Dogs love powder: What Sacramento dog owners need to know about taking dogs to the snow
Anyone with a social media account is familiar with videos of joyous dogs bounding into soft powder, disappearing from site and reemerging like a toddler from a ball pit.
There’s something special about seeing your dog experience the joy of the snow. And with powder season on the way, Sacramento-area dog owners will have plenty of opportunities to treat pups to a snow trip in Lake Tahoe and the surrounding areas in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Here’s what to know about taking your dog on a snow trip in the coming months.
Know the rules and where to take your dogs
Typing in “dog friendly” into the search bar on VisitLakeTahoe.com will yield some helpful results. Among them is a top-10 list of dog-friendly places around Tahoe that are open year round. The options near South Lake Tahoe include Kiva Beach, Taylor Creek Trail and Bijou Community Park, which allows your dog to run free off leash.
On the north side, Skylandia State Park and Beach, Tahoe XC Ski Trail and Carnelian West Beach are also viable options.
George Richter, owner of the Dog.Dog.Cat. pet shop in South Lake Tahoe, also recommended the popular Nevada Beach in Stateline just north of the casino area.
But it’s important for visitors to understand what’s private property and what’s public land, which can be harder to decipher when there is snow on the ground.
“So, where we are in South Lake Tahoe, surrounding us there’s a lot of private space, but there are definitely a lot of national parks and things where dogs can definitely go,” Richter said. “If they’re just supposed to be on leash, that’s the primary thing that would be an issue that people often ignore.”
“... The beach areas are also supposed to be on leash, but most of the public beaches in the winter time are OK for dogs. Most of the beaches that are public are not friendly for the dogs in the summer time.”
Keeping dogs safe and healthy
It’s well known that dogs don’t sweat the same way humans do. Their panting is often most associated with controlling their body temperatures. But dogs also have merocrine glands in their paws that release sweat, according to the American Kennel Club. And just like when humans touch snow or ice when their hands are wet, it can stick and cause discomfort.
“The same thing happens to a dog’s feet when the snow starts to pack up between their toes,” Richter said. “And then it starts to bother them. And it doesn’t happen all the time. Usually, it’s when we get extra cold conditions here and it’s new snow. That happens a lot, and then the dogs will basically stop, sit down and start chewing on their feet. It’s uncomfortable for them.”
Among the solutions is dog shoes, which come in all shapes and sizes and can be purchased in pet stores or online. Another is wax or paw balm that has been used by sledding dogs. It doesn’t protect dogs’ feet from the cold like shoes might, but it would prevent snow and ice from building up between their toes.
Dogs and travel anxiety
Dogs might love the snow, but not always the process in getting there. Travel anxiety can have negative effects on dogs’ bodies, like overheating and motion sickness. Some dogs create negative associations with car rides if they most often lead to trips to the vet, according to PreventiveVet.com, which suggests traveling with dogs to fun locations at early ages to avoid such scenarios.
Dogs who don’t love the car sometimes act out when they arrive at their destination, which can lead to considering supplements and making sure to have quality leashes and collars or harnesses. Richter suggested CBD products or other anti-anxiety remedies.
“The biggest thing I would probably add is making sure they have a really good collar and leash setup,” Richter said. “A lot of people lose their dogs when they’re traveling because they stop someplace and the dogs just get freaked out. There’s a long list of stuff that can freak them out, so when they’re out on the road, just be really careful about having a good leash and harness, and being on higher alert so they don’t lose their dog.”
This story was originally published November 14, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Dogs love powder: What Sacramento dog owners need to know about taking dogs to the snow."
