How long to walk the dog in winter. Walking a small dog in winter Snow crust and ice

Reagents
Recently, more and more utility organizations are abandoning the use of chemicals in the fight against ice. But in some courtyards, paths are still sprinkled not with sand, but with industrial salts. Surely you have noticed how harmful these chemicals are to winter shoes. Much the same thing happens to the skin on the pads of a dog’s paws. To protect your pet's paws from contact with harmful chemicals, you need to use special wax, powder or cream. The protective agent is applied to the paw pads immediately before a walk, and upon returning home, be sure to wash it off with warm water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If you are too lazy to apply and wash off the product every time, buy light boots with soft soles that do not change the position of the dog’s paws and gait.

By not protecting your dog's paws, you are causing your pet a lot of inconvenience. In addition to constant itching, tingling and small cracks that you do not notice, chemicals can “reward” your dog with severe dermatitis and deep wet ulcers, which will be much more difficult to treat than lubricating the paw pads with wax before going for a walk.

Ice, snow, snow crust
In winter, the number of accidental injuries increases not only among people, but also among dogs. Be careful when walking with your pet along snow-covered paths - the dog can seriously cut its paw on the edge of the ice or on the edge of the snow crust that has collapsed under its weight. When you arrive home, carefully inspect the paw pads - in cold weather the sensitivity of the tissues is significantly reduced: a dog can cut its paw by stepping on glass lying under the snow and not even notice it.

If possible, do not walk your dog near water bodies: in addition to sharp ice, another danger awaits animals here - thin, “not set” ice. If you allow your dog to run on the ice in severe frost, you will not be able to explain to it that it is forbidden to go out on the ice when it thaws, and the animal is unable to independently assess the strength of the ice. Therefore, it is wiser to once and for all ban the dog from going on the ice. If a dog, despite all the prohibitions, jumps out onto the ice, do not run after it (perhaps the ice will support the dog, but it is not a fact that it will support its owner, because in most cases a person weighs more than a dog). Calmly call your pet (timely training of the dog is extremely important here; if your pet does not respond to the “come to me” command, trouble may happen).

If your dog ends up in icy water, don’t panic! Carefully crawl towards the hole and try to get the dog. If you know for sure that the depth in this place is insignificant, feel free to break the ice by widening the hole. Be careful and careful - recklessness can lead to even greater tragedy. Once you get the dog, wrap it in your outer clothing and immediately take it home. If the dog is very large, dry it with a jacket and take it home. Once at home, give your dog warm tea with sugar (even by force, if she won’t drink it herself), and wrap her in a blanket. Do not immerse your dog in hot water or cover it with heating pads - such temperature changes can cause serious disturbances in the functioning of internal organs, even leading to the death of the animal. It is highly advisable to show your dog to a veterinarian as soon as possible, even if you do not notice any external signs of his illness.

Darkness
An evening walk in winter is always a walk in the dark, since in the winter months the sun sets even before you and your four-legged friend have taken their evening exercise. Walking in the dark, you can encounter a variety of troubles.

The driver may not notice the dog, and an accident will happen. A dog (especially a large one), even the most friendly one, can greatly frighten a passerby by coming out of the darkness straight at him. Some people, to protect themselves from hooligans or stray dogs, carry spray cans, pneumatic guns, shockers... And then there are nervous patients, heart patients, asthmatics: you don’t want your dog to cause an attack in a sick person, do you? A child may get scared, but his parents won’t pat you on the head for that.

A dog in the dark can pick up some kind of nasty thing from the ground, but you won’t see it (dog training plays a big role here, but your pet, even a perfectly trained one, can cheat when it knows that you can’t see it).

You can fantasize about this topic for a long time, but one thing is important: limited visibility while walking your dog will not lead to anything good. And in general, this is a sad sight: a man walking around the yard back and forth, shouting the name of his not quite well-mannered dog, cursing its ancestors to the seventh generation. When a dog ignores the command “come to me” during the day, it’s not so bad (at least the owner can approach it himself), but when it does not approach the owner on command in the dark... Therefore, in order not to end up in a stupid situation and avoid all sorts of troubles (some of which can be fatal), buy your dog reflective “equipment”: collar, leash, overalls, address tag. Believe me, these simple but so useful things in the dark will save you and your dog from a lot of inconvenience.

Slide, skating rink (sleds, skates, skis)
You shouldn’t let your dog run around among children who are ice-skating, sledding, or skating—one careless movement and disaster can happen. Sharp skates or sled runners can cause very serious injury to your dog. Yes, and banal sprains, fractures and bruises have not been canceled (after all, dogs on ice feel extremely insecure).

