Dog walking in the early days of January here in the Chicago suburbs does present some (30/30)challenges. Naturally, there’s the cold. Although, I must say that by Midwest standards…so far, so good. Our coldest walk this year was taken in a balmy 21 degrees with no wind chill. This happened primarily because Y-Bo and I usually head out in the afternoons when the sun–if there is any–is shining and the temperatures–as a general rule–have reached their daily zenith.
Not that the winter temps matter much to my pup. As a Newfoundland/Labrador mix with an extra layer or two of blubber to keep him warm, he actually thrives in the cold. In fact, with the exception of chasing our indoor cats around the house, there’s nothing in the world that he loves better than playing ‘fetch’ outside after a snow-heavy winter storm.
Nor do the icy patches on the ‘shady’ sides of the street faze him much. With his webbed feet and hard toenails, he gets fabulous traction and has actually broken more than a few potentially rotten falls for me. Good dog. We do have to be careful of sidewalk salt, though, ‘cause it’s all over the place out here. And it can get stuck, with painful results, between those webbed pads.
If you get your magnifying glass you can see the salt on the sidewalk.
So as you can see, dog walking in the colder climes doesn’t have to be a horrific experience. Sometimes it’ even fun for both dog and walker. Which leaves me with only one further observation: Why is my dog’s jiggly, body fat so much cuter than mine?
This is a Saturday Pet Blog Hop! Thanks to Life With Dogs, Luna It’s a Dog’s Life, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume for hosting!
