Seasonal differences in places to walk

[Doberluv]

As the snow is melting, but still present in some places, I'm expanding my places to walk again. In winter, it becomes limited as to places to walk because of the snow. The past few days, it's been down to the little corner store and across the road, up into the golf course. And one day, I walked the gravel road that goes along side the lake. Another favorite trail that really gives me a good work-out has so much melting snow and water running down it, it looks like a stream...right on the trail, so that's no good yet.

Today, I think I'll see how the trial is that goes along the lake and you can go down right onto the beach too. The trail goes through a pine forest and camping ground and is very beautiful. But it may be snowy still or very wet. If it's really bad, I will probably go elsewhere. I noticed the museum parking lot where I park for this walk is still full of snow, so I don't know. But here goes nothing...I'm on my way. The dogs are being "dominant" and telling me it's time for a walk.:rofl1: The nice thing about this time of year is there's no one else around. I will be taking my newly purchased bear pepper spray along just in case.

Do you have to modify your places to walk because of the seasonal differences? I even do a little bit in summer when there are people camping at that camp ground. They have to be on a leash then. (not the people...my dogs. lol) Now and in fall, they can scamper ahead a little bit. All the cabins that are along this trail are basically summer cabins and no one much is around now. But they will be later. Then leashes go on.

 

[Linds]

For the most part in winter it's the dog park or yard. I don't do walks usually because of no sidewalks and the streets being half the size due to snow

Snow gone and my options are huge and it's biking or walking anywhere we can, especially forest preserves

 

[Tankstar]

I have to modify many of our walks in winter. Since 90% of our walks are normally near open water. i dont want to risk either dog jumping in to a creek, pond, lake ect in winter. Just dont want to chance ice breaking.

so we spend alot of our time in the big dog pit at the dog park, and school fields around the house. I have ice picks on my winter boots, so hiking is no issue, we still hike, just on a smaller level, due to most trails being near water

 

[Dogs6]

I have to change/be more careful where we walk in summer rather than winter. Walking along the beach is fastastic in winter. I can take all four dogs and even though Tika is DA and Fudge and Scamp are DR I never have to put them on a leash. Recently, however, my mum, dad and I tried walking the four of them along the beach and they spent more time on a leash than off it and that was a quiet day!!!

So during the summer I change it up so we spend more time in the garden, we do more training and if we are going out only one or two dogs come out at a time.

 

[Doberluv]

Dogs6, I know what you mean about being able to let the dogs off leash when there aren't so many people and dogs around. Summer here in the last few years has gotten much more busy...it's a real tourist/vacation area and a lot of people are up at the lake. Right after labor day in Sept, they all go away and it's like everyone breathes a sigh of relief....Whew, they're gone. It's suddenly quiet again. Of course, if not for those visitors, a lot of these businesses wouldn't exist.

Yup...in summer here, it can get so dang hot that we don't tend to walk as much. If it's early in the morning, it really has to be early because it's very hot by about 7:30. At cooler times, the mosquitos are murder until things dry up in later summer. So, it's not as pleasant as spring and fall and even winter to walk.

Well, I'm back from my walk. It's a beautiful, sunny day, cool, but not too cold. And the trail alongside the lake by the campground is all dry and nice. The beach is extra big because in winter, they let water out at the dam to lower the lake a little. There's like a big sand spit that goes way out and it's really fun. It was very quiet except for one other guy with his lab. Other than that, I felt like I had the whole place to myself. Didn't run into any bears, but saw some moose poo or maybe it was Elk. And lots of tracks in the wet sand. Other than the trepidation I have a little bit when the wild animals have babies, this is a really nice time to take hikes/walks.

 

[Paige]

I don't change itup much. Rarely does it snow in Vancouver. It rains a lot but my dog is waterproof so its not a big deal. I am also lucky that in the summe ra crowded beach doesn't put adent in our stride. My dog is just as well behaved.

 

[Sit Stay]

Being in Ontario, the snow definitely limits places to hike in the winter. Some trails get really icy, and on my favorite trail the snow gets so deep than you can't walk through it. I'm so excited that it's finally warming up!

 

[Doberluv]

That is one thing about getting lots of snow. I can't even walk in my own yard all winter except where I shovel. So, only the plowed roads are of any use for walking and it gets borrrrring. So, I'm really excited to Sitstay for this nice weather that's beginning. It was a wopping 58 degrees today. Woo hoo. (now nobody from Florida better tell me about their weather or I'll scream. LOL)

Paige, it must be more like Seattle in Vancouver...lots of rain, but not much snow, if any. That is nice in many ways. At least you can go the same places you always go.

Tankstar...that happened once to my niece's dog when we were walking on the golf course one winter. (there, they groom part of it for Xcountry skiiers) And he went onto the ice on one of the ponds and fell through. It was really scary. He had trouble getting out and looked quite panicky. We just didn't know what to do and almost went in after him. We were looking around for a stick or something. I don't know what we would have done with it. LOL. But he finally managed to pull himself out. That is indeed very dangerous. Bonnie, my lab loved to swim, but when there was ice, she obeyed me when I'd tell her to come back by me. My niece's dog just ran wild and before we knew it, he was in the icey cold water.

 

[sassafras]

I LOVE going to the dog park in winter, because hardly anyone goes. I have some cool ice grippers that slip on my boots (similar to Yak Trax but more hard core) and away we go.

But the sidewalks around here can get pretty treacherous, so it's definitely a struggle to exercise my non-dog park dogs. This year especially we had some thaw-freeze cycles that were just awful.

 

[Meatos]

We walk in all our usual haunts all year round - ain't no snow gonna stop a Canadian from walking her dog!! The more snow the better! As long as it isn't too cold we go everywhere, but if it's beyond FREEZING then we stay in.

 

[SarahHound]

Not really. Only if its super icy, we can't go far, as I am too afraid of slipping, plus, greyhounds on ice is kind of like that scene in Bambi!

 

[Southpaw]

We do, yeah. I love going to the dog park in the winter because the pond being frozen gives that much more room to run and play. But we can't go in the woods behind the park because people cross country ski back there. The freezing temps and the snow definitely prevent us from taking any long walks. Sometimes sidewalks aren't plowed which limit us.... yeahhhh we definitely have more fun during the other 3 seasons lol.

 

[HayleyMarie]

We do alot of dogpark in the nice winter day her in Alberta. Mostly though I dont walk Teagan as we have lots of land for her to run around on.

Teagan keeps herself pretty busy in the winter. She loves snow. Even if its 4 feet deep and soft she will still run and roll in it like its the best thing in the world. She just loves that stuff.

 

[Bailey08]

Warm weather = dog beach = Bailey's favorite place in the world!

I'm not nearly as adventurous as some of you. That goodness for daycare during the winter!

 

[Dekka]

All I have to say is ewwww you still have snow in places.. ewwww

 

[Doberluv]

LOL Dekka. Yes, where it was plowed or shoveled in big piles. There's a drift about 4-5 ft high still where it accumulated from falling off the garage roof. But most of my lawn is now clear. Every day it warms up in the 50's. Woo hoo. *sarcasm* But at night it's down in the 30's and a few days ago, 26! Brrrr. I'm soooo ready for some warm weather. Of course, in no time, it will get really hot. Then I'll be whining about it being soooo hot. LOL.