When Is It Too Cold To Walk A Dog?

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By FitnessDog

Yea snow!

Short answer: A general rule of thumb is if it is too cold for you, it's too cold to walk the dog.

But make sure you looking at weather fairly. "Don't want to" and "too cold" can be two different things. It is important for your dog get some physical activity even in the winter.

Others things to look at when deciding when is cold "too cold": the dog's breed and type of coat, her age, any health conditions, and what she's wearing if anything.

Size

Generally, a healthy medium or large size dog can take a stroll in the winter. Below freezing, shorten the play time, by 10 or 20 minutes. For smaller dogs, you should also keep the walks short, and shorter still if below freezing. If your dog is shivering, go in

Breed

You can get information about your dog's breed and his tolerance to weather from your vet or a good reference book. For instance, even though they are sizable dogs, Bullmastiffs are particularly temperature sensative and shouldn't be out in neither very hot nor very cold weather.

Dogs with longer coats and/or are double coated (they have an undercoat of fur for the winter) can stay out in the cold longer. Single coat dogs should have shorter times outside or maybe wear a sweater or jacket.

Age and Health

Very young or very old dogs work harder to regulate body temperature. If it is cold, keep the walk very short, consider a dog sweater and booties, or even play games indoors.

Running a Snow Maze

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Just Do It - In The Cold

Just because your dog does not want to go out doesn't mean he should stay in. It is still important for your dog (hey, and you too) to get some physical activity, even in the winter. Besides, your dog might like the snow!

When Is It Too Cold For YOU To Walk Your Dog?

mary Langan 3 years ago

Thank you this was very helpful!!!

FitnessDog profile image

FitnessDog Hub Author 3 years ago

Great Mary Langan!

Barbie 2 years ago

So, how long should I walk my 1-year-old border collie mix in the winter, i.e., time and temperature?

Terry 2 years ago

Just adopted a dog. Is 10 degrees too cold to walk you dog or no its ok togo for short walk.

Bundle uP 16 months ago

20 degrees is not too cold for you or your dog... believe me. dress appr. and if there is a lot of salt you can put booties on your dog (or a coat if necessary). I live in vermont and when it's below 0 is when its too cold for both.

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