When Is It Too Cold To Walk Your Dog? 5 Tips for Safe Winter Walks
As winter rolls in and temperatures drop, many dog owners ask, “When is it too cold to walk your dog?” In this post, I’ll walk you through factors to consider, from breed and age to size, as well as tips for safely navigating the winter weather with your dog. Plus, discover ways to keep your dog active indoors when the temperatures dip too low!
How Cold Is Too Cold? Factors To Consider
All dogs are different and there are many factors that can come into the equation of when is it too cold to your walk your dog.
#1 – Age
Obviously younger dogs are going to struggle in the cold just as children aren’t going to be able to tolerate the cold as well as adults. This also goes to the other extreme, the more senior dogs will also struggle too. There are also things to consider such as health conditions especially things like joint issues.
#2 – Breed
Some breeds will not bat an eyelid at the sight of snow. We must have all seen the videos on Instagram of huskies lying outside in the snow refusing to come in? I’m sure we’ve all seen the videos of other dogs being let out to go to the toilet and turning straight back around at the sight of snow.
Some breeds thrive in the cold weather and are literally designed for that climate such as huskies, malamutes and newfoundlands
#3 – Size
Smaller dogs will struggle more in the cold whilst the larger dogs will be able to withstand more. However make sure to consider things like breed, just because you have a large dog doesn’t mean that they are capable of withstanding husky-like temperatures.
A general rule of thumb is to look for -5 degrees as your limit but this will vary from dog to do and the best way to tell would be to look at your dogs body language.
One thing that frustrates me is when you see people walking their dog in hot weather and the dog is panting and walking slowly, showing obvious signs of dehydration and being uncomfortable in the heat, yet they keep going. The same thing goes for winter in a way, your dog will show signs that they are too cold and it’s time to head home.
Signs That Your Dog Is Too Cold….
Dogs will give signs that they are getting cold through body language, you just have to keep an eye out for them just as you should when it’s getting too hot for your dog.
Keep your eye out for the following when out on your walk:
- Shivering
- Whining
- Standing next to you for warmth
- Slow and anxious-like behaviour and not wanting to walk
- Cold ears
- Lifting paws off of floor
Preparing Your Dog for Cold Weather Walks
Just like us, dogs need time to acclimatize to colder temperatures. If your dog isn’t used to winter weather, it’s important to introduce them gradually. Start with shorter walks and monitor their reactions, adjusting based on how they handle the cold. Use protective dog walking winter gear like jackets and boots, especially for breeds that aren’t naturally equipped for harsh weather.
Also, pay attention to their paws—icy surfaces can lead to cracks or injuries, so wiping their paws down and applying paw balm can help maintain their comfort. Slowly increasing exposure and monitoring their body language will help them handle the cold better and prevent winter from becoming a time of stress.
Balancing Outdoor Walks with Indoor Activities
When it’s too cold to spend much time outdoors, it’s essential to keep your dog mentally and physically stimulated inside. On particularly frosty days, a short walk can be supplemented with enriching indoor activities to keep your dog’s mind engaged and their body active. Scent games, puzzle toys, and obstacle courses are excellent ways to give your dog a workout without braving the cold for long periods.
For more ideas on keeping your dog entertained indoors during winter, check out our post on exercising dog in winter weather for practical tips and fun activities that can keep your dog happy and fulfilled, no matter how cold it gets outside.
5 Winter Walking Tips To Stay Safe and Dry
I’m not going to tell you to keep your dog indoors all through winter, as much as i love the idea of hibernation, I don’t think it’s possible with other commitments to keep your dog happy and healthy like that.
As long as you understand when is it too cold to walk your dog there is nothing wrong with taking your dog out.
Jasper, even though he is a Staffie with pretty short fur, loves the snow but it’s a fan when it get super cold. Today because it was fresh snow, I took him out in the morning and let him enjoy (and eat) it. The rest of the day was toilet breaks and mental stimulation and play inside.
Going on a walk is probably one of the highlights of your dogs day and you should aim to fulfill that when it’s safe to do so.
Below are 5 tips for winter walking with your dog:
#1 – Limit Your Time Outside
Cold weather does a little bit of good for us and our dogs when it comes to health. One thing is that we burn more energy staying warm so we tire out more (not the best for us but this can be beneficial for our dogs) which is why you see a lot of dogs sleeping more during winter.
If you are to walk your dog I’d suggest about 30 minutes for most dogs (depending how cold it is and the factors mentioned earlier). Stay close to home in case it is too cold for your dog and you have to go back but the main aim of the walk is just to get some air, run around if you are able to.
