Winter protection

I often get asked what a person's dog needs for winter hunting( coat etc.) - upland. I've never felt anything much is needed , but I could be wrong.

Below 10 degrees and I don't take the setters out.
I do use "Musher's Secret" to keep the ice balls out of their feet.

1/What do you think is needed?

2/ How are late season retrievers cared for when the water gets near freezing or ...........?

PS Watch that early winter ice forming that won't support a dog's weight.

It's coming!

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3cebc75a.jpg

my hound run all winter . I try to keep the hunts short and make sure thy get lots of water .and I keep a close eye on there feet any sign of blood and I clean them up .the hounds are pretty hardy and just love to hunt

My dog stays in an outside run with an insulated house full of straw all day through the winter and comes in at night. I think a good healthy coat goes a long way. I use the mushers secret as well with limited success. Looking for other options for the ice balls. As far as ice balls on their coat I spray them with mane and tail. Everything gets so slippery nothing can stick.

My dogs poop and pee outside even at -40 . I'm not much for coddling a hunting dog and companion . Good thick coats keep a dog warm .

TD

When the snow is wet I use Musher's Secret, I also trim the fur in the pads 1-2 per winter with hair clipper.
When it gets into -25 I only notice my dogs run a bit faster :)
I am careful for the dogs not to walk into road salt in the city, it irritates the pads and can melt/freeze snow causing icicles and discomfort.
I don't hunt around ice cold water much, but my dogs broke ice before and if they keep running around, they're fine.
If the dog has to sit in a blind after that ppl usually put neoprene vests and/or dry them with a towel.
I am sure retriever folks will chime in on that.
My dogs live in the house, so they don't develop very thick coat, when I hunt they sleep in a tent or truck with me.
Couple years ago it went to -23 at night and she was fine with only my hunting coat on top of her.
Depends on the breed, of course.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by vom Dufenshmirtz

If the dog has to sit in a blind after that ppl usually put neoprene vests and/or dry them with a towel.

---

The S.U.G.A.R. coat is a nice addition to working a dog in cold weather. It is a cape-like coat in either camo or white water resistent shell (depending upon the time of year you are hunting) and has either a fleece or wool lining. The lining is removable so that the coat can be used at "warmer" temps strictly as a wind-shell or for drying out the coat. It has magnetic closures down the front opening so the dog can "break" out of the coat when sent for a retrieve. It also has a D-ring along the back edge so that you can stake the coat, so the dog can be sitting remotely from you, sent for the retrieve and not take the coat along on the retrieve with them!

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/...psd1ee2002.jpg

I instantly thought of the singer entertainer James Brown when one of his band members would put a cape on him during a show.lol.

Nice picture of your lab wearing the cape/coat but does it bother your dog at all ?

This is not my dog, but we had no problem with our guys and the coat. Just made sure to introduce it to the dog prior to going out on the first hunt where we wanted to use it on the dog.

Deffinately would be of benefit to the late season duck dog .

Yeah I recently purchased the s.u.g.a.r coat for my pup and he is so much warmer in it.

For my two WPG;

Uplands = just keep a good eye on them, that is the only protection they require.

Waterfowl = The older dog has a much thinner coat so come early November he is 'uplands only', my smaller female I can hunt much later into the year. I had her out yesterday hunting geese off the ice edge, following every retrieve I gave her a good drying with a 'shamwow' towel. Once the temps drop further I will only hunt her from solid land where in addition to keeping her as dry as possible I can also run her around to warm her up. I use a neoprene vest on both dogs starting in late October.

Haven't had any issues with the Lab, other then the snowballs under the feet but soon as we put Mushers Secret on that came to a halt. Last year she was in the water until the end of November as we broke ice. This year first week of November and we were all done.

She plays outside with me and the boys all winter -20 and then some, as well as trains. If someone is outside, that's where she wants to be, she doesn't go to the door to wait to be let in.

Very dangerous time as far as ponds go - very thin ice covered in snow. To the dog, it looks just like another field.

I purchased a SUGAR coat from Daktota Creek Retrievers
fleace lined used it yesterday out on the big water could not belive how well it retained the heat . Great product any late season hunter should have one for thier dogs.

Thanks again Sue for excellent customer service!!!

Winter isn't coming....damn it's here already!

For my crew they wear their Chilly Dogs coat which is made by a Canadian company in Ottawa (they wear the Great White North version with fleece and protective outer shell) when the weather starts to dip below zero.
Otherwise, hate to say it, but walks are kept short on the flexi-lead or spurts of runs in the yard around the 'snow-blower trails' if possible. If it is hovering around -7 or so I can get them out longer, anything under -10 then they start to lift up their paws and limp, and I worry about their thin ears getting frostbite.
I get nervous about using the snowmobile trails, people are just reckless at times.

We do a lot of indoor games, play and training in the winter up here :-)

I had to bow to the masses to day.
I walk the JRT everyday ( not the setters). Lots of hassle this week with folks we meet on the side walks - "Get that dog a coat!" So I bought him a coat. Setters took one look and laughed - "What the heck is that?" LOL

Most late season hunting for me is either field hunting waterfowl or bunny hunting hedge rows and bush. I double the dogs food intake and add an raw egg to her diet each day. Especially after woodcock/pelee season dog's weight is down so the extra food helps her get her weight back and adds a few pounds to keep her warm.
My dog is outside all day and brought in at night.

I feed the Diamond Naturals 32% protein and 25% fat. I will be putting dog booties on my Springer that i use to put on my working Siberian Huskies. This will eliminate the snow balling between the toes and sharp ice cutting her feet. I do have a blaze orange coat also on order for those cold days if needed.

Looked at the sugars last year, but couldn't actually find anyone that had / used one, that I would actually trust their opinion, to be a fair unbiased one. After seeing a few folks on here testifying to their effectiveness, going to have to place an order.

Springers retrieve and are the most versatile hunting dogs. :)

My thread seems to have taken a left turn.


What do the rest of you do to keep your dog safe in the winter?

What about those who live in an outside kennel.?... dogs that is.

Sorry Sharon!! :-)

Definitely watch the temps for training ... Fortunately we do not have to worry about road salt here with the dogs paws. Biggest change for the winter months is adding straw to the dog boxes for winter travel.

Wow. Unbelievable. I tied my dog outside Timmy's once . It was about 6 degrees. Someone came in hollering , "Who owns that dog?! He's freezing out there!"

We had a little discussion. I told her I was buying him his Tim bits - lie. :shy: That shut her up.

Please watch the advertising - failing to do that will result in removal from the discussion.

Thank you and please refer to the community rules for more information: http://www.oodmag.com/community/show...-Rules-Conduct

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sharon

I had to bow to the masses to day.
I walk the JRT everyday ( not the setters). Lots of hassle this week with folks we meet on the side walks - "Get that dog a coat!" So I bought him a coat. Setters took one look and laughed - "What the heck is that?" LOL

---

update:

Well, the setters decided they weren't going to the woods/fields with that annoying JRT in a coat.

Monday , Lady grabbed the coat , ripping the Velcro loose on the JRT , and took off with the coat. I have looked twice now and no sign of it. Maybe a coyote took it home to his wife.

$40.00 down the drain. :)

Kids can be so cruel. :)

Saw this link elsewhere and thought it was excellent:

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articl...GsTFfwAI60d.01

I have no issues with Maxi - he loves snow and cold in general. Just this past Sunday, at minus 5 he felt he needed to cool down in the creek...
.Attachment 27968