Winter in the northeast can be challenging for dog walking. Cold, ice, dark, road chemicals, you name it, we’ve got it all. For your own safety and sanity, as well as the safety of your dog(s), there are few things you’d be wise to remember.
- A dog with weak back legs can still kick snow in your face. Author’s Note: Thank Dog there were no ice chunks in it.
She’s lucky I didn’t kick HER in the face. A Lab in a coat, what kind of bunk is that?
- Always wear boots when there is snow on the ground. Note to self: The day you don’t, is the day your dog will poop in the deepest snow bank they can find.
- A dog who doesn’t see well, can often times mistake your shadow for another person.
For the record, a 70 pound lab who mistakes your shadow for a person, can pull your fat ass across a street. - When potty space is limited due to large amounts of snow, some dogs WILL poop in the street. Once the snow starts melting, and running down the side of the road, some dogs WILL STILL poop in the street. For those with a curious mind…shit, does indeed…roll down hill. (Especially when it catches the right current.)
I was playing Pooh Sticks. Read Winnie the Pooh. Also, I won.
- Always carry a towel for wiping paws, as a dog who gets ice or road chemicals on their paw will refuse to walk. Fact: Using your glove or mitten to wipe a dog’s paw can result in some really cold hands.
- Be prepared to hunt for **treasure**. Truth: A poop, fresh from the factory will sink like the Titanic. There’s a reason it’s called a steamer’ folks!
These are the tips that come readily to my mind. Can you think of any others? What advice would you give to first time winter dog walkers?
Poop in the snow quickly burns/melts a hole right down to the frozen ground. Mom prefers we poop in the road as it is so much easier to pick up. Katie would do that, but we all prefer to find a nice spot in the snow! Enjoy, LOL!
This almost makes me wish we got cold weather for the giggles. Almost.
For the first time winter dog walker? Stay inside, it’s too damn cold anyway. Seriously though, anticipate the worst…no doubt it’ll probably happen and then you won’t be surprised. Or cheesed off. For example, just this morning, while doing our morning freezing-my-tush-off-constitutional, Elsa decided the best spot to do the 87 twirls before dropping a steamer, first she had to hike through the deepest part of the snow to get to that special spot. Most of our Monday storm melted off…except for that spot. Of course I didn’t wear suitable shoes and ended up with snow getting inside them. Now I know how babies with wet/soiled diapers feel like. Just like
I want to LIKE this comment. LOL, yes, they always choose the deepest part, don’t they? Then, (of course) it’s a steamer and sinks like the Titanic, so not only are you knee deep in snow in unsuitable shoes, you’re also up to your elbow in snow, trying to fish that puppy out.
If your dog climbs a plow mountain to be King of the Hill, be careful when the snow starts to melt. The King will climb up, fall through, and disappear. #kingofthesidewalk Yup.
Love and licks,
Cupcake
I think you have to have a sense of humor to survive winter in New England, especially when you have dogs. Thanks for the laughs!
I might add that if your dogs do their business in your yard, and you don’t feel like going out into the cold to clean it up right away, you regret it. The poop freezes in and you have to kick it out with your boot, and sometimes you kick a hard piece of ice. OW
Nice Tips. I really wish of the possibility of having a paw gear for protection during winter. It would do so much good. Thanks for the tips.
Hello, thank you very much for the information, so interesting thanks to the Internet we can learn useful tips. Nice blog, he sent you a greeting from Spain, where now it is also cold.
Happy New Year 2018
I love these, especially the idea of you chasing poo down the road – sorry I was laughing with you, not at you I promise!
Almost two weeks later…uh, do you think I’m a little behind? (No pun intended, for a change.
)
Ah yes, I remember trying to walk Kissy in the snow when we still lived on LI. And she liked walking in the street, too. But up there it was safe to walk in the street, as long as you stayed close to the curb. Of course my sweet Kissy’s poops were only pebbles compared to what Shadow’s are like. LOL