Cold Weather Ways to Have Fun With Your Dog Indoors
Pictured here, Harley was patiently watching the snow and waiting to go out and play!
Brrrr! Baby, it’s cold outside! With January, comes the arctic blast that reaches out to grasp the Northeast, causing temps to dip way down low to zero and below, with currently there are some wind chills up to 30 degrees below zero! And in some regions, it’s that cold without wind chills. Even areas of the south along the coast are feeling the chill. And right behind this these sub-zero temps is a snowstorm! So not only is is freezing cold, ice is coating walkways and steps (be careful where you and your pup walk), and snow is a-comin'! It’s enough to make Frosty freeze!
When the mercury drops, we have to remember our dogs can get cold, too.
As the hu-mom to Siberian Huskies, the FiveSibes, this breed can, of
course, withstand weather colder than other breeds. Snow is their
favorite past time! But that is not the case with every dog. My mom had
many dogs, and Poodles were among them. Each one had a little knit
sweater to go outside in, and the potty trips were fast!
With a northern, double-coated breed, such as a Siberian Husky, a
material coat is not necessary (unless for a medical reason) and you most likely will find yourself chasing
your Husky around to convince her or him to come in out of the cold!
While every dog’s tolerance to cold is different, one thing is for sure—they should never be left exposed to the harsh elements for long and without shelter. Extra care must be given on these frigid days.
When cooped up indoors for long periods of time, especially for high energy dogs, exercise and mental stimulation are key to having happy dogs (and happy humans)!
So what kinds of things can we do with our dogs
when the thermometer says it is too cold to be outside?
Puzzle Me This
Brain stimulation is an excellent and healthy way to “exercise” a dog’s bored mind!
And fun! Think of it as playing board games with your dogs. There are
many “puzzles” out where a treat is hidden and dogs are taught and
encouraged to find the treat by moving, tipping, spinning, or removing a
puzzle piece. Be sure to have your camera on hand because I promise you
some silly and fun moments you’ll want to capture on film!
This puzzle was always a fave of my FiveSibes!
Oldies, But Goodies
Playing an indoor version of Fetch!
Or Tug O’War can get as energetic as an outdoor game! If you have a
long hallway in your house, even better! Just close the doors and use it
as play space!
Teach An Older Dog New Tricks
Who says this can’t be done? Of course it can! Dogs love to learn! If your dog is a senior, choose a no-impact trick. Time, patience, positive reinforcement, and lots of high-value treats (ones you do not typically give so it makes it more tempting) can go a long way in teaching your older dog a new trick!
“The Voice”— K9 Edition!
Having Siberian Huskies, one of their traits is they absolutely
love to howl and sing and “woo,” and I love to hear them! But did you
know you can teach other breeds and mixed breeds of dogs to sing too,
with a little vocal teasing and, of course, treats! My childhood dog
was an adopted German Shepherd that had been retired from the New York
Police Department as a drug-sniffing K-9 officer. A pretty serious job, right?
But, after some howling on my part (my neighbors must have thought I
was a strange teen), she followed my lead and learned how to “sing!” So
much fun! And remember to have your cell phone camera or video camera
ready to record and cherish that music video forever!
Woo! Sing it, Wolfie! No coach needed here!
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
As a photojournalist, photography is naturally so important to me.
It captures a mood, a moment—all without a single word. A photo freezes
the moment in time so that you can go back and visit whenever you wish.
And that is something I cherish these days. So, when those winds are howling, what better way to keep warm and bond
with your pet than by having an impromptu photo session? Those fun moments will become priceless keepsakes you will cherish forever.
"Smile! You're on Hu-Mom's camera!"
Photos of every day moments and special moments are precious memories.
You can never take too many photographs!
Chill Out!
Chill out when it’s freezing out? Absolutely! Go right ahead and snuggle up with your dog
inside your warm house and enjoy a movie, read a book, or simply share
some hugs and pets in front of the fireplace (real or faux). Time spent together with your dog is always time well spent. This was always one of my most favorite times with my FiveSibes. There is something about all being snuggled in for the night together, knowing they were all together with me, loved, and safe that just warmed my heart and filled it with Husky love. ♥︎
Home is where the hearth, heart, and Huskies are.
So, go ahead and let Jack Frost nip at your nose! Just hustle on
back inside your house with your furry best friend and spend the chilly
day doing—well, lots of indoor things, or nothing at all! And here’s a
warming thought—spring is only two months away!
*My article was previously published in 4Knines January 2019, and updated January 2022.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR (That's me!)
Dorothy Wills-Raftery is an award-winning photojournalist and author of EPIC Dog Tales: Heartfelt Stories About Amazing Dogs Living & Loving Life With Canine Epilepsy; the FiveSibes™ Tales children’s books: What’s Wrong With Gibson? Learning About K-9 Epilepsy and Getting Healthy With Harley: Learning About Health & Fitness; and Buddy, the Christmas Husky~Based On A True Holiday Miracle books (ArcticHouse Publishing), as well as the FiveSibes.com, an online encyclopedia for the Siberian Husky breed and Canine Epilepsy information, as well as her international award-winning FiveSibes blog, based on the lives of her five Siberian Huskies. Her work has also appeared in AmericanPet Magazine, Ruff Drafts, The Sled Dogger, and Hudson Valley Paw Print Magazine. Dorothy is the writer and host of her award-winning "The Sibe Vibe” Dog Works Radio show.
Dorothy is an 11-time Dog Writers of America Association “Excellence” nominee, winning the prestigious Maxwell Medallion in 2019, 2017, and 2016 for her fiction, writing, photography & design. She was also awarded The Grey Muzzle Award by The Grey Muzzle Organization for "Excellence in writing/media of the plight of at-risk senior dogs" on her show “The Sibe Vibe” broadcasted on Dog Works Radio and iTunes. Her book EPIC Dog Tales: Heartfelt Stories About Amazing Dogs Living & Loving Life With Canine Epilepsy received the 2018 Independent Press Award for “Excellence” in the Reference Book category and 2017 NYC Big Book Award for “Excellence” in the Animal/Pet book category.Dorothy was also named “Best Author” in
2015 & 2016 by Hudson Valley Magazine and all four books named “Best
in Print” by AmericanPet Magazine, An official International Purple
Day® for Epilepsy Ambassador since 2012 and a volunteer case manager for
The Wally Foundation-Canine Epilepsy, Dorothy is the creator of
the #FiveSibes #LiveGibStrong K-9 Epilepsy Awareness Campaign and
partnered with Purple Day® Every Day presented by The Anita Kaufmann Foundation for #Paws4Purple Project,
both inspired by her own epileptic Husky, Gibson. You can follow Dorothy and her
FiveSibes on Facebook at FiveSibes: Siberian Husky K9 News & Reviews, on Twitter and Instagram (@FiveSibesMom).
Those are some great ideas, but Mom is having a hard time keeping us inside today - we finally got some measurable snow!!! And we just want to be out in it.
ReplyDeleteWoos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Those sweet pups always had so much fun, inside or out.
ReplyDeleteFor me, winter is a great time to snuggle under a heavy comforter on the sofa with a hot beverage and a couple of fur-kids. Elsa enjoys the cold and snow, but Norman has definitely turned into a house dog. 😂
ReplyDelete