How do you dress your dog to go out in the snow?
I have another question now that the snow has hit Ontario! I would like to know what any of you living in snowy areas do at this time. I know about keeping the hair between the feet short to discourage little snowballs, but does anybody invest in booties or coats at all. Libby loves the snow and is obviously not bothered by the freezing temperatures but i have noticed that the snow sticks to her back and around her paws so wondered what is the best course of action. She is only 4.5 months old and and still has her lovely, soft puppy coat. Thanks in advance, Claire |
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| I purchased booties for my dog from Barbara Lamb ( http://www.shaggylamb.com/ ) who custom makes them. She also sells rain/snow coats now too. They worked great & the dogs didn't seem to mind them at all. Maxmm has some awesome boots that seem to have a bit more tread on them. I think I'm going to invest in them the next time out. |
| Where can I buy mutluks( sp)? And does anyone ever put a sweatshirt or something like it on they're sheepies when they go out when it's snowing?
thanks in advance. jim |
I send my dogs out nekkid  ...they have fur...they don't often get cold. I shaved them about 8 months ago they now have about 4-6 inches of fur. They are so busy running around playing I am sure they don't give the cold a thought. We check their paws when they come in to make sure there aren't any snowballs stuck. |
| I don't dress up my dogs either....
It was freezing today! It's -23 here right now.... Brrrr!!!! Such a drastic change is what hit me I think... normally -23 in Ontario during winter is nothing spectacular... we've been spoiled by warm weather so far I think |
| Our kids go naked also, when we get snow.
Better keep lots of towels handy for when they come in.
They have plenty of fur, I don't think they ever have seemed cold. Have fun, Eric |
| I buy the muttluks for Oscar through KV Vet supply online. He wears them all winter, as the pads of his feet are raw within minutes of walking in snow and road salt (no sidewalks here). I have tried many different kinds, but I prefer the all-weather Muttluks (yellow) as they hold up the best, and do not collect tons of snow like the polar fleece types. Oscar requires large ones for his back feet, and x-large ones for his front paws, so I buy the two different sizes for him. FYI, the younger your pup is when you try them, the better. Oscar's been wearing booties since he was 4 months old, so he doesn't bat an eye when I pull them out and put them on.
Oscar gets shaved every 6 - 8 weeks, and has no trouble outside during the coldest temps. He's never worn any type of coat, other than his furry one, with no problems. |
| Quick answer to how I dress my dogs for the snow is that I don't.
I do, however, keep a ready supply of towels for drying them off when they come inside (backs, and feet!) and for mopping up puddles which are inevitable. |
| I don't dress my guys up for the snow, but I sure do trim the hair between the pads as they collect snow balls and there is nothing funnier than watching a sheepie try to walk on snowballs and nothing funnier than trying to watch me dip their feet in a warm bucket of water to get rid of them!!!!!
Peggy Wile and Wade |
VerveUp wrote: I purchased booties for my dog from Barbara Lamb ( http://www.shaggylamb.com/ ) who custom makes them. She also sells rain/snow coats now too. They worked great & the dogs didn't seem to mind them at all. Maxmm has some awesome boots that seem to have a bit more tread on them. I think I'm going to invest in them the next time out.
I have to recommend these boots as well. But we have had the occasional issue with them. Obviously handmade, because some are made better than others. The location of the velcro closures can be different on each boot, which doesn't sound that bad, but if too high they tend to slide down or fly off during our walks. And the lifespan of them are in direct correlation with your usage. Our boy is city through and through and the sidewalks beat these babies up. I would like to see if she could make a more durable version, maybe with a double layer on the bottom, or a different material. I also have had to wait a long time to get a pair. So if you are going to order, order early and be patient. Mutluks are relatively durable, but I just don't like the fact that they are short and don't really protect up the leg. Especially for a OES in full coat. They splash like an 18 wheeler when walking. I have bought these but haven't tried them yet: http://www.ruffwear.com/grip_trex_dog_b ... ategory=11 They are like sneakers on the bottom. I put them on in the house,and he wasn't a fan. He acts like they are flippers. I will have to work with him outside for a while to get use to them. But again, they are short so really don't do much for the splash factor. |
| When it gets to be around - 40 and the concreat starts to turn white and crack and i take sadie out for a walk i put booties on her poor feeties.
Mostly because i can't help myself but laugh my butt off when she starts walking like a Clydesdale hourse. the day that she jumpped up on a park bench durning our walk to get away from the sidewalk i knew it was time to haul out the booties. oh annnnd ... when we're at a show and it's raining we equip sadie with wer proof boots. they make a lot of matts but they keep her dry, and mudd free |
| There was a post in the general chit chat section asking about boots and I thought I would update my review since we are heavy boot users.
