Winter sports holidays: should my dog's bowl be adapted?
I'm looking forward to the snow so I can go on a few cani-snowshoe outings with Musher in theAveyron on the Aubrac plateau; one of my favorite places in France. Winter is also a great season to play sports with your dog. Cani-snowshoes, cani-luge, snowball fight, ski touring, skijoring… there is no shortage of ideas for spending a holiday or a WOW WE WELL with your dog in the snow.
How to feed your dog during the holidays?
Very often, when we go to the mountains, we dream of raclettes, fondues, pierrades, tartiflettes… in short, super rich and fatty dishes. Why? To produce heat and practice rather intense sports activities, your body will have to burn a lot of calories. It therefore calls for a richer intake than usual. CQFD!
It's the same for your dog. Whether you have opted for a natural food for dogs or a more classic diet, you will have to adapt your dog's ration.
First, to produce enough heat and be warm, it will expend more energy than usual; like us.
Second, if your dog is like my Musher, he'll love running and sliding through the snow. When I go on vacation with my dog in the winter in the mountains, she doesn't pretend to have fun. When the snow is fresh and thick, it sinks in and bounces to be able to move forward. It's funny. The more I laugh, the more she jumps! As a result, it takes a lot of effort from him… So when we get home, I increase his ration.
The more demanding the sport practiced, the more you will have to adapt the quantity and quality in its bowl. If you leave for several hours, remember to take him a “snack”. Musher loves it… Little greedy!
Also remember to hydrate it well.
Also remember to keep your dog well hydrated. Don't let him eat snow, he could have stomach problems... Take a bowl and water with you to quench his thirst. If it's really cold, you may need to put the water in a thermos to prevent it from freezing. It's happened to me before and it's not a good memory...
Activities to do with your dog
Need ideas for making the most of the holidays with your dog? Here are the top 3 activities to do with your dog this winter:
- le skijoring with a dog
- le snowboarding with his dog
- la cani-scooter with a dog
Also find plenty of advice for taking care of your dog in the mountains: pads, cold, sunburn... Here is a recap of all the precautions to take to enjoy holidays with a dog in winter sports.