How long is too long in the cold?
This morning, AT 4:15 I was awoke by two dogs who INSISTED on going outside. Normally this would bother me too much but with the windchill at 0 at that hour, it bothered me. Why, mostly because I knew what was gonna a happen. They were gonna go out, pee and then proceed to come back up and lay on the deck, now snow covered. Care to guess what really did happen? Exactly as I predicted! Now I know we've all joke about this odd behavior from Sheepies recently, but seriously. I let them lay there for abut two minutes and bribed them to come in with a biscuit. From then until I left at 7:10 they were constantly wanting out. I'm still waiting to hear from Jen about what she had to contend with before she left for work. I've learned that these two are different than my Cocker from years ago. He learned that he got a treat when he came in. So he'd go out, stand on the deck for a minute and then want in, for his treat. These guys have to be all but dragged back inside. I know they love cold floors but this is WAY out there. So what do you all think? With temps around 15F and a windchill at 1-2F, how long is enough? Vance |
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| Bella does the same thing. She stands at the door to go out and I know that she doesn't really need to go but I let her out. She slowly walks over to her spot on the hill and parks herself. I put on the spot light so that I can watch her. I will sometime let her sit out there for 5 min and then go an check on her. if she doesn't come I give her 5 more min and sometimes still have to drag her back inside. I have to say that she is very good about asking to come back in so if she doesn't ask I assume she is not cold. But that is not with a -2 temp either. My rule of thumb is if it is too cold for my horses and I am freezing before the stalls are cleaned it is too cold for Bella. She still may disagree though. |
| Only my opinion.... But ~~I let all of them out and watch them from the comfort of my warm house. If they go and do their business and then begin to play, that is fine, figuring they are warming themselves as they run...BUT!! There are times when Pearl will just lay on the patio.....That is when I lure her in, with her being so old, my fear is that she is not realizing just how cold it is...  Heart is a no-brainer~~when she wants to come in...I BETTER be at that door or she will scratch and bark until I open the door. (Heart is good for about 10 minutes in the cold..she loves to lay by the fireplace ). Coz??? Well, he is too polite to scratch and bark. He will just stare at the door. and I must admit, I sometimes forget he is out there~~~~(my bad!!!!)  But he enjoys the outdoors more than the sheepies!!!! |
| Chewie spends as much time out as he can manage Lots of days when I'm at work Todd tells me he refuses to come in the house. He goes out with the rest of the dogs to potty into the fenced in dog yard, then lays out in his favorite spot and prefers to lounge and won't come in. Now we have had less cold than normal here - the days have even been above freezing quite often. So I really wasn't concerned. The rest - they bark or scratch the door when they are done and want in! It also is a big deal what they are accustomed too. If they are used to it, they really can do well for quite awhile. If they are wet or it's really windy, that's when you need to be careful. |
I was wondering the same thing Vance. Yesterday it was snowing all day with windchill about 10 degrees and Millie wanted out all day! I will say she is always panting inside...we keep our house between 68 and 70 degrees...but she still pants. Maybe some are more hot blooded than others  Anyway, yesterday she was outside playing with the kids in the cold, snow, and wind for about 30 minutes at a time. She had to be dragged in every time. And it's the same today.If anyone knows a good rule of thumb for how long to let a sheepie enjoy the cold weather......please share. |
| I used to worry; but have left Tonks and Luna out longer and longer as the years have passed. We have a dog door, so they can come in when they want. But mostly they sit on the deck and just enjoy the cold. I think if your dogs have grown out a coat, there's less to worry about. If they are in shorter cuts, I know I'd owrry, even if there's no cause to. |
| I decided to ask my vet, and she said if there is a winter weather advisory then follow the recommendations for how long people should be out in the cold. So, if the weatherman says a bundled up person should come inside after 15 minutes, then that is the limit on how long your dog should stay out. If there is no advisory, then check every thirty minutes...but do not let them stay out for longer than 2 hours at a time in freezing or below freezing temps. These guidelines were given to me for Millie who is in full coat. Not sure about the recommendations for a shaved or short haired oes. |
