Calgary weather is predictably unpredictable.  During the winter months we can have +20 degree weather to -40 degree weather, and that shift can happen overnight!  A common question we get at Clever Canines is ‘how cold is too cold for my dog?’

It’s hard to pick an exact temperature because a lot of it has to do with the wind-chill in addition to the actual temperature.  If I were to choose a number, -10 is when risk starts to get involved.  It’s more about the prolonged exposure to the cold that can cause frost nip, superficial frostbite, or deep frostbite - each of which looks the same.

Frostbite is the death of tissue in the extremities.  Dog toes, tails, ear tips and scrotum are the most common frostbite areas.  Frostbitten tissue appears pale, usually gray in color, and is cold and hard to the touch.  As the area thaws, an area that has actual frostbite may turn red and swollen and be very painful as it heals.  In severe frostbite, within several days the tissue will start to appear black.  This is signalling that the tissue is in fact dead.  The body will usually shed this dead part of the body.  If the area does not heal in three of four days, amputation of the dead tissue should be done to avoid gangrene or mummification of the area.  If you suspect frostbite, it’s best to contact your veterinarian.

The physiological reaction in both humans and animals is this:  Blood is what keeps us warm.  With our vital organs being in the core of our body it is critical that our core remains at a constant temperature.  If the body detects that too much warmth is being lost in the extremities, the body will constrict the blood vessels to keep the blood closer to the core and protect the vital organs.  Without the circulation in the extremities, prolonged exposure can result in conditions such as frost nip or frostbite.

Rubbing or massaging tissue that is truly in the frost nip or frostbite stage can be painful and do more damage to the tissue.  If you suspect frostbite, you need to warm your dog up gradually.  Do not immerse your dog into warm or hot water.  You want to get their body warm enough so that their body starts to allow blood flow back into the extremities.

Wind-chill is a big factor that we need to consider.  The air close to your dogs skin is warm, but if a cold wind blows that warm air away it can affect the skin temperature immediately.  The cold air moving over top of the skins surface takes away the heat at a much faster rate.  If it is -10 with a wind-chill of -20, it means that the wind is stripping the heat away from the skin at such a pace that it would equal the temperature of -20 with still air.

Our domestic dogs do not have the insulation that they would if they were to be on their own in the wild.  Many people say things like, “She’s a dog, with fur, she doesn’t need a coat!”  If your dog is in indoor dog, then she is not producing the coat she would if she were always left outdoors.  True, dogs do have fur that will help to insulate them.  In order for that insulation to work properly, we need to be sure our dogs coat is free from mats and dead hair.  Mats and dead hair block the dogs ability to insulate that area.  This means that area will become more susceptible in the varying weather.  A thick coated dog, like a chow or a malamute, might welcome the cold weather and prefer that to indoors, while short-haired dogs can become immediately chilled after leaving the warm house.  

If you were to touch your dogs ear to your cheek, and it feels cold, then his ears probably need to be warmed up.  If your dogs ears are cold you can hold his ears in the palms of your hands.  This will provide temporary relief.  Rewarming should always be done slowly and given time to heal if there are actual signs of frostbite. 

Beware of cold temperatures.  If you find it cold for yourself without gloves or a toque, chances are it will be cold for your dog too. 

A sweater can help keep the core body temperature up.  It’s also important to remember that as your dog moves, his body generates heat that will help to keep him and all his extremities warm.  Unleashed has some great tools to help your dog battle the cold weather such as sweaters, jackets, boots, Mushers Secret and head muffs.  (Head muffs are like a neck warmer that you pull up over the dogs head to cover the ears and help add some insulation.)  Although your dog may still get cold, these tools will protect heat loss by blocking the wind’s ability to blow the heat away from the skin directly.

Dogs sweat through their feet.  If you keep them moving at a good pace it will help them to stay warm.  If they have time to cool down, the snow mixed with their warm feet will often create ice balls.  Ice balls can also build up under their feet as a result of the fur being too long between their pads.  You don’t want the fur to be too short in that area either.  We consider the fur at a perfect length if when you pull the fur away from their feet, it is the same length as their pads. 

A great foot product to try is the Invisible Boot or Mushers Secret, a natural wax that is excellent for keeping salt off paws as well as keeping snow from building up between the pads.  Another tip: be sure to keep your dog’s nails trimmed during the icy season.  It is not uncommon for a dog to be running about and upon a pivot get his nail caught in the ice causing it to rip off.

All dogs require a minimum of one hour of physical and mental exercise every day.  Many dogs require much more.  It can become a challenge when the weather puts limits on how much time we can stay outside for.  There are many creative options for how you can still provide this much needed release of energy, such as breaking up the walks into three twenty minute outings, putting your dog on a treadmill, having them wear a backpack, and playing mind stimulating games indoors.