How cold is too cold for a golden?

[scottm]

My neighbors keep their golden outside most of every day, kept in the yard by an invisible fence. This morning she was sitting in the snow watching intently as I cleared my drive in -6*F temp. She didn't seem to mind the cold at all, wagged her tail when I talked to her and wandered off looking bored after a while. My wife took our golden out for a run and she said he was more energetic than usual, seemed to love the cold. He stayed outside a lot of the day as my son and I built a big snow fort/cave in the front yard, seemed happy to roll and lay in the snow.

My dog is an indoor dog except for the daily run or walk, and this is much colder than we've seen this winter, so I'm surprised he's so well acclimated to this kind of cold. How cold does it have to get for a dog like this to get uncomfortable?

 

[Sno bored]

My dog is a husky/aussie mix and he has a doggie door. A few weeks ago it was -15F with a windchill of -40F and my dog was just laying in the snow outside. Sometimes in the summer when it rains I come home and he is outside soaking wet. I am surprised that he stay outside in some of the colder weather we get, but he can come inside whenever he wants.

 

[IanB]

It makes a big difference if the dog is active, or not. If you're going for a walk, I've had my 50lb Husky/Shepperd mix out for 4-5 hours in the -30C with no problems, and that's damn cold! On the other hand, if I let her out for a pee and forget, she looks uncomfortable after 10 minutes standing on the deck waiting in temps half that cold.

Also makes a difference if the dog is acclimated to the outdoors, the coat grows in differently if they spend a lot of time outside in the cold.

 

[splitshot]

Our lab loves working when it's cold, but also loves his bed close to the woodstove at night. Most of the arthritic pooches I've met spend life outside.

 

[Walton]

My labs break ice out duck hunting, and absolutely love it. When it gets down to 10 degrees or less, I'll throw a neoprene coat on them. I have a double Mr Buddy heater in the blind, but they rarely sit by it. They each have a $275 Dog Den2 dog house, but I often see them laying out in the cold, or snow. I'll then call the spoiled girls inside to lay on the couch with me.

 

[canucksafari]

All of my Goldens have loved the cold. The reason most don't do well outside is because they are people dogs. If you allow your dog to acclimatize and feed them enough, then they will not have any problems.

 

[taccruiser97]

My Golden loved the cold and snow, he was a definitely a cold weather dog. In the summer he liked to lay by the AC vents in the house, did not like the heat too much.

 

[craptabulous]

My boarder collie has lived outside for most of its life only recently has he become an indoor dog . He ran around happily in -30 c he was let in for the night if it was more than -20 c otherwise he slept in the hay . Now that he is a inside dog we put a little blanket on him much like a horse blanket , he loves it. And he doesnt grow a thick coat to shed everywere

 

[riverliver]

My pet "Bull', didn't make it...I am a Bad pet owner...

 

[3jvj]

My golden thrives on the cold. He will stay out all day if I let him.
It isn't until 0 that I worry about his pads.


It's really sad when spring comes. He will lay on the last remaining snow piles like a seal would an ice chunk on the ocean.