My 9 month old [rescued] GSD/Husky absolutely LOVES being outside in the snow. I'm home during the day, so he goes in and out all day, when he's inside he grabs a drink, gets some pets, then whines to go back outside, hitting the bell at the door like crazy with his nose. He doesn't like going outside when it's dark out though-which is fine with us.
Anyway, when I was shoveling the driveway yesterday with our dog beside me, my neighbour approached me about him being outside in the cold so much. I told her that he loves it out there, he comes in and out of the house all day, and when he's outside, he's always playing. Well, except for yesterday, I went to check on him and he was sleeping in a snowbank on his back with his feet straight up in the air, which-does look rather alarming.
She didn't really believe me, and she thought that it was inhumane for him to be outside-even though he loves it and when he's out there he's having a blast.
Am I wrong to let him play outside this much in the cold and snow? Obviously, if he didn't like it, I would keep him inside, but I don't see confining him to the house when he loves the snow so much .
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Also-should I get him boots-do dogs toes get cold?
~ ~
No the husky gene says "sleep in the snow" it's very natural for them You want to be careful, however to ensure that the instinct isn't overriding common sense. Meaning if he has a husky coat, you 'll be fine but a GSD coat isn't as weatherproof. In either case, ensure there is adequate shelter. I would recommend a dogloo (just because of the breed but any good dog house will do) with a heated pad (animal approved ) and get one of those watering bowls that stays thawed out. If you find the dog in the dog house, then bring them inside.
If you are there to let him in when he wants to, there isn't a problem . Boots won't necessarily keep the feet warm, they are more to keep ice from forming between the toes. You could also just make sure to clean any ice chunks out from in between his pads every time he comes in. Huskies are built to live in the snow. If he wants to play outside all time, let him.
The general rule is that the dog can stay outside in the cold for about as long as you can with your coat on. It it's too cold for you and you want in, then the dog should come in too.
Its a Husky! Built to pull sledges across the snow, you neighbour is a scatty bat. I know this, and im not particularly fond of dogs.
that dog is much more likely to overheat in the house than he is to freeze outside. Your neighbor is an idiot. Tell him to mind his own business. He has no idea what he is talking about
It says on K9web that a Siberian Husky can live in cold temps as low as 75 degrees below zero.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com I think it's perfectly normal and great that he wants to go outside. He was born and bred for the cold.
That being said, your dog is a puppy. He will want to be active and outside. It sounds like he may need more supervision than he is getting from you, since you checked on him and found him asleep out there. You don't want that, because he's too vulnerable to the environment in general. And call the vet to get an idea of what to expect as normal..
I would think that him getting exercise outside should be encouraged, but maybe you should establish a time limit, and also check on him more often.
It's great to keep the dog in good physical shape, it's great for his physique. It makes him a happy dog. I can't authoritatively answer your question because I am not a vet, but I think you should not have him outside if you cannot supervise him. He should not be outside sleeping. He can learn to come inside when he feels like he wants to sleep. You should be checking to make sure he is active out there.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Am glad he is only outside in the daytime. Keep it that way. I think your husky is a happy, healthy dog, the exercise is doing him good. But you can't just assume that because he has the physique that he does, that he can do without your supervision. He really is just a little boy in so many ways.
One thing to remember is that dogs do not police themselves well. They get into trouble more often than we would expect because they don't pay attention to how their bodies are feeling.
Boots? He'd hate them, and shake them off. Inspect his paws to see if they are withstanding the elements - salt is a problem. Boots only if there are problems. There are other things to do to help heal cracked paws. (apply certain kinds of balms, etc. ask vet.) You do not want his paws to be injured and if they are suffering, definitely keep him inside more. Pawpads tend to become infected when exposed to extremes like salt in snow, or dry heat on the beach.
You will feel like you have more of a handle on how your dog is reacting to his environment when you spend more time out of your day supervising and inspecting his paws and ears, and making decisions that are good for him, even though the dog might not see it the same way at the time. You might want to call the vet for a consult even to get yourself on record, in case your neighbor is going to file a complaint of some sort. Your husky deserves outside play time, as long as you keep your place as 'pack leader', as Cesar Milan would say.