As I have mentioned before, we are in the city, so the boots are used on the sidewalk all winter long. That will give you an idea of what type of wear we put on them. Earlier this winter I bought another pair of boots from Barb Lamb (Shaggy Lamb). The Shaggy Lamb boots are the 5th or 6th pair we have owned, and I will say this time around we were disappointed. Straps were not sewn on in the right places, so the boots fly off all the time. Even the boot sizes were completely different. All four had different widths. But the worst part about them this time around was the durability. We got through two walks before the seem on one boot ripped and the bottom of another already torn. Durability has always been an issue with us on these boots (granted I don't think they were made for the urban use we use them for) but this pair was the worst of the bunch. Boots were tucked in the closet quicker than a Christmas sweater from Aunt Martha. We also bought our first pair of Muttluks. As in my earlier post, I felt the size of them were going to be a problem. Unlike the Shaggy Lamb boots, the Muttluks only come up half way on the leg. But I have been pleasantly surprised by the size. His legs don't get too wet when it is raining out. But the best thing about the so far is the durability. Two months of solid use (3 walks a day) and we have no holes, tears or rips) If put on properly, the velcro stays set and the boots stay on. We have not thrown a boot yet. My only negative on them right now is that since the temp has dropped (it was -10 F this morning when we were out) that the actual "sole" of the boot freezes. Doesn't seem to bother my boy, and in reality, should we be out long enough for our clothing to freeze? So, for this season, Dwight and the Dunder Mifflin team give two thumbs up to the all-weather Muttluks and 2 thumbs down for our most recent pair of Shaggy Lamb boots. I have wanted to stick with Shaggy Lamb's boots just to stay loyal to the OES family and for everything Barb does, but for this season the Muttloks get our big wet nose seal of approval. |
El Gato wrote: So, for this season, Dwight and the Dunder Mifflin team give two thumbs up to the all-weather Muttluks and 2 thumbs down for our most recent pair of Shaggy Lamb boots. I have wanted to stick with Shaggy Lamb's boots just to stay loyal to the OES family and for everything Barb does, but for this season the Muttloks get our big wet nose seal of approval.
Was this official decision made at Chili's? It is where business happens.  |
ButtersStotch wrote: Was this official decision made at Chili's? It is where business happens.
Baby back baby back baby back... Who want's an awesome blossom? |
| I was particularly interested in this "booty" discussion as I am looking into them for my puppy...Before I say anything else, did I read correctlythe post by "hide the cookies" that when it gets "-40", you use booties???
40 below? Are you kidding me  Is that with the "chill factor" as they say down here????40 below I cannot even imagine
Anyway, we are at -15 with the "chill factor" and about 9 regular temp, so to me that is as cold as I ever want to see...I am looking to get booties and did look at the ones from shaggy lamb and the Muttlucks...I like the Muttlucks. I like the shaggy lamb...still not sure. Just can't get over the 40 below....I would be walking my dog in the garage! |
El Gato wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: Was this official decision made at Chili's? It is where business happens. Baby back baby back baby back... Who want's an awesome blossom? Extra awesome, please. A real question, El Gato: just so I'm understanding right, all the other pairs that you had gotten were from Barb but only this pair didn't cut it? The main reason I ask is that I'm going to have to start covering my Komondor's feet and I liked that she specialized in making them for corded breeds, too because I'm gonna need something wide all the way up. He plays outside a lot-- so much so that his cords are actually getting and staying wet now, which probably accounts for much of his lovely aroma. |
Dutch was 4 months last Friday , it is -22 (chill factor) and I don't dress her up, just don't stay out to long at a time  |
| Whats Snow? |
ButtersStotch wrote: A real question, El Gato: just so I'm understanding right, all the other pairs that you had gotten were from Barb but only this pair didn't cut it? The main reason I ask is that I'm going to have to start covering my Komondor's feet and I liked that she specialized in making them for corded breeds, too because I'm gonna need something wide all the way up. He plays outside a lot-- so much so that his cords are actually getting and staying wet now, which probably accounts for much of his lovely aroma.
This last pair from Shaggy Lamb was the worse set so far (for over 3 years I just feel that each new pair's life has been shorter and shorter). I would honestly say that only one pair out of the 5 or 6 held up for a decent amount of time (but I also spent some time repairing those seams myself). IMO, if you are going to consistently use them in the backyard, in a field, or on some type of non-concrete surface they are going to do the job of protecting your Kom's legs and cords. Maybe that is what they were made for. But for my use, which is daily walks in the city, the bottoms and the seams just don't hold up because of the friction. I will say, the elastic band of the Muttlluks does reach about the "elbow" of my boy's legs, so the length of them have been sufficient for us so far this winter (size XL). And the surface of the boots have held up with no sign of wear. We use the boots more for our sanity then for his protection. Without the boots, we were sticking him in the tub to rinse off his feet every time we took him outside (you find out how dirty the sidewalks are when your OES' full coat is tracking in everything). Though he would just jump right into the tub and let us rinse him off, it was just a pain in the arse. If it wasn't for hhis white feet, I would probably not use the boots and he would be as happy as a polar bear in the South Pole. We were out this morning for 40 minutes. He was happy. My face was frozen like the Joker. |
| I admit that the use of the boots will be more for me and not him. As the cords don't dry quickly, we get smears all over everything for the rest of the day and sometimes into the next. In the summer, it's not so big of a deal if we go from a rainy day to a dry one because I know he'll dry completely the next one. I don't worry to much as long as it's within 24 hours. These days, there's been way too much use of the blow dryer and a lot of dirty looks from him as he's not a fan. |
Ashley wrote: I was particularly interested in this "booty" discussion as I am looking into them for my puppy...Before I say anything else, did I read correctlythe post by "hide the cookies" that when it gets "-40", you use booties???
