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  1. #1
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    Question ATTENTION : ONTARIO Lab owners - First winter- Help! ;)

    Hello,

    I'm a fairly new Lab owner. My dog "Buddy" is 90 days old today and I'm a bit worried about his first winter. We reside in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. It can get very cold here.

    My dog goes outside to do his business three times a day (8 am, 4pm & 8pm). We usually give him like an hour for each time he goes out. But now winter is rapidly approaching and around four more months we're going to have snow.

    Do I need to buy him those doggie shoes & a doggie winter jacket? I always thought they looked kinda silly but I don't want my Buddy to catch cold either. He's just coming off a bug he picked up recently. I gave him a raw chicken wing once a day and I think it didn't agree with him; he had diarrhea. The vet prescribed Tylosil so he seems to be doing better now.

    I just don't want him to get sick again come winter. Anybody????

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  3. #2
    Senior Dog Berna's Avatar
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    Labs do very well in the cold. Unless a dog is arthritic or has other health issues I don't see a reason for buying him jackets and stuff.

    Don't worry, he won't catch a cold.
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  4. #3
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    Only two of my Labs ever had issues with the cold...Hershey had a very short coat of his own and would shiver but Baffle's coat was lush/normal and he'd shiver, also. Both of these were chocolate boys but I honestly think that was just coincidence. (but both of my yellows had issues with overheating/seizures from overheating)

    The dogs I have now hate the cold and definitely need their coats when we go out.

    So...you need to evaluate the need for a coat based on your dog's reaction this winter. If he's definitely always (always!) in motion, he may not need a coat unless it's snowing. I'd advise the use of something like Musher's Secret for his paws if there's snow/ice on the ground.

    Good that you're thinking this far ahead!

  5. #4
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    LOL, well, I guess Brampton's not quite our Ontario "banana belt" but it's close. Buddy will be fine. Oban was a baby puppy in one of our coldest, snowiest winters, 2007/08, and he was fine. I did watch for little feet held up and that did happen a few times, we just went inside. At -30C or below I was careful to limit outside to only 10 minutes. Buddy will be much older and probably the biggest reaction you will see from him is crazy, wild energy.

    You may want to be careful of salt. That's the only reason I can think of for using booties. And maybe sharp ice. Try to keep him out of salt and wash his feet when you get home, if you had to walk in some. Unless you imported Buddy from Central America it's highly unlikely he'll need a coat. A few do but it's not the norm.

    Are you leaving Buddy outside by himself for an hour each time? I'm surprised he puts up with that, Labs like to be with you. Buddy is very young, there's all kinds of trouble he could get into by himself. Sorry, if I am misreading that part. In winter big snowdrifts might allow him to walk right over your fence and out of your yard. Even if you are careful with him in that regard be aware other dogs might still be able to walk right into your yard.

    ONe thing to be careful of with a young dog is running in deep snow. Our breeder specifically cautioned against that. Hard on the cruciate. We don't go as far on snowshoes as we do on skiis as when I snowshoe it's all deep snow. When I ski there is usually some kind of a packed down trail most of the way that Oban can use. If he only would.

  6. #5
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    your pup should be fine! lots of us bring home puppies in the winter Brampton is far from being one of the colder places as well

    I forgo the jacket until I see a dog needs it. As temps go down they get used to they get used to the cold gradually. Your pup will be what, 7 months or so by the time winter really arrives so that'll not be a problem. Don't leave them outside standing/not moving too long and you are good. and don't leave them outsie in the yard alone for long periods or when you are not there with them. We take walks in -40 sometimes (ok those days I may o a jacket on the smaller dog - Rock was never bothered by that until he was older though, even hour long walks in -35c weather) and just keep moving.

    The one thing we are careful about is freezing rain/icy sidewalks.

    Oh for booties it's mostly an issue of sand/salt for me, the stuff they put on the roads can irritate a dogs paws.

    Curious on the answer to the question above, are you outside with the pup for the hour you put them outside, playing/interacting? or is the dog outside alone?