Add more mental stimulation to your dogs routine over winter to help deal with the reduction in outdoor time.
#2 – Dry/Wipe Your Dog Down After Every Walk
One thing I am in the habit of doing is wiping Jaspers paws after every walk. Regardless of the weather or whether we’ve been out to the toilet or for a walk, I wipe his paws.
This makes sure that obviously your dogs paws are clean but also that they are dry and it also warms them up a little bit too with a towel.
This can also help for condensation and frost build up. Have you ever noticed that when it’s cold you sometimes get a bit “moist” under the nose? Thats from the heat from breathing hitting the cold. The same thing will go for dogs, wiping them down with a dry towel will ensure any of these spots are dry.
#3 – Look into jackets and shoes
If you do really need to walk your dog for longer periods and want to go for winter hikes then you can invest in winter boots and jackets.
I highly recommend getting a jacket for your dog because sometimes you do just have to take them out and the weather is terrible for example I live in an apartment and if I even want to take Jasper to the toilet I have to take the lift down and go out which can be as short as 2 minutes and as long as 10 minutes! In that time we can get drenched or it can be too cold for his feet.
If its so cold that we need to wrap up with gloves, scarves, hats and all that jazz, don’t you think our dogs would benefit from a jacket?
#4 – Time Your Walks
Just like when the weather is way too warm, if you are going to walk your dog, walking them at the right time before the heat kicks in is the key. The theory goes for winter walks apart from you want to wait until it’s a little warmer to walk your dog. Obviously some of us don’t have this luxury and have to brave the cold.
#5 – Put Heating on Before You Walk
This is my favourite one so I saved it for last. If you put the heating on before you go for your walk, once you get back it should be nice and toasty for you and your dog. You should always try making your home as comfortable as possible for you and your dog.
Making your home more comfortable for your dog over winter can include things such as blankets, covering a crate, heating.
5 Way To Keep Your Dog Active At Home During Winter
So what can you do over the winter months to keep your dog active, stimulated and happy?
There’s a lot of different things and activities that you can do, the list is endless, you just have to find what your dog enjoys and structure it around that.
Here are my top 5 activities that I do with Jasper to keep him active and happy during the cold winter months:
#1 – Mental Stimulation and Enrichment Activities
Everyone should be doing mental stimulation and enrichment activities whether it be indoors or outdoors (exercise for the body, enrichment for the mind). Over the winter months you should look to increase these due to the reduction in outdoor walks.
Find out more about how to mentally stimulate your dog with this complete guide.
Getting your dog to think and overcome challenges is super beneficial for your dog, their behaviour and wellbeing. You can find so many enrichment games on stores such as Amazon, you can even learn how to make your own too.
There are also products like lickmats, Kongs, chew toys that can keep your dog preoccupied mentally for a longer period of time.
#2 – Bonding Time
There’s nothing better than not going for a walk on a freezing day and just cuddling up to your dog instead.
Make the most of the time indoors with your dog, cuddle, play some games, show them some love!!!
#3 – Obedience
There is no better time to sharpen on your obedience than winter. You can build back on your foundational skills to then be ready for the warmer weather!
Training sessions don’t have to be long as well to be beneficial and you can do multiple during the day. Obedience also helps build a bond and more engagement with your dog too and you can teach them some super cool tricks!
#4 – Scent Work
You can get really into scent work but this is a great in-home activity even just the basics. There are dogs out there that literally work using their nose such as sniffer dogs. Scent work at home isn’t as intense but the principle is so similar and it can be just as fun.
You can teach your dog to find a specific scent, hide it in the house and then watch your dog go and find it.
Scent work is a great mental stimulation activity, using that system of sniffing to process information a dog is using so much mental energy to starts to rival physical activity.
#5 – Obstacle Courses
This is a super fun one if you have the space, obstacles and a willing dog.
You can create little obstacle courses or do indoor barkour when you set up obstacles for your dog and get them to run and do little challenges.
This is great for both exercise and mental stimulation for your dog and it is a great bonding experience too. If you have a dog that is nervous or anxious, doing obstacle courses is amazing for increasing confidence in dogs too!
Final Thoughts
Over time you should be able to tell to answer the question of when is it too cold to walk your dog. Keep the above factors in mind and make sure you substitute indoor activities to keep your dog active as much as you can during the winter months.
Do you have any winter walking tips? When is it too cold for your dog to be outside? What do you do instead? Leave a comment below!
