I’ve been wanting to get Cricket and Luke out for a walk together for a while now. In the past, we’ve always done solo walks, other than when the Dadz is with us. I had to give up on finding the perfect time, because late winter/early spring in New England makes that virtually impossible.
We’ve been having some trees cut around our yard, opening up a lot of area and some nice clear paths. But the warmer weather we’d had made them into a muddy mess, impossible to walk on. When I heard the weather was going to get colder for a while, I thought that would be great; until I found out colder meant frigid and below zero wind chills. We got out in the yard to play when we could for very short sessions but that was all we managed.
Next up: big snowstorm coming, well over a foot expected, but a little bit of a warm up (“warm” might not be the proper word here, however). I was determined yesterday morning that I would get up early and walk the dogs while the ground was frozen but the snow wasn’t yet deep. I forgot about that darn time change thing so we had to wait for it to get lighter. I hoped for a little warmer, but settled at 18 degrees because the snow had already started and we couldn’t wait any longer.
It might have taken longer for all of us to bundle up than we actually spent walking (which is the one thing I hate most about winter!). I exaggerate a bit, but Luke did manage to chew through his harness while waiting for me! Sigh….now I needed to get another harness out. We used his backpack, and we finally got out there. I used the hands free leash for Cricket and that worked out well. I needed both hands for Luke half the time, who still needs work on his pulling, and gloves can be slippery so I like to use two hands for security.
Taking gloves off for photos and quick training sessions had to be short lived, so we only had a couple shots that came out decent enough to share. Even though Luke was challenging to walk, I’m glad we all got out there and got to see how different our land now looks with many trees gone. This will be the beginning of more trails to walk on as well.
As I wrote this yesterday afternoon, the snow was piling up quickly and blowing around. It looks like the snowshoes will be coming back out again this weekend! Let’s just hope Mother Nature can manage to keep the temperatures turned back up a bit. It’s been feeling more like January than March, which would have been OK except that January felt like April most of the time, so frankly, we’re all just totally confused!
We got snow today and the first day of Spring is when? Monday? Luke reminds me of Freighter. When we are training we have to take the pad out of his crate or he will rip it up while he is waiting.
Patience is apparently not a virtue that either Freighter or Luke has!
Yes, I think the first day of spring is Monday. It’s supposed to be warmer here (40’s) that day and Tuesday, but then get cold again. Mother Nature sure does like to mess with us this time of year!
Confusing weather indeed, you hit that right! That was one good pic, though, looked like both the doggies did good at “watch me”!
Luke was right on it, Cricket was just a little bit slower….but she got there! 🙂
18 degrees would never be my perfect time to walk!
I usually hold out for at least 20 degrees, but we would have gotten buried in snow, or blown away, if we had. 🙂
You got a couple of great photos of your pair! They are cuties. You hit exactly the thing that frustrates me most about winter – that it takes SO long to put on all the layers needed to go out when the weather is really wintry. However, that has sadly not been too often this year.
I hope that you’re doing okay and maybe even having fun in your big snow storm!
Add to my layers the fact that Luke needs a coat, and Cricket needs boots on her back paws (unless the snow is deep, then we don’t have to worry about her toes scraping).
We seem to really be getting our winter now! We survived the big storm. As long as I don’t have to drive in it, I don’t mind too much. I love watching it pile up!
You may need snowshoes for the dogs, too! Stay safe!
I think Cricket was wishing she had some snowshoes!
Hope you stay safe and warm. I think you received our snow, it’s been warm and very dry for the majority of winter along the Front Range. *Sigh* Walking in those bitter temps is no fun, especially with a puller. BTW, I like that “watch me” command with reactive dogs. Makes a big difference especially on walks. ????
We have had some crazy big snowstorms this winter. But then in between them all, it gets warm and melts, making an icy mess. Definitely an odd winter, and the cold seems to be settling in for a while now.
Katty said it best – a weather roller coaster! It’s been that way here too, but with rain instead of snow. And our lows have – until this past weekend at least – have only gotten to low 40s. This morning it was 26 when I took the girls out at 8:30. Brrrr.
I bet 26 feels really, really cold to you down there!
You are so brave to walk your dogs right before a snowstorm. My dogs love walking together, but in our family it’s the little 30lb furkid who pulls me around the neighborhood.
Cricket can be a puller too, but the hands free actually helps a lot with that. Plus she only weighs 22 lbs so I can handle it better than when Luke’s strong 60 lbs pulls me! 🙂
Winter is hanging on with a vengeance this year. Try to stay warm. ♥
This would have all been fine and normal in January, but now we’re ready for spring!
We hear several feet of snow is heading your way
Lily & Edward
Oh, it got here, but luckily for us, in our area it only ended being a foot and a half!
We don’t have it nearly as bad as you, ever. But we wish Old Man Winter would pack it in!
It’s definitely past time for him to move on!
We live in an area where it never snows, but we had enough rain to end the drought. Walking in the rain is not fun
No, there’s not much good about just getting wet.
It’s been a strange winter here too (Maryland). Just tried to walk our Layla and had to cut it way short because there’s so much ice. Can’t even really walk on the snow because it’s topped off by ice. Come on, spring!!
Ice is the worst!! I’d much rather see the snow, even when it comes in large quantities! But yes, we are just ready for spring now too!
It’s such a crazy winter! I was the same way yesterday, I took my gloves off to get a few pictures and within minutes my hands were burning, then I waited until the last possible minute to walk Leroy, right before it got dark, and it was freezing! My face almost froze off with that brutal wind!
It’s hard to believe you have all that snow, in March no less.
Your clearing a nice spot!! Ha I feel the same way about having to take gloves off for a picture! Ugh
It’s such a pain to keep taking the gloves on and off, on and off. Then if I drop one, Luke grabs it and runs! LOL
I’m glad you got to get out for a little adventure–it always feels like it takes longer for us to bundle up for walks than we actually get to walk, too! And I rarely even put anything on the dogs! We will be happy when spring really gets here.
Luke needing a coat and Cricket needing her boots just adds to the time consumption! And they both also get so excited that getting them to stand still for anything is even more of a challenge!
mother nature must be drunken… or stoned… that is a weather roller coaster…
Phenny knows the perfect time for a walk… always when I have wet hairs LOL
There’s no way I’m going out in that cold with wet hair, and Luke hates it when I make him wait while I dry it! LOL
The wacky winter of 2017…hopefully there will be no repeat! Enjoy your new snow. We’ve enjoyed ours.