Walking Your Dog In Winter

Winterize: Part II

This time of year, the winds pick up, snow comes down and ice forms everywhere. Taking your dog for a walk can become much more difficult especially if you live in a place where you can just let them outside into your back yard. Still, some of us don't have that luxury, so here are some tips to make those winter walks more bearable.

Winter Walks Safety Tips

• Use a reflective leash or collar. There is less visibility in winter and just like walking at night, drivers may have trouble seeing you if you walk near a street.


• Wear gloves. Gloves give you better ability to hold on to the leashes when you're out with the dogs. I love mittens and have worn them quite a bit when I walk Cookie and Gigi and as warm as they keep my hands, it's easy for one of the leashes to slip off my wrist.


• Don't let your dogs off the leash! Snow will cover up a dog's ability to track scents. As nice as it is to let them romp in the snow, it's much easier for them to get lost and not be able to find their way back.


• Wear boots with good traction. If you are big on walking your dogs this is a must.


• Carry a flashlight if you're walking them at night. Some flashlights are small enough to fit into the palm of your hand. I have a purse-size flashlight that is really tiny but provides a great source of light at night.


• Modify your schedule. Now that winter is here, I know that Gigi and Cookie need a minimum of two walks a day. In the summer, I was able to take them out more. Still, I don't want to lose the exercise benefits of that extra walk. So, I'm making a point to have a longer walk to keep their exercise level on target.


• Dress your dogs accordingly. Some dogs will be fine as is because their outer coat is warm enough for the winter. However, if your dog isn't, you may want to consider dog coats or even dog boots as a form of protection.

Well, these are my tips, what are yours? In case you missed part I, you can check it out here. Have a great day everybody!