Winter Conditioning
If you live in Northern Minnesota you will know that this winter has been anything but normal. Typically by mid-December we have gotten enough snow that the days of walking through the woods looking for grouse are well in the rear-view mirror. If you plan to spend any time off a well-groomed trail, snow shoes are almost always a necessity. Even then, managing your way through tangle brush in knee deep snow isn’t the ideal way to spend a morning. But when it comes to conditioning dogs through the (normal) winter months there are a few options available! Just because it's cold, and the snow is up to your knees, does not mean your bird dog is any less of an athlete, and athletes need exercise. A dog that is in shape and well exercised is a happy and healthy dog. Conditioning them through the long winter months also ensures that they remain in shape come hunting season. So, while it might not be as enjoyable as walking the forests for grouse or running the prairie for chickens, figuring out creative ways to get out and condition your dog is still a necessity. Below are a few of our favorite ways to condition dogs through the winter months.
Before going forward it is important to talk about keeping your dog safe in freezing temperatures. In our experience, cold weather alone is of minimal concern for our dogs. We’ve spent many mornings in -40 °F wind chills exercising dogs. As long as they are moving and expending energy they will stay warm. This goes for both retrieving and pointing breeds. The danger is in them getting wet. As soon as a dog gets wet they begin losing heat at an expedited rate. Combine that with a cold wind and you have a recipe for hypothermia. Watch your dog closely and look for the early warning signs of hypothermia, such as shaking, lethargy, or pale gums. All these are signs that it is probably time to head in and warm up or head to your local vet. When in doubt, don’t take your dog out, or take them out for shorter periods of time. And always make sure you are dressed appropriately for the weather, too!
Another danger to watch for is your dog running on frozen snow. If you recently had a warm day where snow has melted, followed by a freezing day and that melted snow is now frozen, we do not recommend allowing your dogs to run fast over this terrain. When moving fast there is a risk that your dog will break through the thick layer of icy snow and break their leg. Please only allow your dog to run free in soft snowy conditions.
Free Running
Free running remains one of the best ways to condition your dog as long as it can be done safely. Free running could be any activity in which your dog can safely off leash, such as snow shoeing, trail hiking or skiing. All these activities allow your dog to explore new areas, smell new scents, and stretch their legs all at their own pace. Free running is appropriate for dogs of all ages because they can regulate the level of exercise they give themselves. This way you can exercise several dogs with different energy levels at the same time without one dog getting too much exercise while the other gets too little. Free running is also one of the best forms of exercise for young dogs under the age of one year as there is less pressure applied to their developing joints than some of the activities listed later on. While this is a great form of conditioning for your dog, it is important that your dog can be handled reliably off leash, as that is the whole point of free running. If your dog can not be trusted to run off leash (they may run away, do not reliably return to you when called, etc) or there is a risk of other animals or people being around, then free running is not the best option for you. It is also important to note that dogs are not typically allowed on all ski trails, are not allowed to be off leash at most parks, and snowmobile trails can be dangerous for you and your animal to walk on. For these reasons, we prefer sticking to either snowshoeing through the woods or fields, or cross country skiing on lakes. Skiing or snowshoeing on lakes is a great way to allow your dog freedom to run while still being able to keep an eye on them. This is also a great option if you are a sub par skier such as myself due to the lack of technique required. If you choose to free run your dog on a lake please make sure that there is enough ice on the lake to remain safe. While snowshoeing in the woods is a great option, it is important to be cognizant of the other animals in the woods and the amount of stress you may be putting on them by invading their space. Winter is a challenging time for many animals, as food is more scarce, and more calories go into keeping themselves warm. A grouse for example requires more calories anytime the temperature drops below 20 °F. This means that a grouse which is disturbed from their snow burrow is now not only exposed to predation, but will be in a calorie deficit for some time because it now needs to keep itself warm. In exceptionally cold weather, this can be detrimental. Choosing days or areas to walk that produce the least amount of unnecessary pressure to other wild animals is always best practice.
Roading
Roading has long been an effective way to condition your dog. If you have never heard of roading before, you can find hundreds of articles about it online. There are many different ideas around how to best accomplish it, but at the core it is an activity where you put a harness on your dog, attach a rope to them, and encourage them to pull you or an object. This can be done by pulling an ATV with a variety of different attachments to hook up one dog or up to 12. If you own a horse, you could choose to road your dog on horseback, or if you are looking to get some exercise yourself you can do it on foot. We do most of our roading on foot as it is a great way to tire your dog out as well as provide yourself with exercise. Roading two dogs on foot is about as much as someone wants to handle. It is relatively easy to teach a dog to road as most dogs are inclined to pull against the harness they are wearing. The harness evenly distributes the weight across the dogs chest making it more comfortable for them to pull safely. When you first start your dog might not understand the concept of walking in a straight line, or if you have done a lot of leash work they might be timid to pull. Give them some time, keep them moving in a straight line, and allow them to figure it out. Once a dog learns what roading is, it becomes one of their favorite activities. Dogs love to work and have a job, pulling against a harness is something that appeals to all breeds and also helps them develop physically. It is important to note that you should not road a dog that is under a year of age. Young dog’s bones do not fuse together until after 15-18 months of age. During this time they are more susceptible to long term injury due to the exertion of roading. It is best to leave this activity to the older dogs, and leave free running for your puppy.
Skijoring
If you were to ask me what my favorite winter activity is with my dogs, I would hands down say skijoring. Skijoring originated in Scandinavia and was traditionally done using reindeer. The activity developed originally as a way to travel, but today is largely used as a recreational activity. Skijoring is cross country skiing mixed with dog sledding. The skier wears a harness which is attached to their dog’s harness by a bungie line. The idea is to have your dog pulling you as you ski behind them. Not only is it a great form of exercise, but it is also a lot of fun. My skiing skills leave something to be desired, but I certainly have been missing the opportunity to Skijor this year!
I first discovered skijoring on an ice fishing trip. It was a relatively warm day and I wanted to bring some dogs along. We were going to a small lake with walk in access only, meaning we had to pull all of our equipment. Rather than bear the entire load, I decided to attempt skijoring and have the dogs help me pull the gear. Looking back, I feel bad for the dogs after all the times they were jerked to a stop as I fell over, which was more times than I care to mention. Even though I was terrible at it, I still had a great time and the dogs worked so hard that trip they slept the whole next day. Plus I didn’t have to pull all the gear myself! After this trip I started going to lakes near my home a couple times a week to skijor with the dogs and eventually built a track through our property so we could skijor at home. I haven’t gotten any better at skiing, and there are usually body imprints all along the trail to prove it, but still it remains my favorite activity in the winter to exercise dogs. If you have a set of cross country skis, and your dog understands what roading is, consider giving skijoring a try. You might fall a few times, but you also might discover a new winter hobby.
While winter can be a challenging time with the shorter days, cold weather, and just general lack of comfort while outside, it is also important to continue spending time working with and finding ways to exercise your dog. A tired dog is a happy dog, and that holds true regardless of what season it is. There are still plenty of ways to get out and get your dog the exercise it needs. So throw on some warm clothes, load up your dog, and enjoy spending time outdoors with them this winter.