Cold
If you look from a physiological point of view, small breed dogs are more susceptible to hypothermia. But since owners of small dogs usually insulate their pets by dressing them in all kinds of sweaters, hats and overalls, it is large dogs whose owners often believe that large animals are not afraid of the cold that are under attack. To some extent this is true - large dogs are less sensitive to cold than dogs of decorative breeds, but there is a limit to everything.

Be attentive to your four-legged friend, especially if you have a short-haired dog (or an older one). In winter, it is better to run actively for 15-30 minutes than to walk for several hours. Don't let your dog (especially if you have a female dog) sit or lie in the snow for a long time. If the dog clenches its paws and shakes from the cold, shorten the duration of the walk or dress the animal warmer.

Do not forget that canine pneumonia is difficult to cure, so it is better to put a warm sweater on your dog (even if it is a formidable Doberman or a serious bulldog) than to make your short-haired dog freeze, putting his health at risk.

And finally:
- if your dog is afraid of firecrackers and firecrackers, walk him only on a leash even when the New Year holidays are far behind him
- take your dog for a walk in severe frost only in a leather or nylon collar
- an elderly dog ​​may have a heart attack or stroke due to a sharp change in temperature (at home plus 20, minus 20 outside), so in severe frost be sure to dress the dog (at least the chest should be protected from frost)
- if icicles, lumps of snow are stuck to the dog’s fur, or the fur is wet, dry the dog with a towel when you get home.

Yurchenko O.V. 16.01.2012

How long can you walk your dog in winter? What's your winter like?

The duration of a walk in winter depends not only on the air temperature, humidity, but also on the shaggy appearance of your dog. Smooth-haired dogs are much more difficult to walk in cold weather than long-haired dogs. They freeze faster, which means that smooth-haired dogs need to be dressed in overalls.

We are with our Scottish terrier Boney up to -20 degrees, without changing either the duration of our walks or the time. Below -20-25° C, we already reduce the duration of walks by about a third, that is, we no longer walk for an hour in the evenings, but for about 40 minutes.

And if the temperature outside the window drops below -30 degrees Celsius, you have to walk for about thirty minutes in the evening. With this cold, we're already freezing ourselves. Morning and afternoon walks are also reduced. However, during this period we try to take him outside not three times a day, but four.

Question how long to walk the dog in winter determined not only by air temperature. A big problem with dogs' paws during walks in winter. Smooth-haired paws freeze faster. And long-haired dogs have another problem associated with wet snow. These dogs, including our Scottish Terrier, have hair growing between the pads on their paws. Snow sticks to this wool, which forms ice. It becomes painful for dogs with such additions on their paws to walk, and they constantly sit down and try to gnaw this snow from their paws with their teeth. This can also cause a problem: you can get a cold in your bladder by sitting in the cold snow for a long time. Therefore, do not let your dog sit in the snow in cold weather. Help your pet get rid of frozen snow on its paws.

How to avoid snow sticking to your paws? You need to make sure that the fur between the pads does not grow too long and cut it off in time. It is much easier to remove ice from short hairs on the street by warming them with your fingers at the very base.

When frosts are below thirty degrees, we insulate our paws with socks. In the first winter, I made Bona socks from my old terry socks. They were secured to their paws using thin rubber bands (which are used to secure stacks of money). But the socks secured in this way still fell off during walks with Boni. Not always and not all, of course, but often.

This year we decided to buy boots for our Scotch Terrier. We took our pet and went with him to the pet store. We tried on a bunch of shoes there. Nothing fit, everything turned out to be small. His shoes were flying off. He's smart with us.

I had to solve this problem differently. I bought children's terry socks at the store. Two pairs. Additionally, I purchased an elastic band 2 cm wide (length 1 meter) and Velcro (0.5 m). I measured the girth of the paws, cut 4 strips of elastic bands and sewed Velcro onto them. I sewed the resulting strips to the socks. It turned out very convenient. We put on the socks and fasten them with Velcro. True, such socks need to be made every year, since the claws do their job - holes appear.

Like this. Walk with your pets in any weather.

People have different attitudes towards winter, which sometimes lasts unbearably long in our latitudes. Some try to get as much joy as possible from winter activities, others prefer to while away long evenings in a cozy chair and not stick their nose out into the street.

