Canine Cold Weather Wear

As I mentioned in my last post, our weather is starting to warm up a bit. It's not warm by any means yet, but it's better. I was telling my dad yesterday that in light of this winter - my first real winter since leaving Cleveland at age 12 (because let's be honest, DC winters are very mild. One or two fairly light snows a year does not a "winter" make) - I've gained a better understanding of my weather outlook as a kid. I remember spring days where the temperature would hit 60 degrees and I would beg my mother to let me put on my swimsuit and run through the sprinkler. I could not understand why she wouldn't let me. My adult mind gets it now, of course, but I can still totally understand what little me was thinking. These days, 50 degrees feels like positively summer-like weather.

I understand it's still February, so we're likely not totally out of the winter woods yet. We could still get snow or bad cold snaps...I remember snow on Easter more than once during my Cleveland childhood. But, I'm hopeful that we've seen the last of the major snows for this season. You know who else hopes that? Achilles.

We had a minor problem with Achilles this winter, that we've never had to face before: snow, ice and sidewalk salt on and in his little paws. It wasn't generally a problem just taking him outside to do his business, but a walk of any substantial distance (a block or more) caused problems. It would really hurt him, and he would lift the bothered paw in the air and either hop along or stop dead in his tracks until someone would come pick him up and tend to his paw and/or carry him the rest of the way. It was just the saddest thing you've ever seen. Sometimes when I would crouch down to fix the problem he would just start climbing up me as if to say "WHY are you making me do this?! CARRY ME!" So sad.

So, we decided to try boots. Heh heh. I tried them on him in the apartment to see if they would work outdoors.

Boy, does he hate this.

Sure, he looks pathetic in this picture. But wait until you see how he walks! He flips his feet in the air (and eventually flings the boots off, so needless to say, they do not work outside) and looks very miserable. Check out this video below, and excuse my baby-talking to the dog. He made it to a "safe spot" (Eric's shorts on the floor), and didn't want to move, so I had to entice him to keep going:

So basically, I'm glad winter is winding down so we don't have to worry about Achilles' poor paws anymore, at least until next year. By next year, hopefully we'll have a better plan. For now, this is Achilles' preferred approach to winter weather:


And really, who am I to judge his plan? Better to just embrace it, snuggle up next to him and stay in the warm apartment! Don't you agree?