# How cold is too cold for walks?



## DallasWinston (Apr 29, 2014)

Hi everyone,

I now have an 11-month-old golden retriever pup (YIKES they grow fast) and this is our first winter together. He usually gets two walks a day, but I'm a bit worried about the 7°F temperature outside. I have heard mixed things like, "don't take them outside when it's below freezing," "put Vaseline on their paw pads before you take them out," etc. I posted the question because I want to know how low is too low and what precautions should I take with him?

Thanks so much!


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

OK, I had to convert to celcius before I could answer. 7f is about -13 c which is pretty cold, although the wind makes a huge difference. Yesterday morning was -14 c here, although no wind so not too bad. My boy has a full coat and is used to the cold, so not a big deal for us. We stay out as long as I can stand it, he's always good. Your pup is young and wouldn't have all his coat yet, also probably not acclimatized to the weather you're having. I'd be cautious and watch for signs of being chilled: shivering, lifting paws. Cut the outings short for now. Hope it warms up for you.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

DallasWinston said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I now have an 11-month-old golden retriever pup (YIKES they grow fast) and this is our first winter together. He usually gets two walks a day, but I'm a bit worried about the 7°F temperature outside. I have heard mixed things like, "don't take them outside when it's below freezing," "put Vaseline on their paw pads before you take them out," etc. I posted the question because I want to know how low is too low and what precautions should I take with him?
> 
> Thanks so much!


At 11 months old, it is not going to get too cold in your state to take your Golden for a walk. Bundle up and take the dog out.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

7 degrees F is too cold for ME. 

Once you get into those single digits, I don't really care what the dogs think - I'm not walking 3 miles just for them.  

It's 3 degrees here, but real feel temps (with wind chill) = -17 degrees.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Living up in the Clarksville area, we had a balmy 3 degrees this morning and I was merrily walking my almost 14 months old Golden and my four year old dachshund without any issues. 
The wind was a lot worse yesterday and we walked four times and my golden did not want to come in, LOL.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Oh the dogs are just fine outside in that -17 degree windchill.  

Bertie especially had fun playing out there and had to be lured back in....

We were joking this morning when I went out to get my hair done that when it's in the 20's next week, we'll be peeling off to sweaters then.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I'm in Anchorage, you don't want to ask me... 3 to 5 mile walks off leash to below -15. At -20 F, I get whimpy.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Big difference too if your boy can be off leash. He will run around to keep warm. I do the same thing. It works!


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## wjane (Oct 12, 2013)

I'm with Megora on this one  My GR girl is well insulated ie a little chubby and very hairy and is fine in this cold. My little terrier was lifting her paws last night and I had to carry her in lol. I personally can't take the cold so their walks get cut short on very cold and windy days. I'm sure an 11 month old would be fine - just watch the salt.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Incidentally cold weather is an excellent time for you and your dog to loose weight. You are both burning lots of extra calories trying to stay warm. You also move more and have to continually use more muscles to keep from slipping and sliding around. So keep that in mind when you are out with your dogs in the winter, you are losing weight!


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## NewfieMom (Sep 8, 2013)

I could not live in Alaska or in Minnesota. And I am the person who fights to stay in New England because I like snow and hate heat. I guess I just need to stay where I was planted! I like it right here.

NewfieMom

By the way, since I have a Newfoundland, my *dog* would be fine walking at any temperature at which animal life could be sustained. I assume -20F would be OK for *him*. It is I couldn't deal with it! -2F was frigid for me last winter!


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## JMME (Jun 18, 2012)

I've been taking Ripley out in the single digits and negative temperatures... But he has been lifting his paws, so we have been limiting our time outside to off leash walks with his booties. Other than his paws, he doesn't care about the cold at all, even with high winds. I'm a different story! I probably look like the kid from the Christmas Story movie lol. I figure Ripley will let me know when it's too cold


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## Kodiac-Bear (Jan 20, 2014)

It's a beautiful -18 (wind-chill) at my house and were finally getting some measurable snow this evening.  I took my 10 month old Diesel out for a leash walk tonight and he did just fine. But it was shortened until I see how he handles the temp, we normally walk 3 miles, tonight 1 1/2.

When we returned home I still couldn't get him to come in for another 1/2 hour. Diesel has a very heavy full coat especially for a 10 month old. 

Continue walking!!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Well, it was -20 Celsius here yesterday, -27 Celsius with windchill. (-4 F, windchill of -16 F). Shala played ball for 30 minutes without even noticing the cold, and then went on a big hike later on in the day. When it's this cold, I normally do walks so that both of us are moving (but yesterday, I only had a half hour, so we needed to play ball!). We walked 40 minutes this morning - I worked up a sweat in all my layers!

All this to say - Shala NEVER notices the cold. I take off my mitts and feel her ears to make sure they're warm along the way - but she's always happy as a clam. Rolls around in the snow on top of it just to make sure she gets the TRUE experience.


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

What about their feet? I am concerned about cut feet from snow and ice! If your dogs are not kept outside, the will have soft feet....I know booties are an option...but it that necessary at say 6 degrees F?


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Yesterday morning it was 0° with a -25° windchill. I took a pass on any real walking and we just played in the backyard for 15 minutes at a time. Some towns even closed school for the day.

I think it comes down to using common sense wherever one might live, our experiences vary quite a bit.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

goldlover68 said:


> What about their feet? I am concerned about cut feet from snow and ice! If your dogs are not kept outside, the will have soft feet....I know booties are an option...but it that necessary at say 6 degrees F?


Snow doesn't cut their feet, ice does. You have to evaluate the conditions and act accordingly. Being in MO you see much more ice and ice layered snow than we do. When we get snow, it's snow and it stays that way until spring.


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

Swampcollie said:


> Snow doesn't cut their feet, ice does. You have to evaluate the conditions and act accordingly. Being in MO you see much more ice and ice layered snow than we do. When we get snow, it's snow and it stays that way until spring.


Yep, I was raised in the mountains of Colorado. Had a Siberian Husky and she was good at -40 many times dragging me around on our sled! No ice just packed snow and soft snow. A wonderland for kids and dogs....but I want none of that now. In MO, we all most always have snow and ice, or sometimes just ice. My first Golden male did a pheasant hunt with me and his feet got cut up, turned out ok, but scared me and taught me a lesson...

I just wondered about the 'Vaseline' or other ideas....of course booties are probably the safest option, but just another thing I will have to train our new pup (2yrs) to get used to....but thanks anyway!


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## Flynn'sMommy (Apr 7, 2014)

This week has been brutal here in MN. I too worried about Flynn (also 11 months old) getting too cold while we were outside. Similar to a lot of comments above HE was totally fine, I on the other hand was not! I chickened out and hung out inside standing in front of the window so we could still see each other and just watched. He ran around with the zoomies and then proceeded to roll in the snow for awhile just to top it off. For all appearances seeming to be having a grand old time, no shivering or feet lifting at all. On Wed I believe the temp was around -10F with windchills in the -30 to -40 F range


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