But be that as it may, if a dog lives next to you, then you have no right to deprive it of long winter walks. After all, our four-legged friends love winter very much and tolerate cold much better than heat.

Of course, winter in the city has its own characteristics that have to be taken into account. Now we’ll talk about how to walk your dog in winter so that walks bring you both only pleasure.

Caution - reagents!

The weather in winter can be capricious: severe frosts alternate with thaws, which is why ice constantly forms on the ground. In cities they fight it with the help of special chemical reagents that are very aggressive to literally all surfaces that come into contact with them.

Residents of megacities never tire of complaining about the rapid wear of shoes and the loss of appearance of their cars, but for dog owners, the main problem is not material losses, but the danger that reagents pose to animal health.

And these dangers are very significant. The reagents corrode the skin on the dog’s paws, causing severe pain. Trying to get rid of it, animals begin to lick their paws, and the reagent enters the body, which can lead to serious poisoning.

The trouble is that there is no fundamental solution to the problem of using deicing agents in cities, but we can give you some tips on how to protect your dog from them.

The fight against the housing office

Even if you walk your dog in a public garden or park, you still have to pass the area near the house, where the wipers work the most.

An appeal to public utilities with a demand to stop cultivating the yard and approaches to the entrances altogether will remain unanswered: public utilities are afraid of citizens who have slipped and been injured going to court, and you yourself probably don’t want such a fate for your neighbors.

However, you can collect the signatures of dog breeders at home and write a collective letter asking them to use good old sand or granite chips instead of “chemistry.” It is quite possible that utility services will accommodate you.

If small dogs can be carried to the walking area in your arms, then large dogs still have to walk with their own paws, and therefore they are the ones who suffer the most. Before leaving the entrance with your dog, look out the door and assess the “scale of the disaster.”

If there is a “porridge” of melted ice under your feet, then the reagent has already taken effect, and your task is to reach the nearest snowdrift as quickly as possible and lead the dog along it to clean its paws.

If the reagent is still scattered in crumbs, cover the distance to the walking area while the dog has dry paws - the granules will simply roll off them, and the chemical reaction will not have time to begin.

Shoes for walking your dog

You can purchase special shoes for walking your dog in winter, but you should know that it is very difficult to find the right one. Even if in the store it seems to you that everything is fine, it is not a fact that when the dog actively moves, the shoes will not fall off its paws or cause discomfort to the animal.

The structure of the limbs of our pets is such that there is practically nothing for the boot to support: the “foot” is too short and narrow, and the only way to secure it is to forcefully pull the paw with the “boot”, which, of course, causes discomfort. With special fanaticism, this can lead to poor circulation and subsequent injuries when running, because the paw goes numb and the dog loses coordination of movements.

However, if your janitor works under the motto “Clean asphalt - in any weather,” and is too lazy to swing a shovel, we still advise you to buy shoes for your dog, but wear them only when walking.

Instead of shoes - natural protection

Shaggy dogs, especially hunting breeds, have tufts of rather long, thick hair growing between their toes. Some owners cut this coat in winter, because in extreme cold, lumps of ice freeze on it, literally pushing the dog’s toes to the sides. There is such a problem, but here, as they say, we choose the lesser of two evils.

Ice flies, of course, cause discomfort to the animals, but they successfully fight them, periodically lying down and chewing them out. But at the same time, the thick hair growing between the toes perfectly protects the dog’s paws from reagents that fall only on a small area of ​​the pads, covered with an extremely thick layer of keratinized, insensitive epidermis and do not reach the delicate skin between the toes.

Paw cream after walks

Pet stores sell many products to protect dog paws in winter. As a rule, they are all based on beeswax, petroleum jelly or animal fat. Such creams can be considered a good way to protect paws from frostbite, since they prevent heat loss, but they cannot be called a salvation from reagents.

No cream can resist this “periodic table”! However, after a long walk in the cold, it would be a good idea to lubricate the dog’s paw pads with this product so that the microcracks or scratches that inevitably arise from walking on ice and crust will heal faster.

How and how long to walk your dog in winter?

If it's frosty outside, the most important rule that we advise you to follow at any time of the year is to walk actively! In fact, most healthy dogs that have not yet reached old age tolerate frost well. And there is no need to wrap them in clothes.

How long should you walk your dog in winter? Nature has taken good care of its creatures, and even the temperature of dogs' paw pads is slightly higher than the rest of the body. Hypothermia threatens only puppies, older animals and dogs of small and toy breeds. Due to age and breed characteristics (too small, not the size provided for by nature), heat exchange in such animals is unstable or impaired.