| Maudie was my snow girl. She and her St. Bernard brother and Siberian sister would live outside....Colorado, 10,000 feet. So the only recourse was to build a super dog house where the three would pile in if things got too cold for them....yes, all three together. (Usually the husky would sleep just outside the dog house door) Remember, sheepies do have that undercoat which keeps them toasty. Paws are the only concern so if they have a place to snuggle and tuck feet under them.......they are fine. Snow ball feet was rare as the snow.....deep snow....was dry. While Maudie loved to be with us, the call of the snow was just too great. So if there is a covered area where the snow does not accumulate and an insulated dog bed can remain dry underneath.......a place to warm up toes......you will find they love the cold weather. As for the vet advisory, probably good general rule, but are they covering short hair labs as well as these double coat beasts? Chihuahua vs something bigger with more mass? Cold and wet is a killer, of course. |
SheepieBoss wrote: As for the vet advisory, probably good general rule, but are they covering short hair labs as well as these double coat beasts? Chihuahua vs something bigger with more mass? Cold and wet is a killer, of course. The vet was talking to me just about her guidelines for an OES in full coat. Does not apply to all dogs..or even all oes(shaved or cut short). |
| I like that recommendation from your vet and it makes sense to me. I am more concerned with their paws getting frostbite... |
| Wow! Do we dare tell your vet about the OES show dog who was lost in Alaska winter for several weeks and aside from some frost bite on paw pads, did very well? This was years ago, anybody else remember? They figured the dog figured out to dig into the snow for protection. |
| I typically say that if the weather sucks so bad that if I don't wanna go out, they don't go for their walks. I guess I shoudl use the same train of thought for this. If I would only stay out for so long with these temps, they have the same curfew, regardless of what they think. I'd rather let them out more often for shorter periods then too long less often. Thanks for all the input. Now I know I'm not the only one thinking this way. Vance |
| Mady would stay out all day if we let her. I figure that she is a Canadian dog, so it is in her blood! But I still make her come in. Honestly she would sleep out there in a snowstorm and let herself get buried if I let her, the silly girl! |
Vance, we do just that...Out more often but for shorter time spans...then its inside to warm up...I figure I ahve thermal socks and boots on my feet...they have no protection! Albeit they may ahve a better coat  |
| Brick loves the cold weather. I have to drag him back in when it gets cold. Only when we get the bitter cold (single digits or lower) does he not stay out long. He's funny. He alternates lifting all 4 paws off the snow when it's that cold out. I assume because they're cold. He typically comes in right after he starts doing that. But he loves the snow. He's like a polar bear. He'll snorfle around under the snow. Sometimes he rears up on his hind legs and then slams his front paws into the snow, as if he's busting thru the top layer to find something under the surface. |
| Henry loves the cold too. Every evening, Henry asks to be let out on the porch, where he enjoys his man-time, watching, sniffing, and snoozing the hours away while I watch tv, read or knit. I make him come in when I go to bed but he is typically out there 2 hours or more even in very cold weather. He will even let the snow pile up on him. I usually don't let him stay out as long when it is snowing or super-cold (below zero)-- I worry and check on him and make him come in, but he always seems fine. |
| Meant to link to this article re dogs' feet ability to handle cold: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/1 ... 04709.html Of course, I am not suggesting anyone keep dogs outside full-time or leave them out longer than they want.  Just might help explain why some of our dogs don't mind the cold. |
| They also can eat snow/ice and not lower their body temperature. (As would happen with us humans). They have done studies with sled dogs and they found that dogs have an adapted circulatory system that allows them to eat snow without over chilling their bodies. Very interesting creatures our dogs are!  And in regard to what Val posted - Chewie actually leaves sweaty paw prints on pavement in the cold winter - temps in the 0-10'sF. I never have had him lift his paws in cold yet, and he can (and will by choice) spend hours outside with me or even out in the dog yard. Then I have Riley who is not very cold tolerant and he freezes pretty quick and lifts his feet and needs to be in a warm spot after not long at all. A big thing is that dogs (and other animals) should be acclimated to increasingly cold temps over time. That is how wild and outdoor animals do it. As the temps gradually cool off in fall and then into winter, it allows them to adapt. The same thing as winter transitions into spring and then summer. We need to safely adjust to hot temperatures just as much as cold ones. A sudden hot spell or environment is just as dangerous as a cold one. |
| I dont know but here in england it in the minuses!!! We try to keep doors shut as its sooo cold, but bloo lies in the passage so we cant shut it. We all freeze in the house because the dogs in the door way!! I just think if hes cold he will come in, when he is hot he will go out. most times i drag him in because im cold lol  |
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