Cold weather exercise
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For those of you who hike/bike in the cold, does something like mushers secret on the pads help keep their feet comfortable? I've got booties but they don't seem comfortable or structurally accomodating to do distance work.
Regarding the Musher's Secret…I use it on both Ruby and Brando. For Ruby it does seem to help, for Brando, it doesn't seem to make a difference. Ruby can handle the cold feet better, but Brando just sort of starts walking stiff legged so I end up carrying him.
And with the cold in general, Ruby has more fur than Brando and is how shall I say this...a lot more hyper :) (she's a busy girl)...so she expends more energy and doesn't mind the cold. Even though Brando is all muscle, his coat is much thinner and he really minds the cold...even if he runs around at break neck speed. He doesn't like a coat, so when it is super cold, we don't spend much time outside.
The b-500s seem to be doing the trick in the house and briefly outside, because the kids haven't been behaving any worse during the recent cold spell. All they want to do is lie in front of the fire. In fact when I bring them in from outside, they run right to the woodstove...and if a fire isn't going, they look right at me as if to say "come on mom...get with the program and make a fire". :rolleyes:
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Oh Kiroja - what a slave driver you are (:)).
With my previous beasties we used to go for walks (coats and booties when cold and it frequently goes below 0F here in MN) but my current one really hates going outside. So if I can't get him to go for a walk, I work on havng him chase a stuffed squirrel or we work on obedience. It's better than nothing. -
We are finally thawing out at -16C, two days ago we were at -49C with the wind. Blaze never liked going outside in cold weather, even at 15, he limits his pee breaks to three times a day, no matter how many times I try to push him out. So exercise is not an issue. With treadmills, be careful of their paws. Apparently the tread can actually burn the pads if you don't put some sort of wax on them
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Love your Bs. And of course I had to google your site. Good job. Keep up the good work.
G
Thanks G! We definitely like to do a lot of stuff. Never a dull moment! But the cabin fever is setting in already. lol
Renault, thanks for the info about Musher's Secret. I think I'm going to pick some up next time I see it and give it a try. I don't like to go out in the cold much, but I do want to start making more of an effort to keep them in shape year round for all the stuff I want to do with them. And I don't like the insecurity of the foot in a bootie, I worry that they will develop an altered gait with a lot of work. Not that I'll probably do that much anyways. lol Mostly we just stay inside and do lots of little obedience/attention type drills. When we're not being lazy.
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Kelli…I think you're right about the altered gait...I worried about that as well just because of how both my b's walk with just a coat or sweater on, so I've never tried booties. Obviously they are uncomfortable with clothing, so consequently I stopped trying to get them to wear them for that very reason...I was afraid they would learn to walk differently.
I even went so far as to have $150 custom sweater knit (with hand painted yarn) for Ruby that was made specifically to all her measurements. Looks cute & fits her to a "t", but she won't walk in it. Good thing I didn't opt for the cashmere. :rolleyes: I'm thinking I'll donate it to Pam & Sheila...maybe it can go home with one of Ruby's grand kids. It would look stunning on a black & white b because it is so colourful.
Oh, and I will say, that the kids LOVE it when I put Musher's Secret on their paws...they act like they are getting a spa treatment.:D Brando even lets out contented sighs while I'm rubbing it in. :D
Anyway, I know my b's and I KNOW that the boots would be torn to shreds in about 2 seconds...given how they've tried to get the coat/sweater when they are on.
!!!
