Too darn cold Mom!!!!

[juliette]

Okay, so with another dusting of snow and minus 13 C. here today, Otto made it very, very clear that he wasn't going to go for his morning walk under ANY circumstances. Early cold or wet mornings (actually every morning since around late September) he just digs his heels in and won't come to me when it's time for walkies...

I have to pick him up, watch him shiver dramatically (despite wearing both fleece sweater and wool lined coat), carry him to the top of the street, put him down and and then argue with him that "no, you can't run right back to the house right now, you have to do your business".

After three or four occaisions of having to go, pick him up and put him back on the snow covered grass, he finally, begrudingly agreed to poop and pee and RUN home (I am convinced that no two paws were on the ground at the same time).

I have definately lost control of this situation. Anybody have any suggestions?

Juliette, Christopher & Otto

(as I look back at my posts on this board, I always seem to be complaining that Otto's got one or another problem - he is wonderful, we're just new parents and want to get him all sorted out first!).

[blazeman]

One thing I try and do is keep a clear path to the grass at my house. I live in a townhome and I don't NEEd to shovel anything... but I do for Jake.

Also... If the snow has covered the grass I take a 3x4 foot area and shovel the snow off of that too...

Jake doesn't seem to mind the snow or cold yet though... of course... not as high up north as you :D

[willsana]

We don't have any snow yet. (wierd) But I moved back to Minnesota when my dog Duffy was 8 years old. She was born and raised in So. California. The cold was hard for her. She wore sweater and coat too. I had to bundle her up and carry her to the barn to go. (Spent the first winter back at the folks' farm)
The following winters she toughened up and didn't have much problem. But as she got old she couldn't handle it anymore. When the snow would fall during the night the morning would be me in front with the shovel and Duffy walking behind. She would wait patiently for me to shovel out a potty spot. Then we would RUN back to the house!

I don't know how Willow will deal with the snow when it comes. So far she is ok with a coat on. She will do most anything to be outside. She loves it. I am planning to make a sawdust "potty spot" for her when the snow flies and keep it covered with a tarp to keep the snow off. (I'll just pull the tarp off for her.)

Would boots work with your pupper? I have never tried it.

:o)-willsana

[steeve]

I have the same problem with my three month old. I've tried putting on her little sweater but it doesn't seem to make any difference. When the temperature dropped below zero I figured it might be a little better since it wasn't as wet, but no luck. A friend of mine suggested getting her some little boots which will probably help. As it is, I've been successful exactly once in the past month in getting her to do her business outside, she just crawls back to me looking pathetic and shivering like she were near the arctic circle (montreal is cold though sometimes.) Her aim is getting better when it comes to her newspaper in the bathroom, but I have a carpet that is destined for the trash come next spring.

And if you walk near a salted walk you should probably consider using boots anyway since I've heard that it's bad for the dogs paws. Dunno if this applies to dachshunds ...

[Mark]

We've had a few snowfalls which have lasted as long as a few weeks before melting. If it is snowing (or has just snowed) and open the door for "potty time" . . . our five race up to the open door and it's like an invisible barrier that stops them just short of being outside. :lol: Very comical!

Yes, from experience . . . Dachsie feeties are very sensitive to salt. :( So either don't use it where they will be or cover their feet.

[crock]

Good morning. I woke up this morning here in North Central Arizona to a blanket of beautiful white snow! This is our first snowfall of the year. We have been in such a terrible drought, this is a welcome sight.
I let my thre out and they had a ball running around in it. This is Patty's first snow experience (she is 8 mos old) At first see didn't want to go out, but with a little help (I picked her up) she went. Then they had so much fun out there. My 2 long hairs like it more than poor Laila the smoothy. 30 Seconds is long enough for her.
So I guess each furkid is individual just like hoomans.
Char

[juliette]

The one and only time Chris and I tried boots on the pupper it was an absolute non starter. We strapped the mutt-lucks on him and instant freak out.

As for the salt issue, the delicate holding up of a paw generally denotes that "owwww...this hurts" and means that Otto gets instantly deposited in the shower upon return to the house. A good soaking of the feet in fresh running water and he's a happy pupper.

Cheers
J

[NCDachsies]

Miss Dixie hates the cold & wet as well ... she will only go out into the nasty rain or snow if carried & plopped down in the midst of it. When I had my first dachsie, Becky, I had to stomp down the snow so she wouldn't get it stuck up in her coat (not spoiled at all). Then she'd get so used to "making yellow snow" that when it melted down she'd find the tiniest spot to use :D

We've thought of using boots, but I don't think Dixie would tolerate them ... she definitely needs a sweater tho -- that smooth little coat just isn't warm enough!

Jan ^v^

[Dan]

Well, i took the family out to Wrightwood on New Year's Day to play on snow. It was so beautiful. This is Trixie's first time on snow with us and i think the poor girl now needs a lifetime theraphy. I really thought she will like the snow but i guess i was wrong. As soon as i put her down and her feet touch the snow, she jumped up (looks like she had springs on her feet or on trampoline) back in my arms yelping and shivering. The poor girl was so scared she even peed all over me. I think she was traumatized and all she wanted was sit on my lap all day in the van. Wife took the kids play on snow while we stayed in the van. She does not want me to leave her alone in the van to go and play with the kids. She just whines and gives me that look that says "please don't leave me here all alone, i am so scared with that white stuff on the ground". My kids thought it was so funny see her pee all over me. I guess we will not take her with us the next time we go back to Wrightwood or i will spend my fortune for her theraphy :D

[Rusty's mom]

We have to keep an area shoveled for our guys and they also love going on our deck - it's covered and we'll need to replace the carpet on it this coming summer. Our guys start shivering in September and don't stop until July. If they had their way we would be living someplace where they had never heard of the word snow!!!

Kathy - mom to Rusty, Duffer, Hobbs

[Amy719]

Hi everyone! I'm new here. I'm very glad that I found this website. I'm a 1st time doxie owner & I love it!

I'm glad that I'm not the only one whose puppy won't go out in icky weather..lol My doxie,Charlie,wants nothing to do with it. He'd much rather go here in the house,although he has gotten much better at it. He's only 9 months old so I still have hope.

Amy

[BooBoo's Mom]

We just had two snowfalls one right after the other here in VA. BooBoo will spend more time rooting in the snow than getting down to business! He loves the fresh powder and will literally bury his head down and push it up as he is walking. It is a riot to see him make this long "tunnel" !! The odd thing is that he absolutely hates the rain and has to be forced to go out and duty, but races back into the house when he is done. Can't figure out why he loves snow falling but not rain?

[juliette]

I was ready to kill both puppers this morning. Neither wanted to go out for their morning walk - they both dug in and refused to walk, move or do anything other than sulk. Of course, it was the day that we were in a rush to get to work......

The ended up having to be walked individually - they both protested firmly about being outside (despite heavy fleece coats).

Okay, I admit -20 degrees C is very, very cold - but the antics of the puppies this morning was NOT amusing.

Juliette

[Meemoo]

we sing to him when we get out there as to "Jolly him out" of his sulky mood. :) It mostly works...the neighbors think we are nutty but hey, whatever works right?:lol:

[blazeman]

So we got 8 1/2 inches of snow yesterday. I didn't even bother putting Jake on his leash when i got home from work. I grabbed the shovel and took out a good patch of snow off the grass for Jake to do his thang... and what does he do... poops in the middle of the driveway! Good thing is they had already plowed it and I just shoveled his stuff into the snow so i could clean it with the rest later :)