[nagdu] Three questions about "winterizing" a guide dog

[Julie J.]

Bryan,

1. Yes, I use a raincoat/winter coat with my current guide, but not with 
past guides.  My current guide is a Boxer mix and has much shorter and 
less dense fur than my other dogs.  I have a custom coat from Cozy Horse
http://www.angelfire.com/co4/cozyhorse/dogblanket.html
I also have sweaters galore that go over the harness.  I'd be happy to 
send you one if you like.  Just send me your mailing address to:
julielj at neb.rr.com  I'll be getting them all shipped out in the next few 
days.  The sweaters are of course not waterproof, but they are free!

2. Yes, the Furminator does remove the undercoat, however it should only 
be pulling out the loose hair, not the still attached strands.  It is 
recommended to only use the Furminator once a week.

3.  I don't do boots, never have.  Mostly this is because I can't 
imagine myself going to all that bother.  I carry paper towels to wipe 
feet when it's wet.  Sometimes I wipe my dog's feet on the rug provided 
for everyone in the entryway.  Sometimes I carry a hand towel if I think 
I might need more than paper towels can do.  I also use paw wax on my 
dog's feet in the winter.  It's sorta like Chap Stick for the feet.  
Protects them a bit and keeps them from cracking or being irritated.

I also try to add a bit of winter weight on my dogs.  I don't mean let 
them get fat, just an extra pound or two.  It takes more energy to keep 
warm.  The extra padding can help.

HTH
Julie