Calgary's extreme cold snap proves tough on dogs

Morning dog walks have been cancelled by many pet owners as it's just too cold outside, but try telling that to your dog.

"If it's too cold for humans, it's going to be too cold for dogs," said Lisa Olund, manager of animal operations at the Calgary Humane Society. "So basically your dog should just be going outside for a quick pee break, then coming in"

According to the Humane Society different breeds of dogs will have very different tolerances to snow and cold. If a dog is running in circles, leaping into snow banks or using their face as a snow plow, then they probably like the snow and are perfectly happy playing in it. But many dogs show signs they're too cold.

"Lifting paws are always really good signs that your dog is cold," said Olund. "But do keep in mind, depending on the breed of dog and what their ears are like, by the time they start lifting their paws, quite often, they've already frozen their ears so if you do have a dog that's got like a thinner ear or no hair on their ears, (only take) very, very short breaks outside."

Mark Bewer, owner of Unleashed, sells a variety of products to keep dogs warm when they're outside but says many owners don't equip their pet properly.

"I drive past the park all the time and there's a lot of dogs at the park in the same outfit that they're in July but that human is bundled up like crazy," said Bewer. "We got to be a little careful when it dips below minus 15."

Bewer says some owners use a salve to protect paws from harmful salt used to melt snow and ice, but he says boots are the best bet when temperatures plummet into the -20s.

Olund says if pets are spending longer than usual in doors, there are games to activate their senses.

"For a lot of those high energy dogs, it's really important to keep them stimulated when it's this cold outside," said Olund. "So we have puzzle games, you can put treats in some of the puzzles, that sort of gets the dog working and thinking about how to get the treats or kibble out."

She adds that treats can be hidden around the house for the dog to search for, or a paper towel roll can be used with dog treats inside and the ends sealed. Then the dog has to figure out how to get them out.