How long for unprotected paws in the snow? - Page 1

I was just wondering how long, or what is the time limit, everyone puts on their dogs playing in the snow?

My concern is for the paws. My guy (an indoor GSD) does wear boots when we walk on the streets during winter as the salt thrown down around here is ridiculous, but how long just playing in snow with unprotected paws? My guy will go for hours if I let him and I'm just wondering what everyone's opinion is. Thanks, Karen.

I've skijored in lots of snow at -25 F for two or three hours at a time and never used booties on my dog.  He had very good compact feet.  If your dog has good compact feet, and is not a LC, he should be fine and not require booties.  If he has bad feet, long toes, hare feet, etc, then he will need booties when he plays in the snow.  If you look at the bottom of the feet, you will see a gap in the middle of the toes of a dog with bad feet.  That's where the ice forms into balls.  Since you've already let your dog outside to play, and have not mentioned a problem with ice build up in his toes, he probably has good feet.  I don't think the cold temp matters, unless it is wet snow.  Booties are mostly to keep the ice from forming inbetween the toes, which can cause serious pain, they aren't to keep the feet warm.  Just use your own best judgement in that case, I guess. 

Veronica

My dogs are out in it all day, they know when to stop.     They do have dry space to rest up fo the next rampage.

The salt can be bad.     Extreme cold is bad.    My winters are not that severe.

Indoor dogs would not stay out like mine, so just watch them.  If they are really cold or have ice balls in their feet they will let you know.  

They're tough dogs.

Depends on the type of snow/ice and the condition of the dog's feet to begin with.  You seemto have the problem with the chemicals and salt that are down. The most important thing for that is that you wash your dogs feet when you come back to the house so that he/she doesn't lick the paws and injest the chemicals.  Besides salt if you're running or walking on roadways and thru parking lots antifreeze is also a consern.

From the view of just wear and tear from salt or ice the comments that your dog may well be the best judge. Last winter when Duke was missing for 5 weeks I hiked all over a mountain area where he'd been sighted, and saw where his paws were raw from running and breaking thru the icy crust.  He often would find where I had walked, and the following day I'd find his pawprint and a dab or red where he'd cut a pad.  It took a week to treat these once I found him and got him safely home. On the otherhand I've run a sled team for hours in soft powder or a packed trail with no problems at all.

its long coats that suffer in the snow :( the ice builds up between the pads and it forms ice balls on the fur in between the pads. 

just keep your eye on him if he doesnt look happy  bring him in:)

As you say moons,  tough buggers dogs and not something we always appreciate.

What always amazes me is why their paws don't get cold? there's gotta be blood flowing through them.

On a similar theme ol' Nelson went for a swim a couple of nights ago when the temperature was a couple of degrees below freezing... Not quite the same as the real cold you guys get over in the states but still if I was to have followed him in im pretty sure I would have snuffed it with instant heart failure!!

What is it that enables them to retain their core temperature so well?

Cheers,

AandA

mushers secret wax.  google it

both of my long coats.... 11 monrhs and 6 month can stay out in the snow as long as I would let them. I let them goof off for about 30 minutes to an hour 2 or 3 times a day,,,, they simply can't get enough of the snow!!!!!