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You know this time of year I am forgetting how most of the states are experiencing winter while it warms up to 80 here :) Although I am enjoying it I am sure I will complain June through August again, perhaps spend more time back in Utah or over in Denver with all of our good friends there. Because of the weather here, I never sent out my winter warnings like I usually do, things like icemelt burning feet, tips of cropped ears being frostbit if overexposed etc. There are some old posts on my old blogs so I will resurrect one :) This was from last winter:
As I got back from this mornings run and the kids all had icicles hanging from their faces it occurred to me to talk about cold weather and dobes. I know many of you are living in warm Florida and California and the rest of us are jealous! But here it was 0 Degrees Fahrenheit this morning and we went for our morning 3 miles. Naturally I have to dress warm or my bald head freezes, but what about the dogs? Dobes still enjoy a good romp in the snow from time to time, you just need to pay attention to a few things. Because their feet are warm, it melts the snow and then it re-freezes and balls up in their feet. At best it causes discomfort, at worst it can cause frostbite with prolonged exposure. One quick and easy fix is to rub some Vaseline in between their toes and pads before you go out to play. It’s great on the carpet when they come back in too! Just kidding, be sure you wipe it back off before coming inside. Dobes can be out a short time without coats etc. providing they stay dry. A wet dog is a frozen dog. If you will be out a little while, or if conditions will be wet, I really like the orange neoprene vests Cabela’s sells. Also how much movement the dog is allowed affects their warmth. If they are walking slowly on a leash, they may not generate enough body heat to be in the cold unprotected, when they are running free alongside the four wheeler for 2-3 miles, they stay warm enough so long as they are dry. Then it is quickly home to the heated tile of the sunroom to dry off and lounge around.
Also cropped ears not only are more exposed to the cold because they are erect, the bloodflow has been changed by removing part of the ear, so you need to frequently massage the ears when you are out in the cold, you will feel how much colder the tips are and you need to be cautious they frostbite very quickly. There are some "muffs" made by various crafty people out there custom for your dog, and they do work and are a great idea as they hold in a little heat and protect the ears from the wind. They do look silly though :) Send us some pictures if you have them!!
Here in sunny AZ we have our own risks too though, the nights are still cold and the days warm up which can really stress the dogs as they bounce back and forth between extremes. We try to mitigate this by keeping them warm while it's cold and then work with them once it has already warmed up. I must say it is enjoyable!! Remind me of that when July comes okay?
On another note we have a litter announcement, most people love to hear when Zenny has puppies as he seems to be the all time favorite of everyone who meets the dogs. He was bred to Hassia Betelges who is owned by the legendary Betelges kennels and Holly just whelped 11 healthy black puppies. There are four females available if anyone has been waiting.
We also imported a few male puppies from Betelges kennels to satisfy everyone who hoped for a male from Holly, and we also brought in a 9 month old male that is cropped and ready to go. If you are interested in any of these dogs, please feel free to drop us a line!
Steve Parsons
480-993-9797
