I thought I would ring in the new year, 2016, with some winter fitness tips for dogs (and their humans). It’s no secret we live in a climate where we normally have a cold and snowy winter, but it is also our favorite and most active season. You and your dog can stay fit in the winter as well, if you follow my simple tips.
Winter Fitness Tips For Dogs
1. Make a lifestyle change
Every year so many people make their new year resolutions and what becomes of them? Most of the time nothing. We don’t make resolutions at my house. We have a lifestyle which often includes goals. Decide you want to get fit in 2016 by living a healthy and fit lifestyle. Include your dog. Dogs are the best fitness buddies you will ever find. We are always ready and willing to workout with you. Start small and set a goal for where you want to be later in the year. Choose activities you enjoy, and you will find it easier to make them a habit. Make sure you stick with your lifestyle change for at least a month to allow your body time to adjust. Leave the excuses locked in a closet. Get out there with your dog no matter if it is raining, snowing, hot, or cold. You will both develop a new routine that will be your new lifestyle.
2. Be seen
Late fall and winter are when most pedestrian/vehicle accidents occur. Pedestrians don’t always pay attention to traffic, and many drivers simply don’t see pedestrians, or are distracted. Don’t take any risks. We are always out for an hour or more in the dark morning hours, but no one can miss us! Never assume a car will stop, not even at a crosswalk or stop sign. Mom wears a reflective vest, reflective wrist and ankle bands and a strobe light. If we do get hit, that driver will have a tough time saying they couldn’t see us! Never go out in just dark clothing, that is asking for trouble. Make sure your dog also has something reflective on their collar or coat so they are also seen.
3. Dress for success
Humans always wear the appropriate clothing, but what about your dog? Many dogs don’t need coats, so make sure your dog needs one before you run out and buy one. My sisters and I never wear coats and are plenty warm. Do get some boots/shoes for your dog. We love being out in the snow, but right after a good snow, we tend to get snowballs in our paw pads which is painful. One also has to realize those plows are dumping salt all over the roads. After a snow, we wear PAWZ boots for a day or two. They are easy to put on, and after about three steps, we forget we are wearing them. We can run, walk, do everything we need to do wearing them, and our paws are safe and protected.
4. Know the weather conditions
We go out 365 days a year for our walks, two to three times a day, but before heading out, Mom always checks the current weather. If it is below zero cold, we need to wear our shoes to keep our paws from freezing on the pavement, and we will need to take a shorter walk. If we have gotten rain or sleet that has frozen, we have to be extra careful. Dogs fall on the ice just as humans do, and we can also get seriously injured. Never ask your dog to run or chase on slippery surfaces as we may end up with a trip to the vet. Stay on clean shoveled surfaces, or in the case of ice, on the grass or in the snow if there is any.
5. Hydration
Most people only think about getting their dog plenty of water in the heat of the summer, but actually, we need a lot of water in the winter as well. If you live in a cold climate where your furnace is running all winter, you know how dry the air is, which means you and your dog are being dried out too. Make sure and provide clean drinking water for your dog at home, and if you are out and about, bring along water for him. Avoid using metal bowls for outdoor water in the winter as tongues can freeze to the metal. I’m enjoying my Torus water bowl outside. I will be talking more about these awesome bowls and giving one away on Monday, so stay tuned!
Now that you have read my fitness tips for dogs, make your new lifestyle plans today and get started. Don’t wait until tomorrow! What do you and your dog enjoy doing together in the winter?
Iβm co hosting the FitDog Friday Blog Hop with SlimDoggy, and To Dog With Love!Β Please join us on Fridays to share your fitness stories with others, find new ways to have fun, and new fitness ideas too! Tell your friends to stop by as well β fit dogs are healthier, happier dogs!
Great tips, Emma! We don’t make resolutions either but I do have some goals for 2016! Our girls are shorthaired so they do need coats or they’d freeze. A lot of little dogs should really be wearing coats and old dogs who can’t regulate their temperature very well. We also do boots, too but only on Zoe because she’s allergic to wet grass. π
Some dogs and breeds really do need coats, but some people we see are putting them on dogs that don’t need them, especially when it isn’t that cold, those are the dogs we mean. Happy New Year!
All furry important and PAWEsome recommendations! We’ll – uh – sit on our lounger and watch you work out. Or maybe try for the red dot again… HAPPY MEW YEAR!
The red dot is a great workout for kitties. Cat bro Bert loves to hunt it down, but Bailie also enjoys chasing after it in the yard at night…especially in the snow.
not something we have to worry about – we have been in the 80’s all week π
Sad for you, no winter. We don’t like hot weather at all, that is when we don’t want to do anything.
