12/04/2025
S E A S O N A L S U R V I V A L
P R O T I P #2 🔔
(Changed the title from “holiday” to “seasonsal” to cover more ground… frozen ground that is… 🥶
🔕 You might think this picture is hinting at “don’t eat yellow snow”… Which in fact is a very valid pro tip with the first snow of our season! ❄️ 😆❄️
However this week’s pro tip is certainly more about safety…
❄️ “Frosty Paws” is only a good phrase when referring to the frozen puppy treat…
The hair between puppy toes can cluster with snowballs and cause a biting pain to go straight into their feet… Think “ice cream headache“!
🧦 Puppy booties are very appropriate at this time of year though it will take some doing to get your dog used to it… ⚠️ Warning and disclaimer: if your dog is not good about feet being handled, if you’re going to lose fingers, an eye or your life, you may want to avoid this step ‼️
❄️Small dogs and older dogs are more prone to hypothermia than bigger dogs. Limit time out for potty breaks and walks
❄️ Your bigger dog won’t even appreciate their normal long walk in extremely cold temperatures… use your good judgment… this walk is not as important as their safety.
(Or… try walking without a coat and barefoot with them and see how it feels to be them…)
❄️ If you are in fact going out for a walk, consider how important dog coats are in colder temperatures for most dogs. Some of the longer haired, larger breeds (Huskies, Shepherds, Malamutes, Newfoundlands, Pyrenees, etc) are usually ok in the cold without a coat, but most of the dogs that you all have will require some sort of coat.
(Shout out to SnugPups at Snugpups.net for locally made fleece coats that are easy to put on, wash and are not only beautiful but also comfy cozy. My Libby loves her pink cupcake coat, Gina adores her plaid with a peplum, while Big Ben enjoys the earthy and masculine look of his pumpkin spice plaid)
❄️ And finally, if they’re not getting their normal physical exercise outside, consider walking them around in a dog friendly store for some social involvement, or do a fun-filled, treat-filled training session indoors with your dog to utilize their mental energy, create teamwork, give them some challenges, and create great manners while we’re waiting for the thaw that comes after Solstice with longer days & more sun…
Hang in there ‘cause…
the sun will come out tmrw…
or more likely in March 😳