40 below? Are you kidding me Is that with the "chill factor" as they say down here????40 below I cannot even imagine Anyway, we are at -15 with the "chill factor" and about 9 regular temp, so to me that is as cold as I ever want to see...I am looking to get booties and did look at the ones from shaggy lamb and the Muttlucks...I like the Muttlucks. I like the shaggy lamb...still not sure. Just can't get over the 40 below....I would be walking my dog in the garage! Ashley - I assume you're not from Canada.... she did mean 40 below in Celsius, not Fahrenheit. Yesterday it was in the minus 30's Celsius here in Ontario, with the wind chill factor. I think we're getting a pair of boots, but we might wait a few more months to make sure Barkley's paws are full-grown. |
| I have these boots..... http://www.houndsaroundtown.com/style/boots.html
They are really good, for the most part they stay on well. (Occasionally they fall off when Merlin is zooming around and when he turns really fast they sometimes slip on him)They are a bit higher on the leg than the boots El Gato was talking about. Honestly I don't use them much as we don't have the need here. (no sidewalks so no leash walks) they just run in the yard for exercise, and since the dogs are shaved they don't get too wet and they don't spend that much time outside either. |
| The two scales are the same at -40.
To convert from one to the other use the following : F to C (I'll use 68F as an example): Subtract 32 (68-32=36) Divide by 9 (36/9=4) Multiply by 5 (4x5=20) C to F (I'll use -40 as an example): Multiply by 9 (-40x9=-360) Divide by 5 (-360/5=-72) Add 32 (-72+32=-40) If you're using a computer, you can multiply/divide by 1.8 and add/subtract the 32 instead of using the above, though that's harder for me to do in my head. |
WizardMerlin wrote: I have these boots..... http://www.houndsaroundtown.com/style/boots.html
They are really good, for the most part they stay on well. (Occasionally they fall off when Merlin is zooming around and when he turns really fast they sometimes slip on him)They are a bit higher on the leg than the boots El Gato was talking about. Honestly I don't use them much as we don't have the need here. (no sidewalks so no leash walks) they just run in the yard for exercise, and since the dogs are shaved they don't get too wet and they don't spend that much time outside either. These boots look really great, and I've seen them at Pet Supply House. What size do you have? |
| That is too much math in the morning! LOL
to covert Celcius to Fahrenheit I just double the celcius temp and add 30....it gets you a close enough answer LOL and once you get -20C or below...its just freakin cold LOL 
here today its -17C but -25C with the windchill |
Sheepie Heaven wrote: These boots look really great, and I've seen them at Pet Supply House. What size do you have? I don't know lol.....I honestly don't even know if we still have them. As I said we no longer go for walks and so I haven't used them in the last year since we moved to this house. Every dog is different tho, Merlin is a very small sheepie (62-66 pounds) So what fits him would not necessarily fit another sheepie. What I did was take a piece of paper and trace around his paws, there is a guide on the hounds website to use those measurements to see which fit your dog. |
| On the news tonight ( I am in NY ) they did a special on dogs at risk in cold weather. They recommended some special oil to put on the pads of feet or....doggy booties! Says they're not just for "dress up" but for protection of the paws in the extreme cold! My husband thought I was nutty with the booties for our pup...now he is thinking differently |
Ashley wrote: On the news tonight ( I am in NY ) they did a special on dogs at risk in cold weather. They recommended some special oil to put on the pads of feet or....doggy booties! Says they're not just for "dress up" but for protection of the paws in the extreme cold! My husband thought I was nutty with the booties for our pup...now he is thinking differently
Musher's Secret paw protectant works really well in cold weather. It helps balls from forming between the toes too as long as you apply it well. I use it for walks and trips to the park. It's not greasy or staining but I still don't want it on my floor. |
| So do you think you would notice it on my carpet if I put it on yuki then? |
| I like to put it on quite a bit when we go out and by the time we come back, it's fine on the floor. I just put it on by the door. I would equate it to Chapstick for the feet and of similar consistency so I think it might also depend on the carpet. Berber, probably not. Plush, maybe. |
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