Therefore, we advise you to reduce the time you spend walking with them, and in severe frosts limit yourself to only “hygienic” exits. With everyone else, you can walk with almost no restrictions, but still carefully monitor your pet and at the first signs of hypothermia (puckering of paws, trembling, desire to sit or lie down), immediately return home, preferably by running, so that the dog warms up.

Winter diet

Many owners have noticed that by winter, dogs not only become covered with thicker hair, but also gain weight slightly. This is a normal reaction of the body, seeking to increase the fat layer to make the animal warmer.

Since domestic dogs cannot regulate their diet themselves, in winter it is recommended to increase the food intake by about ¼. This will help accustom the dog to the street in winter - the animal will feel better, maintaining heat exchange. This, of course, only applies to those dogs that are not overweight.

Also, special attention should be paid to the composition of the feed, which should include a sufficient amount of proteins and fats of animal origin, as well as vitamins and microelements to maintain immunity.

Increasing the body's resistance is highly dependent on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and its ability to absorb nutrients. Therefore, at any time of the year, and especially in winter, we recommend enriching your dog’s food with pre- and probiotics.

Such drugs are sold separately in veterinary pharmacies, but now dry food has appeared on the market that contains live probiotics. We advise you to take a closer look at them, because good nutrition will protect your dog from hypothermia, colds and other winter troubles.

Organizing walks for miniature dogs has its own characteristics. Owners of such dogs must take into account a number of important factors and distinguish common myths from rational advice. Below are some misconceptions about walking and our reasons against it.

Common misconceptions:

1. Walking small breed dogs is not necessary This is wrong! Walking is needed not only to satisfy hygiene needs. For any dog, a walk is an opportunity to communicate and exchange information with its fellow dogs. Since a dog receives most of its information about the outside world through smell and hearing, depriving it of this opportunity is, to say the least, inhumane.
2. The promenade on hand is quite enough Not enough. Just like it is not healthy enough for a person to just sit on his balcony for half an hour a day. A healthy dog, regardless of its size, needs active movement. Insufficient physical activity on the street leads to an excess of this activity in the apartment.
3. You can't go for a walk every day Systematic walks discipline the animal and deprive it of the opportunity to manipulate the kindness of its owner. In addition, the absence of any system in keeping a dog has a detrimental effect on the animal’s psyche.
4. In cold weather you can stay at home The duration and mode of walks, not their number, should depend on the temperature outside. Frosts, in which even a short walk leads to a cold, are extremely rare even in Siberia. Having suitable clothes and shoes in your dog’s wardrobe solves the problem of any bad weather.

If you have a small pet

The rules for keeping dogs in the city do not make allowances for their size. Therefore, you should take your baby to the place of walking on a leash. There should be no broken glass, iron or impassable bushes in the walking area. The lack of nearby roads is a big plus. It's better if there aren't even cyclists nearby. In such conditions, your dog will be able to run and play to his heart's content. At the same time, you will additionally practice executing commands that are appropriate for the case.

You can let your baby go for a free run only if he unquestioningly follows the commands “come to me,” “ugh,” and “sit.” If large dogs appear near you, it is better to fasten a leash.

The point is not only about possible aggression from a strange dog, but also about the provocation of this aggression by your baby. Even if both dogs express obvious friendliness and a desire to play, the difference in weight must be taken into account - a heavy animal can inadvertently injure a small dog during play. Sometimes, in order to select “companions” of suitable sizes, it is enough to slightly change the walking time.

During heat, you should walk your dog only on a leash, without letting it off even for a minute. First of all, this concerns owners of bitches. However, owners of male dogs, if there is an empty dog ​​on the site, should do the same. Remember that in such cases the likelihood of aggressive behavior increases.

However, it is necessary to introduce your pet to the other inhabitants of the site. Otherwise, all strange dogs, their smells and traces of vital activity will be perceived as something unknown and, most likely, hostile. This situation can lead to a refusal to go for walks, which is extremely undesirable. If a strange dog approaches you, it is enough to take the pet in your arms.

How long?

It is also wrong to assume that a small dog needs very little time for a walk. The animal must be actively moving for a sufficient amount of time during at least one of the two mandatory walks. Despite the fact that these breeds are decorative, many of them have a working past. Breed characteristics that are transmitted at the genetic level are clearly visible in many breeds.

So, for example, a dachshund with a lack of free range begins to “hunt” and “dig holes” in the apartment, damaging furniture and things in the process. It’s easy to avoid such troubles - just let the dog “bleed off energy” in the most suitable place for this – on the street.

