Does the cold bother a dog?
01-07-2002, 02:33 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Evans Georgia USA
Posts: 384
RE: Does the cold bother a dog?
Although thier hair is short a GSP has a very dense coat. After all the breed was created in a country where they have real winters. I would use a neoprene vest for waterfowling in your neck of the woods. But for upland birds the GSP coat will be fine.
I ride mine down the road in a dogbox in the back of a open pickup at high fuel consumption rates in the winter with no problems. Of course the GA winters pale in comparison to yours. So maybe a campershell for the truck or in the back of a SUV in kennel.
I ride mine down the road in a dogbox in the back of a open pickup at high fuel consumption rates in the winter with no problems. Of course the GA winters pale in comparison to yours. So maybe a campershell for the truck or in the back of a SUV in kennel.
01-07-2002, 10:14 PM
#3
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Colorado Springs COLORADO USA
Posts: 52
RE: Does the cold bother a dog?
GSP's have a lot of drive and that constant movement does tend to keep them warm. They don't do as well if they are not able to move much or are wet. A really rainy day with a hard wind in the 30's may also require a neoprene vest. Because they have so much drive your dog can get frostbite if hunting in snow in really cold weather without showing much outward symptoms. They're pretty tough but not invunerable. Lewis dog boots makes a rubber boot with no vent holes specifically for snow and ice. I don't think you should hunt the dog in snow, in temperatures under 20 degrees, for more than about an hour at a time. My dog lives indoors though and an outdoor dog is likely less sensitive.
01-08-2002, 08:35 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cropsey IL USA
Posts: 365
RE: Does the cold bother a dog?
My gsp's are out side dogs and i hunt them in all kinds of weather from moderate to darn cold with no problem in fact they seem to like it as long as there is no more than 6" to 12" of snow wet wind it doesn't matter to them they just want to hunt. in fact my male i can't keep him out of the creeks and ditches we hunt hu wants to hunt both sides and swims or wades across regularly. I do keepan eye on them for signs of hypothermia but have never seen a problem remember a dogs normal body temp is about 110 degrees a high protien feed will help them use that energy to keep warm and a good warm dry travel box is a must not inside but self contained or like mine int the back of the truck with a topper on it with lots of dry straw
