To the ones who live in a state that gets a lot of snow, how do you exercise your labs in the winter? I have a 1 year old lab that can get pretty rowdy if she doesn't get enough exercise. I'm not sure what to do with her when she gets like that. If you have any suggestions it would be great to hear them!!
Hi Hanna and welcome to the forum. I live in a ski resort, and my dogs get walked just the same whether there's snow or not. Sometimes, if it's not possible for me to actually walk anywhere, even on snow shoes, due to the depth, I just walk to the end of the road and play games with them, throw snowballs, do some training etc. That's very rare, though. They love the snow!
Welcome Hanna to the forum from Fred, Annie and me. What is the name of your pup? Fiona, that was Wonderful. Your lovely dogs and all that snow. You made me feel really Christmassy. I enjoyed that so much. Thank you.
Don't think we get as much snow as @snowbunny but we snowshoe, cross country ski and just play. WE have shared snowmobile trails we are allowed to walk on and they were freshly groomed yesterday, flatter and smoother than any city sidewalk. BUT, even though we are allowed on them we stay off Friday afternoons and weekends, they are just too busy then and it could be dangerous. Some neighbours will not walk them at all in winter and you MUST have good recall and STAY if you dog is off leash. It's still bow season for deer here and hunters are wearing white camo so they are another danger. I wear high visibility reflective vest and hat so hunters and snowmobilers can see me a bit sooner. OUr breeder is in a snowy area too and has specifically warned about dangers to cruciate from bounding through deep snow so we try to build up and keep it to a minimum. Similar warning for swimming by the way. I have seen my dogs in snow so deep they were practically swimming in it. I have a sewing project I want to take photos of, sunhats for all my family, and I thought some mini snowmen heads to put them on would make a neat photo. I will have to leave Oban inside as one of his favourite things is to wreck my snowmen. SO, build a snowman for your pup to wreck, for fun.
Hi Hanna, We also have a year old lab and snow - we mostly do our same walks and she really loves the snow. We still play fetch in soft snow and bury her ball. She loves hikes through the woods, which we are now limited to doing on weekends as it gets dark so early. We have one dog park that has lights, so we go there some evenings as well, although for a shorter amount of time when very cold. I actually love walking when it's snowing - so pretty and quiet. The thing that is hard is the very frigid temps and ice - she gets cold and so do we and it's slippery. We go on more on leash short walks instead - around 20 mins 3 times a day and maybe a couple 10 minutes around the block. Once she starts lifting her paws, we head home. We play more indoor games - we have a long hall so we hide her ball or call her back and forth from each end of the house. I do worry that she is getting less time outside in this weather - we have a dog walker that takes her for hour walks, and we get her 3 times a week which really helps us out. I'm also looking at possible daycare options 1 day a week and possibly doing some more indoor training classes, like agility, which really tires her out - more than any walk!
[="QuinnM15, post: 264875, member: 4177"]it's slippery.[/QUOTE] Yaktrax, for you. I swear by them now and use them for more than ice. They help me grip in unstable slippery wet snow (like today will probably be) and make my footsteps more secure. I use the Pro version that has a strap over the toe to help keep them on and anchor them a bit if they do come off in deep snow so I won't lose them. Extra note for @Hanna Maves you might want to look into booties for the dog if you have to walk on salted sidewalks or roads. We are rural and off leash mostly, not much salt, don't use them. Make sure the dog booties are not slippery. I cringed every time we went out with a neighbour who put them on her crippled, aged dog and the poor girl slid all over, they were a hazard to that dog.
Hi Hanna, I use day care a lot in the Winter. When I pick mine up at the end of the day all he wants to do is have his dinner and go to sleep! He is knackered! When not in day care I throw a Kong frisbee (thick rubber) or a tennis ball down the hallway (it's long) and he runs back and forth. If it's not too cold out.....seldom.....I can toss the ball or frisbee outdoors if there isn't too much snow. It is very,very cold where I live and where you live.....sort of miserable......but if you don't exercise the pup you are going to have destruction indoors! Good luck and MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Hanna Cho is the first artist and J Rabbit(!) is the second. Here are the links to their YouTube videos:
Her name is Mia (pernounced My-a). She's a good girl. She's pretty calm for not getting as much excercise as she usually does.
Welcome to the forum from me and chocolate girl Mabel. Fiona I am soooo jealous of the snow, that looks like fantastic fun.
Good grief, that's a lot of snow! You are very intrepid to go out in all that. But wonderful for the dogs! As a Californian, I'm genetically incapable of not falling on my face whenever anything white and frozen is on the ground under my feet. Ergo why I get the heck out of Dodge and head to Andalusia as soon as winter really sets into Germany.