These are great tips, Emma. We hadn’t had to think about it much, but it looks like winter is finally here! We were on the same page as you, and made goals instead of resolutions and we’re going to work hard towards reaching them (I need to put my excuses away under lock and key, that’s for sure!). Happy New Year!
Excuses are such a bad thing but humans love to use them! Good luck reaching your goals.
that are great tips, many thanks. we will change something this year, my mom will re-start to run with me… I hope she will stick with her great plan :o)… althought the new running shoes are bought, so the first step is done :o)
Great idea. My mom loves to run and Bailie is her running buddy. I used to run too, but I gave it up so Bailie can do it.
Excellent tips Emma – especially the fashion tips π
I always like to be a fashionable girl. It’s not all about what you do, but how you look doing it!
Such great tips! Here’s to a happy and safe New Years! Have a great day.
Happy New Year to you and the pups too!
I love those blue booties! Happy New Year from all of us!
They make tiny ones for tiny dogs. You kitties could give them a try!
Happy New Year
Snorts,
Lily & Edward
Happy 2016 my friends!
Happy New Year! While our cold weather is considered warm to you, to us it is frigid. We have to be careful when the temperatures drops because we aren’t used to it. The boys both received coats for Christmas but I need to check into those PAWS. I’ve been hesitant to try to fit Bentley’s big feet into them. Haha!
You know what they say about guys with really big feet don’t you??? They are clowns! Just get the right size and they will work, most likely purple like my sister Katie. We are enjoying the cold in the teens, sad it will be close to 30 for the coming days, a bit too warm. I’ve got an order in for more snow and colder temps but it hasn’t happened yet.
Well!! You will certainly be seen in the dark wearing such bright yellows!!!
α¦ husky hugz α¦ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
That would be the point. Mom and Bailie would be hit by a car 1-2 times a week if they weren’t on the look out for those drivers who are not paying attention. It is seriously dangerous out there.
I was never able to master the art of getting any of my Boys to wear booties when we lived in VA. Thank the Doodle I don’t have to try anymore. Great tips – we’ve all got to do our best to stay fit!
The hardest part is getting them on eight or twelve paws, but after that, it is a cinch for all of us. A few steps and we are off like we have no boots. Happy New Year!
Thank you for these tips! It helps us know what to expect when we one day move to the mountains. π We don’t get snow where well are currently, but we hope to do some winter trips and hikes and would love to see some snow!
Snow is so much fun. We love all the different seasons. Right now we love the cold and snow, but after several months of it, it gets boring and the spring is nice. We just don’t like the heat of summer.
Pawsome tips, Emma – there really aren’t any excuses not to go out & exercise in a variety of weather conditions with all of the wonderful accessories these days! Missy & Buzz only wear their coats when it’s freezing outside – or raining π Of course the other day we ended up getting drenched in a sudden downpour and weren’t wearing any rain jackets…oh well, that’s what towels are for, right?!
We don’t see the point of raincoats because our legs and bellies get totally wet and dirty, only our backs would stay dry. Bailie and I don’t mind being soaked at all. Katie isn’t a fan of water and isn’t quite so happy.
Happy New Year Emma! Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy new year!!
Happy New Year to you and your furs!
What great tips Emma! We are lucky that we have pretty temperate conditions here on the Northwest coast. We are looking forward to hearing more about the dish because we are looking for some all weather travel gear!!
Smileys!
Dory, Jakey, Arty & Bilbo
We are loving ours. At first Mom wasn’t so sure about them, but last night she was just telling us how much she likes them!
Those are fabulous tips! Best of luck in the new year.
Thanks. You guys are good at staying fit in the winter too!
Excellent advice! Phoebe always needs a sweater in Winter, she gets cold easily. My Husky on the other hand does not need anything and loves to frolic and lay in the snow; she’d stay there for hours if we didn’t make her come in! We plan to take at least one trip up North to Flagstaff, AZ with our Husky so she can get her snow on! Little Phoebe will stay home, warm & cozy.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Some of the little dogs and other thin furred breeds do need to bundle. The most we do are the boots like this morning when it is -15. If we don’t we get a freezer burn like feeling on our paws when we are on our walk. We don’t mind the boots now and then.
Great post and lots of great reminders! Stay warm my fur-iend! π
Thanks. We are wearing out PAWZ on the morning walk the past two days since it is so far below zero. With those on, we can really zoom and have fun.
Excellent recommendations, Emma. You and your sister are our inspiration and heroes! α¦
Heros, I don’t know, but we do inspire pretty well!
Trust me, you guys are blogging heroes for pros and novices alike.
Wow! Thank you π