January is National Walk Your Dog Month, which may just be literally the worst month to walk your dog if you live in Ohio. Not only is it cold outside, but the days are so short. But, with the right gear, you and your dog can enjoy walks together, even in the winter.
Recently, I read a book about a man’s journey while walking the Appalachian Trail. In the book, the man, like many AT thru-hikers, endured all types of weather, including a blizzard, which he still walked in, and dozens of days of pouring rain, which he still walked in. After reading his story, I realized that there is really no excuse to skip a walk; I just needed the right gear. After all, he walked eight hours a day in bad weather, and Caesar, Jeter, and I would only have to walk an hour.
Last weekend, Caesar and I bundled up and walked three miles in the rain. It was actually really calm and nice. During the walk, I began to think about the gear that is required to walk your dog during National Walk Your Dog Month, which takes place during one of the coldest months of the year. Here is what I came up with:
Wear the right gear and pack the right gear
Make sure you are warm: Wearing the right gear to keep you warm and dry should be your number one rule, and this goes for both you and your dog. Personally, I heat up easily so a lot of times, even in the winter, I wear a hoodie, beanie, gloves, and maybe my light, waterproof jacket.
On cold days such as the ones we’ve seen this week in Northwest Ohio, I pulled out the puffer jacket. I also wear insulated pants. Carhart sells wonderful women’s work pants that have become my favorite to work in. Not only do they have, like, six pockets, but they keep me far warmer than most pants. I can’t speak highly enough of them. In addition, I wear wool socks in the winter; they keep my toes toasty.
Make sure your dog is warm: When it comes to your dog, what they wear largely depends on their breed and age. Caesar is an 8-year-old German Shepherd mix who is pretty high energy. He basically already comes with a winter jacket on. Jeter, however, is an American Bulldog/Rottie mix who has short hair. Despite his short coat, he seems to fare well in the cold thanks to his size. However, your dog may require a human-made dog coat to help keep them warm. Unless you have a big dog, you’ll be able to find these fairly easy at any pet store.
Protect your dog’s feet: You will also want to consider your dog’s feet. Snow, ice, and de-icers can cause harm to your dog’s feet. While there are pet-safe de-icers, I always try to avoid walking Caesar or Jeter in areas where salt has been put down because there is no way to tell if it’s safe for them or not. If your dog will wear boots, you may want to consider using them on your dog. Mine, however, have yet to perfect the art.
Make sure you are both visible: Keep in mind that in January, it becomes dark rather quickly. Most nights, with my current schedule, I have to walk my dogs in the middle of the night. If you are also walking at night, make sure you are wearing bright-colored clothing or even reflective clothing. As a rule of thumb, we also try to only walk on streets that are well lit where we are very visible.
Pack the necessary gear: Even in January, I have a few essential items I bring on every walk. They include poop bags, water, and a bowl. The first one is obvious: cleaning up after your dog is the law. Don’t leave a surprise for others to step in. Dog waste can also spread disease. It’s just rude to leave it behind.
Water and a bowl, however, may seem less obvious when it’s cold out. While I may not always carry the water and bowl on walks in the winter (always depends on the length of the walk), I also make sure Caesar has water available to him as soon as we return to the car. Staying hydrated is vital in all types of weather.
Always put safety first
The most important thing to consider while walking in January is to always be safe. This means that sometimes it will be too cold or too bad outside. We are not actually on the Appalachian Trail, so we are not forced to keep walking.
Hopefully, with a few of my gear tips, you can use National Walk Your Dog Month to have fun with your dog while getting active. After all, getting active is the best way to warm up!
