This is a great time to get off leash! We all need regular exercise and exposure to natural light in the winter, and dog-walking offers both.
It’s sometimes tough to get up and out of the house when there’s a serious chill in the air, but if you plan ahead and bundle up, you’ll find the benefits of walking the dogs regularly in the winter season are worth the trouble. One big payoff: If your dogs get out regularly, they will be much easier to manage on days when they are cooped up.
Here are some tips for making cold-weather off-leash walks enjoyable:
- Create a reasonable schedule for regular walks (even if it’s every other day) and stick to it. Having a routine makes it more probable that you will take walks even when the weather is less-than-perfect.
- Walking in the woods with your dogs when it’s misty or lightly raining can be magical. The air is fragrant, the colors vibrant, and the dogs delight in the fresh scents on the ground. There are a lot fewer folks out than in the summer months, so the serenity of the forest can be enjoyed more fully, allowing you and your pack some special bonding time.
- For some dogs, wearing rain gear makes walking in wet weather more comfortable. We use a very simple raincoat (two straps around the middle) for Winston, our Pit mix, as he has very little fur and little patience for being fussed with when he’s ready for a walk. Dietrich, our German Shepherd, has a water-repellent outer coat so needs no extra protection.
- If you walk at dawn or dusk, it’s safer to go to familiar spots frequented by other dogs and their people. There is almost always an impromptu “cocktail hour” pooch party in the late afternoon at off-leash dog parks. If you don’t know where it’s happening in your area, your dog(s) would like you to find out right away!
- Walk your dogs where there are solid walking surfaces, ample light, and landscapes that allow water to run off. Dog parks with muddy standing water can be dangerous as well as unpleasant. Don’t let your dogs drink from standing water pools – giardia and other bacteria can thrive there. If they do, monitor them closely over the next couple of days and visit the vet if you see any signs of illness.
- Keep leashes, harnesses, coats/sweaters, etc. in a designated spot so you don’t have to search for them. Likewise, keep your own walking gear (coat w/doggie waste bags in the pocket, hat, dog treat bag, etc.) in a handy place. I have to transport my dogs to the off-leash park, so I keep an extra coat, hat, waste bags, towels, leashes, and some hand sanitizer in my car.
- Invest in a sturdy pair of hiking shoes/boots. Having good footing on slippery surfaces not only makes walking more comfortable; it can also affect safety for you and your dogs.
Now get out there and enjoy the winter wonderland!
Lisa Ferreira is a Bay Area native, dog lover, and animal advocate. Lisa views off-leash dog parks as a right, not a priviledge.
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