be an option if you can not get her to go out side, but you will have to train her to use it.
5. Use the pee pads that are available to help her find her "spot". Put a jacket on her to go out. Have a big towel on the floor and hair dryer ready for when you come in. Set the dryer on low or air only. Melt the ice balls, then towel dry her. Be glad you aren't having to dress and undress a toddler for snow days!
6. I have the same exact problem except this is his 2nd winter. What I did was I got him a nice warm coat and little doggy boots. After that I had to go and shovel out the snow to a different place so that there was grass in one area for him to... well you know. What I did with he ice stuck to him is I got a comb, a blow dryer, and a towel. First I try getting them out with the comb. I get as much as I can without hurting him and then I use the blow dryer and melt the remaining ice. Then I finish him off with a warm towel. Hope this helps!
7. She'll get use to the snow and find her spot quickly. You could try shoveling a spot in the grass for her to go to, I do that for my older dog. Try putting a coat or sweater on her to help retain her body heat. If she is a smaller dog, they make really cute sweaters and coats for them. This will help keep the snow off of her belly area too. You can get little doggy booties for her to to keep it off of her paws and hair between her pads.
8. I agree that I'd try to shovel out a spot really well for her. If you can shovel out a spot over where she'd usually go to the bathroom, all the better -- it might have some of her previous urine smell there, which will help trigger her need to go. It'll also keep the snow from making her cold and keep the snow from getting caught in her coat.
9. I have to shovel out a section of my back yard and a path to it for my son, so we just make a seperate section for the dogs to do their business. I have a 10lb dog who goes outside without boots or a coat, but he is furry. Also, my small dog only like being outside if either i'm outside or he can run around the neighborhood (and the later isn't an option). If your dog has very little fur then I would try a coat/sweater - have the dog get used to it in the house 1st, giving her treats and telling her what a goog girl she is for wearing it, then taking her outside in it, more treats/praise, and hopefully she won't view it as something to disturb her instead of help her. As far as the snow clinging to her fur, I have this problem with my newf/saint puppy (who LOVES the snow!). I just give him a rub down before he comes back in the house, then he has a pillow to lay on near the heater to melt the rest of it out. You could also try brushing it out.
10. You don't say where you live, or what kind of dog she is, so it's hard to answer properly. 1) she has to learn. She's a pup. YOU can help by getting dresssed warmly and going out to shovel snow to make a clear spot for her... or set up some kind of area where you use a tarp to prevent snow from covering an area so she can have a cleared area to pee and poop in. 2) You can get her booties and/or a jacket. It's not a must, but it's a nice thing to do. Some breeds love winter weather. It's YOUR job to keep her outside till she pees and poops, even if she complains that she's cold. She'll keep acting like she has to come in if you always give in to her. 3) so what if it's a hassle? You chose the type of dog! If you love the dog, you should be willing to deal with any challenges like this, and not consider it an imposition. It's like having a baby or young child. You do what it takes to care for them properly because you love them.