Winter hiking with dogs

“I wasn't doing much winter hiking when my older dog was in her prime (she turned 14 in November), but we have another dog now who's been a great and eager backpacker (she's 20 months old) since I started taking her with me in July.

Even though my dog has a long coat (her parents owners told me she was 1/2 airdale, 1/4 scotty and 1/4 lab), I want to be careful about keeping her safe and healthy for winter trips. It gets pretty cold, windy and exposed during the Winter in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (though we haven't had much winter so far this year).

What should I know and do to guard against frost-bite, hypothermia and other ills on winter trips?

Do you suggest things like booties or vaseline on the paws?”

“Beats me, Ped, but I have the "package".

>;^]”

“LOL! That's amusingly out of context on this thread, but it still belongs over there.

Anyway, thanks Mark!”

“I grew up with Airedales in Michigan. Their coat loads up with snowballs quickly and it's difficult to remove without thawing in front of a fireplace. Get something to cover the back. Their feet load up with snowballs too, so I'd definitely recommend booties. Airedales love winter. They never seem to get cold. Do you have a sleeping bag or pad or soemthing the dog can rest/ sleep on?”

“I made a polar fleece "jacket" for shane at camp and he sleeps in my tent. Never had luck keeping any booties on his skinny legs. I've taken him hiking in the winter only to have him limping out with bleeding paws. As much as he wants to go, now he goes to the doggie spa if there's snow on the ground.”

“Yeah, I thought I'd get a quick response.

Four years ago Buddur Dog was having trouble with his paws icing on the FYAO that year.
The high temperatures were zero.”

“Useful point treebait - I'll make sure to have something insulated for her on rest stops.”

“I would not hike in the winter without a dog. A nice portable heater in your tent. I have never had a paw problem. You should carry some Vasoline for her/his paws. Apply it night and try to keep the dog from licking it off.”

“I took Khatru out snowshoeing to the rockies at halloween time...4' of fresh powder...he took one step off the trail I had cut and dissappeared into the snow...LOL...his head and pack were the only things visible. I pulled him out and he never left the snowshoe trail behind me again.”

“LOL! thats quite an image. I hadn't thought about Dog post-holing.

I remember being stuck in a nasty blizzard in February '05 at the peak of Lafayette on Franconia Ridge and seeing a terrier mutt as happy as could be hanging out with a couple of hikers who were hunkered down with in the same spot.”

“This is what I use for Asher's paws to prevent iceballs and drying/cracking...


I also keep his nails trimmed and the hair tufts that grow between his toes (he has "grinch feet") trimmed short.

He won't tolerate booties...some dogs will. If yours will, then that is probably best. I have no experience with dog booties, other than returning them to the store x 2. LOL

For warmth, I have a "horse blanket" style cover that he wears under his pack...
in camp at night, he has a foam mat to lay on, but he prefers to lounge on Gremlin's bivy/sleeping bag every FYAO trip. :)

I have a fleece sleeping bag that I wrap him in inside the tent...sleeping bags don't work, because he gets up and turns around a lot.

Have fun!!”

“I just found this picture of Asher with frozen whiskers..too cute!

I think he has a good time out there...
;)”

“lil help please.”

“Aren't their crates to heavy for backpacking? ;-)”

“You beat me, Stovey. Actually I put my dog in her crate, put them both on the sled and pull them around. At night I pitch her tent and push her crate in it.”

“My dog would never stand for those booties.

BigPoppa, you're right about the heater thing. I love that. If my toes get cold I stick them under the dog and they get warmed right up.”

“Stickmom: You need a URL for the pic (you can create album here to do that, then left click on the enlarged pic and select properties to get the URL for the pic). Copy the URL into the message slot, highlight the URL and click the "Img" box and the pic wil show.”

“Bag Balm also works great! ; )”

“lol Stikmon!

Belle and I did a dayhike in the Adirondaks a few years ago - lotsa good bushwhacking. I had to break trail, too. But when we doubled-back, she finally got to resume her Constitutional and God given place in line.

Gizmeaux was along on our last roadtrip - fall '03. He got his first taste of real winter in WY & ID. One hike in ID I had crampons only - *barely* effective for breaking trail up toward Bighorn Crags...”

“A little winter hike today with Molly and the boys...

”

“Fritz, that dog looks awfully familiar . . .



My brother (in the photo) told me he looks a lot like a white tail deer from behind so when people ask what kind of lab he is . . . "He's a white tail."”

“That's a little scary when I take Molly in the woods during deer season.”

“hey, wait...that dog's not on a leash, everyone attach!!!

just kiddin, cute dog...that will probably be my "next" dog...ahhh, that made me sad just typing that”

“hey fritz...are all those pix from the same trip?...i thought it was weird you're all out on the ice in all of them but in one the lakes not even close to frozen”

“Oh.
Sarabelle relishes winter conditions. She's impervious to iced accumulation on her coat and/or amongst toesies. Gizmeaux is an entirely different matter. His gnarly coat ices over in August if the AC is turned up too high...

Belle did great on a snowshoe dayhike around Mt. Adams - better than I. Tooo c-c-cold for this ol boy.”

“I almost never see anyone else in that area. It is in a state park but no where near any official entrance to the park. There is just a pull-off where I can park and sneak in the back door. So no leash. Letting her run and swim and just be a dog, that is half the point of going there.

Those pics are all on the same day. The ice is on the pond -- 30 feet across and maybe 200 yards long. The unfrozen water is the "creek" which runs parallel to the pond.”

“Nice pics - both dogs look a lot like my cousin's dog, Sam.”

“I have two Karelian Bear Dogs who love winter (and summer) hiking. They're a Nordic breed and love cold weather. Also run off bears.

There is a pair at an animal rescue where one of mine came from that need a good home. It just came to mind that somebody out there might be a candidate.

I'll watch here if anyone wants more information.

Mine are excellent hiking companions.”

“

Is this pack too big?”

“No the dog is too small....(LOL)”

“That is the perfek pakpak! That is how Gissmaeioux wares his pakpak bwt.”