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If the weather outside is frightful … get outdoors! We’ve rounded up three activities around the country that cold weather-loving pups and their people will love.
Snowshoeing at Tamarack Resort
Dogs are allowed on the Tamarack Nordic Trail system, which offers a variety of trails winding through open meadows and forested paths. Photography courtesy Tamarack Resort.
Snowshoeing is a great low-impact workout — and a perfect way to spend time with your dog. Unlike other cold-weather sports like skijoring, it doesn’t require any special skills from your dog.
While you’ll want to consider your dog’s stamina and cold tolerance, dogs of all shapes and sizes will happily snowshoe for hours alongside their owners. Make sure that your dog is protected from the elements before you head out, and keep an eye out for signs of fatigue, as walking and running through snow can be physically taxing.
Most groomed snow parks and hiking trails that are open to dogs are available for snowshoers and their pups. At Idaho’s Tamarack Resort, more than 9 miles of groomed trails are accessible to snowshoers seven days a week during the resort’s winter season, which runs from mid-December through the end of March.
Tip: A good harness or running leash can be invaluable for snowshoeing. If you don’t want to carry a leash with your mittened hands, try a hands-free leash that wraps around your waist
Dog Sledding at Mountain View Grand Resort
There must be at least 12 inches of packed snow on the ground for dog sledding at the Mountain View Grand Resort. If there’s too little snow, the Resort will switch to rolling rig rides (on wheels instead of sleds). Photography courtesy Outlaw Ridge Sled Dogs.
From Buck to Balto, there’s something magical about a sled dog. In this well-known winter sport, a team of six or more dogs, usually Alaskan Huskies, pull a sled carrying people or supplies over long distances. (In rural communities in Alaska, Canada and Greenland, the dogs are still used for everyday transportation!)
For your own taste of the sledding life, head to Whitefield, New Hampshire’s, Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa where experienced musher Becki Tucker of Outlaw Ridge Sled Dogs brings her team of dogs for one-hour rides that include meet-and-greets and a primer on the sport.
Becki’s dogs are hardened competitors, having participated in events like the 250-mile Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Race, but you’d never know it the moment one gives you a friendly lick on the face!
Tip: You’ll want to wear proper winter gear, including waterproof snow pants, a jacket, hat and sturdy boots. The resort provides riders with goggles.
Skijoring at Devil’s Thumb Ranch
Take your dog along for a skijoring adventure at Devil’s Thumb Ranch where dogs on leashes are welcome on the dog-friendly trails, and dogs can stay in select dog-friendly cabins. Photography courtesy Devil’s Thumb Ranch.
What was once a mode of transportation in Scandinavia is now a competitive sport that you can try with your dog, too! This rough-and-ready winter sport involves a person on skis pulled by a horse or a dog. While skijoring behind a horse can require pricey equipment (downhill skis and full boots and bindings are a must), skijoring with your dog requires nothing more than classic cross-country or touring skis, along with a specialized harness and towline. You’ll be strapped into a belt connected to your dog.
At Tabernash, Colorado’s, 6,000-acre Devil’s Thumb Ranch, you can get a taste of the sport with your own dog. The resort has a Nordic Center and numerous dog-friendly ski trails that are open daily during ski season, typically from December through April. The ranch also has cross-country ski equipment ($25) and skijoring rigs ($15) available for rental.
Tip: Basic knowledge of cross-country skiing is a must, and your pup should be healthy and weigh at least 35 pounds. Traditional cold-weather breeds like Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes excel at the sport, but one skijorer has seen everything from Poodles to Border Collies get in on the action.
5 dog breeds that welcome winter
- Siberian Husky
- Black Russian Terrier
- Chesapeake Bay Retriever
- Chinook
- Lhasa Apso
Read more about dog breeds who love winter here >>
Thumbnail: Photography ©lightpix | Getty Images.
About the author
Laura Ratliff is a writer specializing in travel, lifestyle and food. Her work has appeared in Architectural Digest, GQ, Bon Appétit and Condé Nast Traveler. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and her two dogs — Iggy, an 11-year-old Brussels Griffon, and Kate, a rescued 2-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer.
Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Dogster magazine. Have you seen the new Dogster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet’s office? Subscribe now to get Dogster magazine delivered straight to you!
Read more about traveling with dogs on Dogster.com:
- What to Know About Flying With a Dog — Safely
- 5 Road-Tested Tips for Traveling With Dogs
- 10 Ways to Get Your Dog Eating When Away From Home
The post Winter Trips for Dogs and Dog Lovers by Laura Ratliff appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.
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