It’s snowing again. The world outside shines with fresh powder and your dog begs to go play in the cold. Instead of locking the door and burying into a pile of blankets, here’s how you can have a blast with your dog this winter.
1. Go Hiking/Snowshoeing
Pull on some hiking boots or snow shoes as the weather permits and hit the trails! Even when the temperature plummets, your pup still needs the exercise. They will love exploring new trails and new scents with you. You can rent some snowshoes in any outdoor outlet for your needs. You can also check out the app Alltrails that will give you a list of hikes near you. It even shows the difficulty of the hike and people’s reviews for them.
2. Try Your Hand At Skijoring
If you love to go skiing, then consider trying skijoring! Originating from Scandinavian countries, this mode of transportation has become a popular sport. Before you begin, it’s important that you have some experience with Nordic Skiing and that your pup knows basic obedience commands. What you don’t want is to lose control of your dog in the middle of a steep slope, or anywhere really. This could lead to you or your pet getting hurt.
Kuhl.com has one of the best articles we could find on the subject. They list a bunch of video links, articles, and tutorials to help you get started in the sport.
3. Work On Obedience Training
If the weather outside is foul, then you can always brush up on basic obedience training with your dog. Teaching your pup to stay, leave it, stand, heel, sit, come, and lie down will go a long way in helping your pet be a proper canine citizen. There are lots of tricks you can teach your dog from standing on its legs to fetching you a drink from the fridge. It all comes down to your creativity and patience.
Training with a clicker will give you the best results and build a positive relationship between you and your pup. Also remember that while training, take everything in small steps and end every session on a positive note. You want your dog to think learning new tricks is fun and not work.
Success dogs and and Doggie Buddy have long lists of tricks you can start training your pup on.
4. Create An Obstacle Course
Another activity you can try when the weather is too harsh for you and your canine is creating an obstacle course. This is a great way to get your pup moving and thinking. You can use all sorts of items for the course: chairs, broomsticks, boxes, toys, pillows, books, and whatever else you can think of.
Make sure to have some treats at the ready when you begin. You’ll want to start the course slowly, leading your pup through each obstacle. When your dog passes a hurdle, reward them. If they don’t get it at first, reward smaller actions like lying down in front of the chair they need to go under. Also, remember to use a clicker. The more times you try, the easier it will be and soon your dog will be zooming through the obstacles.
5. Teach Your Dog Scent Tracking
This is a fun and natural activity for your pup to enjoy. The trick is to take it slow, reward frequently, and have fun. Start with your dog’s favorite toy. Tell your pup to sit and stay. Place the toy a little distance away from and say a trigger word or phrase like “Go find!” Once your dog picks up the toy, reward and repeat. To notch up the difficulty start hiding the toy in a cardboard box and further away from your pup.
As he/she continues to improve, you can start using different items and creating a scent trail with treats to lure your dog into different locations. Make the trail more difficult by hiding the toy or treat in different spots and see how well your pup does. This is a great activity for indoors as well as outdoors.
Cold Weather Safety Tips
If you decide to take your dog outside when the weather is less than ideal, make sure you are familiar with the signs and symptoms of hypothermia. Most dogs can tolerate temperatures above 45° F but as the temperature falls, you may want to take extra measures to protect your pup. That means a dog coat, booties, shelter, etc.
~ Don’t let your pup stay outside overnight without some kind of extra protection in freezing temperatures.
~ Don’t stay outside for too long if you can tell your pup is miserable.
~ Do become familiar with what you need to do if your dog starts suffering with hypothermia.
Dog time has a great article on the subject with a list of do’s and don’ts in order to keep your canine safe during the colder months.
In Conclusion
Even if it’s cold outside that doesn’t mean you can’t find some fun activities to do with your pup. Your dog still needs the exercise and it’ll be great for you too. With a little ingenuity, you can keep your pup happy and healthy while having a blast this winter.