Walking dogs in the winter....

dumb_blondes_rock

I have an Australian Shepard/Collie mixed dog, so she has a grip of fur, but its going to be about 55 degrees out when I want to go walking this morning. Is that too cold to take her with me? I would go walking at night in the summer to avoid her overheating, but not sure if she would be too cold to go out in the weather we have now. I live in California, so 55 is extremely cold lol

_Zardoz_

I'm assuming you're talking Fahrenheit? Thats about 12 degrees C which is pretty warm IMO Is that what you meant. My Dogs go swimming in the sea below 0 degrees C. (A lab and a Golden Retriever). An Aussie shepherd/Collie should have no problems in that temperature. As long as you keep an eye on her dogs are adaptable

IronPhyllida

Also if they're running around that'll keep them warm. I've got a labrador and a heinz 57 (collie / whippet / jack russel cross) and he's got think fur (ie not as well covered as the lab) and he does fine, just make sure he runs around a lot.
And it's about 3-5 degrees C in the UK now so at 12 degrees it would be lovely!! Like springtime in the UK...

dumb_blondes_rock

I know it sounds ridiculous, but in Cali we aren't used to cold weather, at least the part where I live. She has lived in this area all her life, so she is accustomed to the weather here. I just didn't want to be cruel to her and make her freezing cold. Thanks for the o.k. to go though

mreeves261

An Aussie will likely WELCOME that kind of temp. My sister had one in Detroit. Only problems we ever had was keeping the fur around her pads trimmed so she didn't end up with ice clumps in them.

sarahliftsUP

You are definitely good to go! I walk my dogs in like -15ºC weather -- depending on the wind chill will go colder. But I love dressing them up in sweaters or coats if I think they are going to be cold. I've got a beagle and a basset hound!

Letje_Lux

That's still warm for my Sheltie, he isn't bothered at all by freezing temps or snow. He's perfectly happy to go out and chase snowballs.

arrseegee

My dog (a lazy little pug) went out for a walk with me this morning when it was -3°C. So long as they keep moving and your house is warm for them when they get home I think it'll be fine.

smacmillan86

You are definitely good to go! I walk my dogs in like -15ºC weather -- depending on the wind chill will go colder. But I love dressing them up in sweaters or coats if I think they are going to be cold. I've got a beagle and a basset hound!

I've got two beagles! Aaah beagle love. :-)

OP We walk our dogs in weather as cold as -20 C, we just put coats and special wax on their paws and away we go. You should be fine. :-)

AmyRhubarb

I've lived in California all my life - I hardly feel 55º is "extremely cold" and I doubt your pup does either. My dogs (a lab and a rat terrier) sleep outside and do just fine, and they love walks in any temperature.

lj3jones

we take walks down to -20C. that would be just below 0 F. We have a golden retriever.

Cinflo58

55 degrees is cold? Geesh......I was worried about taking my girl out in the 20's. She has a coat but she has gotten too fat for it. She needs MFP for doggies

GiddyupTim

Trust the fur. The more they learn about animal fur the more they realize what an amazing insulator it is. Anyway, I suspect that if you have a herding dog, you'll be better off torturing the dog with a little cold than having the (highstrung) dog torturing you because it is not getting any exercise.

AmyP619

Get him a sweater!! I always put a jacket or a sweater on my Boston Terrier when I take him outside if it's cold We've been taking him to the dog park on weekends. I'm in Maine, so it gets pretty cold here. He runs around and loves it. 55 degrees is NOT cold at all!!!!! Lol

csand11

When I lived in Northern B.C. My dog got walked in -30C. He wAs fine. We also went out in -40 which is the same in Celsius or Fahrenheit As long as he wasn't out too long in extreme cold he was fine, in fact he would roll around in the snow banks trying to dig out snowballs. And my dog has very short, fine hair like a lab. I felt that as long as I was okay outside so was he.

The only concern I had with the cold was taking him on errands where he'd be waiting in the car. In that case my rule is plus or minus 20. If the weather is over 20 or under-20 Celsius the dog stays home.

dumb_blondes_rock

She loved the walk...I know I know, us Cali people are spoiled and don't really know what cold is. I just wasn't sure if like her feet would be sensitive or something. She frolicked through the grass like a child from little house on the prairie though

UpEarly

I take my fifteen pound pug out walking even when temperatures dip into the teens and single digits. We go 4-6 miles. He does great and is usually panting by the end of the walk.

He even loves going out in the snow!



55 degrees isn't cold *at all* for dogs.

SmartAlec03211988

My dogs went outside in 25 degrees yesterday for a couple hours and didn't mind one bit. They actually didn't want to come back inside.

Dogs fur is very warming. Especially if it's thick or long.

BlueBombers

I have an English Bulldog and he's a big wuss in the winter. He goes outside to do his business and wants to come back in right away.

1princesswarrior

I was going to say your dog will probably love, love, love the coolness. And an aussie/collie mix does not need a sweater or coat, then you would have to worry about overheating.

We have a saying about blanketing our horses/dogs in the OH area, if we feel they are cold and need a blanket, it's probably because we are cold and need a blanket (stress on the word we).

It's around 25F here today with a wind chill around 15F and my dogs will not come in the house, they are border collies and belgian shepherds.

AnninStPaul

It's 9F in St Paul today. My havanese moves briskly in this weather. But soon we'll likely get him a jacket, primarily for the wind.