# Cold and your Hunting Dog



## NDMALLARD (Mar 9, 2002)

Are there any vets out there or other hunters who are aware if the dangers of hunting your dog in the super cold; let's say 0 degrees or colder. Are there any dangers we need to be aware of? This weekend is supposed to be bitter cold -20 and I don't want to harm my dog if there are precautions I should take let me know.

I think my dog is fairly acclimated to the cold. We hunted this morning (-9) and she did great. in fact when we got home she was all frisky and ran around in the snow, barking and acting all goofy while I did a little snow blowing. But -20 is dang cold even if you have a fur coat (she's a lab)! I have heard of frozen lungs but I have never seen nor heard of a friend who has had this happen to their dog. Are some dogs more apt to have problems in the cold even if they are the same breed? Obviously a Visla and a cheasapeke are going to have different tolerences to the cold. Any advice or ideas to combat the brutal weather are appreciated.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

How cold is it in Alaska, sled dogs do fine.

I've never worried about it. I'm speaking dry upland hunting not too much water around if its minus 20 is there?


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Bob the water doesn't freeze here.!

I was wondering the same thing. I have burnt my lungs, not fun. We have never had this problem, but it is still on my mind. I guess we will have to take it easy on them.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I lived my first 25 years in Wisconsin and that was before global warming :wink: .

So even though I live in Gods country now I am familiar with bitter cold.

Truthfully I think we all should keep our dogs inside the house, at least at night, in the winter.

They can survive extreme temps but why do it to them, my pups are my family.

I used to run my beagles every day I got the chance in January in Wisconsin they never seemed to mind the cold, but they slept in bed with me and my brothers at night....


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

I have hunted labs for 25 years in the hardest winter weather with no problems. My GWP seems to do fine too. Most of this was done in tall cover where the wind couldn't hit. Just as important to keep them hydrated as in hot weather too.


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## Aythya (Oct 23, 2004)

I am probably getting soft in my old age but I when the temp hits -5F that is my usual cutoff for taking my dog out. At the very least, I hunt shorter periods and get my dog into the truck and give her a break and water.

If it is windy that threshold changes as I am careful about wind chill. But even when it is calm I am cautious as I always worry about the dog breathing in really cold air and that causing problems. My dog is a house dog and although I walk her every day for at least 30 minutes that isn't the same as running at full tilt. Perhaps I am worrying about nothing as I have never had a problem with any of my dogs.

It would be interesting to get a vet's perspective. Next time I have my dog at my vet I am going to ask the question about dogs and really cold weather.

We do have open water, if you hunt the Missouri River. I doubt I would ever send my dog into the river when the temperatures are really cold.


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

I used to hunt cold temps ... with more adverse effects on me than the dog. I have more time now and simply wait for warmer temps when it hits zero.


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## Coach529 (Dec 22, 2004)

I will hunt down to 5 or 10 below depending on the wind. To be honest, I think the cold temps affect us alot more than it affects the dogs.

The only thing I worry about on my Gordon is her feet, tearing up her pads and with iceballs!!


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

I agree with Bob as my dogs sleep inside at night. That being said a dog can handle cold temps provided that are well fed. Sled dogs in alaska are fed high fat, high calorie diet, as dogs need extra calories to keep thier internal furnace burning. The colder it is the more calories a dog burns even at rest.

So if your are hunting in -20 I would up put a an extra cup of food in his bowl and he should fine.

My dogs are outside during the day and its been dam cold here, they are fed a 30% fat and 20% protein food and they do just fine.


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

Have your dogs ever told you that their lungs hurt after a hard run at -20?How would you know ? Some bad advise from guys that normally have great knowledge about dogs. Yes you can do great damage to your dog by running him hard in very cold tempurature. I have known people that have killed their dogs doing this. The example I gave last time was a 13 month old yellow lab, hunted for 1 short day in -25. He was dead the next day. Vet said the lungs were frosted badly. The other dog used that day had problems but recouped, because it did not work as hard.
To compare a sled dog to the fat flabby thing that sleeps in the house is not even close. Sled dogs are mean and lean. When they are pulling their mouths may be open but they are not sucking for air, if they were they would be off the team. The physical conditioning of your dog has a lot to do with it. If he is in poor shape he will be sucking air like a vacum cleaner. If he is well conditioned he will not be breathing heavy. I run my dogs 4 or 5 times a week to keep them in shape. I do this in the country so I can see long distances and run my dogs at a lope for several miles. When I stop the dogs to load them into kennels the are not even breathing heavy. They are in great shape so they are not sucking huge amounts of cold air.
Is your dog an amped up 220 volt.Imean is he one that works at full speed all day or is he a slow hunter that takes his time? This also makes a difference.Since you will find no specific number at which to stop hunting your dog I will just tell you to use some common sense.
I dont run my dogs if Its well below zero. 
At -10 or below leave the birds alone the they are just trying to stay alive at those temps.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

To the best of my knowledge there is no real biological difference from one breed of dog to another sled dogs are nothing special and german shorthairs are commonly used and or bred to sled dogs by racers.

I will agree that the dog should be in good condition, every hunting dog should be, but I used to run my labs and shorthairs 2-4 miles almost everyday pulling a sled in Wisconsin in january and feb and they never had any problems. And I would run behind the sled flat out much of the time and never had any problems either, so I doubt its a problem for most normal dogs.

Ask your vet and follow his advice, all we have is 40 years experience.

Now I can't run to the mail box


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

I think we are talking about two things that are for the most very rare. One does not see too many days at -20 during pheasant season and or frozen lungs in dogs. So I think we may be chasing our tail here.

Not to downplay your situtation oldhunter as it is tragic, but I am not going to worry to much about cold weather hunting.


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

When Bill the Chessy is afoot and it's super cold out, the only danger is to the pheasants :lol: 
Good luck and keep yourself warm.
Dan


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

Old Hunter said:


> I dont run my dogs if Its well below zero.
> At -10 or below leave the birds alone the they are just trying to stay alive at those temps.


Now there is a statement I can agree with.

:beer:


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