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

[Tracy Carcione]

I use a raincoat on my lab fairly often.  The coat I have came from GDB,
and it's the nicest I've seen, though I haven't looked in years.  It's
sturdy, and has velcro on the front of the chest, and a belt that goes
around the belly and attaches with velcro.  It's fit 3 dogs well so far. 
If anyone knows where to buy one, I'd like to know. The only drawback is I
have to remove the harness to put it on.
I've tried boots, but even when I pull them tight, at least one falls off.
 Right now, I only have 3 boots, and what good is that?

I live in Jersey and work in New York, and I know the "wintry mix" well. 
Sometimes, it's best to find another way to get wherever than walking a
long way in the cold.  Although, when I was much younger, I did walk home
in a Minnesota blizzard, though I did stop in a bar partway home to get
warmed up.  Still, it was quite a trek through deep, fresh snow. Even
then, I wasn't eager to do it again.
I also got hit by a car one night on my way home in Queens during an ice
storm.  There wasn't enough traffic to read the light well, and it was too
dark and snowy probably for the driver to see me in time, though he did
try to stop.
So be careful, and be wise.
Tracy

> Greetings  All,
>
> I'd be interested to hear what folks in cold climes do to help ensure that
> your dogs remain safe, healthy and comfortable indoors and out during the
> Winter months. My dog Marqi and I will be doing much more walking this
> Winter as I transition from a part-time to a full-time student at my
> college, which is a 20 or 30 minute walk each way. This region of
> Southeast Pennsylvania tends to experience a lot of what we call a "Wintry
> Mix" meaning cold rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow and wind all thrown
> together in the same storm.
>
> The three main questions I have are:
> 1. Have you used a raincoat for your dog to wear while he / she is
> working? If you answered yes, were you and the dog happy with the
> raincoat? If yes, what was or is the make and  model and where did you
> purchase it?
> 2. Marqi is a Black Lab / Golden cross with a propensity to shed even
> while I brush her multiple times a day. A family member gave me a special
> brush called "The Furminator," and while this brush does seem to help cut
> down on her shedding, I'm concerned that it might also be removing the
> layer of fur that exists naturally to help keep her warm in cooler
> weather. Thoughts?
> 3.  I have a set of boots given to me by TSE. Marqi tolerates them but I
> do recall many of my veteran TSE classmates panning the boots, saying they
> were more trouble than they're worth and suggesting that wiping the dog's
> paws with a damp towel after each walk is sufficient. THoughts from
> experience?
>
> Thank you in advance,
> Bryan
>
>
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