There is no clear answer to the question of how many times a day to walk your dog - it all depends on the characteristics of your pet’s body and temperament. A common option is in which, say, he is taken outside only in the morning and evening, and during the day he does his business in a tray or diaper.

The right clothes

For going out in bad weather, you should get a minimal wardrobe for your pet. In case of rain, mud and dampness - waterproof raincoats and boots, thin summer ones and insulated autumn ones. Things should be easy to wash and dry quickly.

In cold weather you will need insulated jackets, pants or overalls and hats with closed ears. Shoes should protect your feet not only from dirt and snow, but also from chemicals on winter roads and sidewalks.

In severe frosts, it is better to limit the dog’s activity to prevent hypothermia from breathing cold air.

In hot weather, a bandana or cap will come in handy. In addition, it is better to walk dark-colored dogs in the summer early in the morning and after sunset. Remember that active movement in the heat is dangerous for the cardiovascular system of dogs.

An excellent solution for those who are afraid of dampness: a dog umbrella will protect your friend!

Accessories

It is up to the owner to decide what is better to use – a harness or a leash with a collar. When using a collar, you must carefully select its size. Two fingers should fit between the dog's neck and the fastened collar. At the same time, the fastened collar should not be removed through the muzzle, so that the dog does not wriggle out of it on the street.

A harness is preferable for dogs that have a “pulling” habit. One of the most popular leashes is the “roulette”, which allows you to adjust the degree of freedom for your dog.

Winter walks cannot be avoided. This way we will make them more pleasant.

Every dog ​​owner knows about. Where, when and how much... If possible, we try to adhere to these recommendations. Some do better, some do worse. However, today, in view of the onset of cold weather, we decided to talk to you about how to properly walk your dog in winter to avoid frostbite and other seasonal surprises.

Your dog's main winter enemies

Even if you promptly purchased warm overalls and a hat for your pet, do not delude yourself that you have not completely protected him from all winter dangers. There are a number of things that can seriously harm your pet. First we will list them in the form of a list, and then we will dwell on them in more detail. So this is:

• chemical reagents,
• snow crust and ice,
• darkness,
• crowded places,
• cold.

Now let's take a closer look at each of these points.

Chemical reagents

How is it customary to deal with ice in our country? Using sand and technical salt. If you remember how all this eats up the soles of winter boots, it’s scary to imagine how all this affects the delicate skin of your pets’ pads. In order to protect them from chemical reagents, either purchase or lubricate their paws with special wax before a walk. Upon returning after a walk, be sure to. Read about caring for the skin of dogs' paws.

What happens if you decide to ignore this recommendation? Microcracks and wet ulcers are far from the worst that can await you. Your pet may develop severe dermatitis, the treatment of which will take a lot of money, effort and time. Buying paw wax would be much cheaper and easier. After all, you love your pet?!

Snow crust and ice

People aren't the only ones who slip on ice in winter. Dogs are also prone to accidental injuries. A walk through a snowy park can result in either a cut on glass that is hidden under a layer of snow or...

You should not walk your pets near frozen bodies of water. Although the ice seems thick, there is a high risk that if the dog goes out on the ice, it may fall under it. It will be very difficult to save her in this case.

Darkness

It gets dark early in winter. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that you will be walking in the evenings late at night. But the darkness hides many surprises. Therefore, do not let your dog off in the dark. Even if she has a collar that glows in the dark. It can scare a child or an old man who passes by. And a random passerby can have any reaction when a sparkling hoop is rushing towards him from the darkness (you know that this is the collar of your friendly pet). There are often cases when in such a situation people use a gas spray or a stun gun. All this can not only harm your pet, it can kill him.

In the dark, you may also not be able to see your dog picking up something from the ground. Poisoning is of no use to you, so keep your pet on a short leash with total control. It’s safer for you and safer for him.

Make sure that the suit, collar or anything on your pet is reflective. This will make it easier for you to find him in the dark if he suddenly breaks off the leash and ignores the “come to me” command.

Public places

Dogs feel out of place in such places, although they may not show it to us. But in winter, these places are also fraught with danger. No need to take your pet to the skating rink, slide or ski slope. And in general, there is no need to make a figure skater out of a dog. In public, your pet experiences real discomfort, which can cause serious stress. And if someone falls on your pet, runs over it on a sled or skis, a visit to the veterinarian cannot be avoided. And that's the best case scenario.