  7. #6
    Best Friend Retriever SoapySophie's Avatar
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    Good questions! I always put my tall winter boots on to take Sophie off the beaten path (eg. fresh snow) so that she wouldn't have to walk in salt. She learned to do her business on top of a snowdrift and did so even as the snow began to melt (mostly because it could be super-muddy in the melted areas).

    When she was really young, I'd just take her on leash to the backyard, get her familiar with the commands to go potty, and let her run around off leash after she went potty. Once the feet start being held up, inside we went.

    I learned never to get a small puppy in the fall, though. Sometimes the snow was too deep for her wee self and the ice storm sure didn't help things. Oh, and we didn't use booties or a jacket.
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  8. #7
    Puppy jeanped's Avatar
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    I am glad you asked this question, since I too have been worrying about the exact same problem. My pup is 4 months and I live in your vicinity...
    I bring Jade out three times a day, but I have been wondering when I would be able to leave her to go out on her own and for how long during the coldest days of the winter.
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  9. #8
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    You pup should do fine. I have seniors and they do very well. You certainly would not want to leave your pup out for an extended period of time during the cold. Mine are in and out multiple times a day. Mardi is now 13 and I do have to tamp down a trail for her when the snow is deep; who wants to squat to pee and bet a butt full of snow. Watch carefully for lifting of feet, it's definitely too cold to be out.

    Do watch for the road salt. It not only irritates feet but if ingested is toxic. That is a time you may need booties. Also watch for ice. There are nontoxic pet friendly snow melters for porch steps.
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  11. #9
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jeanped View Post
    I am glad you asked this question, since I too have been worrying about the exact same problem. My pup is 4 months and I live in your vicinity...
    I bring Jade out three times a day, but I have been wondering when I would be able to leave her to go out on her own and for how long during the coldest days of the winter.
    on a cold day I wouldn't leave a dog outside very long. generally when it's cold it's fine to be outside MOVING with them. But not good to let them sit/lay on their own, one gets much colder faster that way.

    But honestly, most dogs do NOTHING outside alone and what they do do, is usually stuff you don't want them doing. It's one thing to send them out to pee/poop real quick then let them in. But they won'T go exercise themselves. What they do to entertain themselves is generally not stuff humans like (digging, chewing, barking…). Most dogs don't really care to be outside alone (beyond the potty break) anyway. Having said that, my younger dog does like to be outside alone. She doesn't dig or bark or try to get out so I do sometimes allow SOME limited time outside alone (when I have things to do and can't be out there with her). I keep it short and check in on her. she can run the fence when a dog walks by and I don't like her practicing that either.

    For exercise you need to be out there with them.

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  13. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Snowshoe View Post
    LOL, well, I guess Brampton's not quite our Ontario "banana belt" but it's close. Buddy will be fine. Oban was a baby puppy in one of our coldest, snowiest winters, 2007/08, and he was fine. I did watch for little feet held up and that did happen a few times, we just went inside. At -30C or below I was careful to limit outside to only 10 minutes. Buddy will be much older and probably the biggest reaction you will see from him is crazy, wild energy.

    You may want to be careful of salt. That's the only reason I can think of for using booties. And maybe sharp ice. Try to keep him out of salt and wash his feet when you get home, if you had to walk in some. Unless you imported Buddy from Central America it's highly unlikely he'll need a coat. A few do but it's not the norm.

    Are you leaving Buddy outside by himself for an hour each time? I'm surprised he puts up with that, Labs like to be with you. Buddy is very young, there's all kinds of trouble he could get into by himself. Sorry, if I am misreading that part. In winter big snowdrifts might allow him to walk right over your fence and out of your yard. Even if you are careful with him in that regard be aware other dogs might still be able to walk right into your yard.

    ONe thing to be careful of with a young dog is running in deep snow. Our breeder specifically cautioned against that. Hard on the cruciate. We don't go as far on snowshoes as we do on skiis as when I snowshoe it's all deep snow. When I ski there is usually some kind of a packed down trail most of the way that Oban can use. If he only would.

    No I wouldn't dream of letting him run around outside on his own (he is after all, a puppy!) Maybe when he's a bit older I'll give him some more freedom to roam around on his own. As for salt, that's not an issue. He runs around in the backyard.

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