Snow day! Casey's Corner

Just because winter appears to be here in earnest, that’s no excuse for gluing you and your dog to the couch in front of a crackling fire and spending the day gorging on bon-bons. It may be cold and rainy where you are — but what about driving a few miles up the road and enjoying a snow day with your pup?

Most dogs absolutely love the snow, and morph into crazy puppies when they encounter the white stuff. It may relate to the sensory qualities of snow, the same reason that toddlers and young children love to play in it.

When it comes to dogs and snow, we often think of breeds like Siberian huskies or Alaskan malamutes or Bernese Mountain dogs. These dogs are very literally born for the snow, with nearly impenetrable double coats that insulate them from the cold. But many other breeds are known for their love of snow: golden retrievers, labrador retrievers, rough and smooth coated collies, chow chows, and Akitas. Most of these dogs share a couple of traits: they’re larger, and they have double coats. But there are also smaller dogs with double coats like the Tibetan terrier, Norfolk terrier, Airedale terrier, Scottish terrier, Australian shepherd and Shetland sheepdog that can tolerate cold.

In general, small dogs and ones with short coats don’t fare well in cold weather: they simply don’t have the insulation to protect them from harsh conditions.

Dogs with very short legs like Dachshunds and toy breeds can also find the cold challenging because they’re so near to the cold ground.

Now, that’s not to say that if you have a single-coated or small dog that you can’t enjoy the snow with them. You can, as long as you keep some guidelines in mind.

Small and single-coated dogs will benefit from an insulated jacket, and perhaps even paw boots. Most dogs can tolerate the cold until temperatures drop below 45 degrees. Once it dips below freezing, your dog will probably begin to feel uncomfortable unless he’s an arctic breed, and you need to limit his exposure to 10 or 15 minutes; below 20 degrees, both you and your dog are especially susceptible to injury from the cold.

Watch your pup for signs of hypothermia: shivering, lethargy, disorientation and difficulty walking. If you suspect hypothermia, get your dog to a warm room or vehicle, wrap her in blankets or towels, place bottles of warm water next to her and notify your veterinarian right away. Untreated, hypothermia can cause death.

Be especially watchful if you plan to take your older dog or young puppy to the snow, as both have a much harder time regulating their body temperature. The same is true for dogs on medication or with a chronic condition such as asthma, arthritis, or thyroid or heart disease. And don’t forget that ice is just as slippery for dogs as it is for you: many a dog has ended up in surgery with a torn ACL after slipping on ice.

Speaking of ice, make sure your off-leash dog doesn’t go bounding across a field and onto an ice-covered pond which is only partially frozen.

And finally, keep in mind that more dogs are lost in winter than at any other time of the year. Snow can disorient your dog, and cold can diminish the power of scent. Make sure he’s wearing an ID collar and is microchipped just in case the worst happens.

So next time you can’t think of anything to do, take your pup for a play-date in the snow!

Happy Holidays from Joan, Joey, and Indy.

Joan Merriam lives in Nevada County with her golden retriever Joey, her Maine coon cat Indy and the abiding spirit of her beloved golden retriever Casey in whose memory this column is named. You can reach Joan at joan@joanmerriam.com. And if you’re  looking for a golden, be sure to check out Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue.