For many dogs, there's nothing quite like frolicking in snow.  Of course we need to limit the time outdoors and also take care of our dogs paws over the winter.  Some dogs seem to be fine with walking on the cold pavement and salt while others are a bit more sensitive.  Regardless of your dog's preference, winter is a time when many of us spend a bit more time tending to their paws.  There's lots of products that will protect our furry friend's feet from the salt, snow and ice - everything from dog boots to paw creams.  Of course, there's DIY solutions as well.
Does your dog come in with snowballs hanging off her body?  Mine does!  I've found that the quickest way to remove them is to melt them using lukewarm water. Of course, I can just let them dissolve but I hate stepping in little puddles of water.  Another tip is to keep the hair at the bottom of their paws trimmed.  I use a clipper to get the hair between the pads.  This will prevent the snow from clumping on the bottom of their feet.
To remove the salt from their paws, you can set up a small washing station in your mud room.  A friend of mine has taught her dog to walk through a foot bath and then stand on a mat waiting for her paws to be dried.  Now that's a great, practical training trick!!  If this is too much, then perhaps a product like The Paw Wash would be of interest. 
You can also use paw protecting cream on your dog before going out for a romp in the snow.  Our friends at Earth Rated has posted directions on how to make your own. I will be making a batch of this soon - they would make great little gifts for all my dog friends!

Winter is challenging enough when you have small dogs but when the temperature drops so much that you think it’s the return of the ice age, it’s a challenge for all living creatures.  There are coats and booties that will help to protect our four legged friends but when it’s really cold or when the snow is too deep, it’s time to bring the games indoors and focus on mental rather than physical stimulation.
There’s many things you can do to keep you and your dog from getting a bout of “cabin fever”.  Some of my favourites are:

Teaching your dog some new tricks is a great way of burning off excess energy and if you’re so inclined, you can even work towards a Trick Dog title!  This is also an opportunity to work on Puppy Manners no matter what age your dog is.  After all, anything put on queue is a trick. 

I love watching Twizzler work for his dinner stashed inside a toy.  There are lots of puzzles you can buy that are terrific – Nina Ottason puzzles are my favourite as you can increase the level of difficulty.  You can also make your own puzzle.  One of the easiest is to hide food in a muffin tin by placing tennis balls over the holes.  You can also hide food or a toy in box.  Once your dog masters this, add more boxes.

One of the things I like to do is refresh my dogs’ stay and come commands.  I will sometimes spice it up by adding distance or distractions to the mix.  Or I’ll call out something other than “Come” to see if they break their stay.  Sometimes, it’s a race … first one to come and sit in front of me gets the treat.  These games not only proofs basic obedience skills but also gives me greater insight into my dogs’ capabilities.  (One of the most difficult challenges for Java was to stay when I called Scrumpy’s name.) 

This is a game where your dog is rewarded for every different thing they do with a box. The “box” can be anything at all – and, it has the added advantage of challenging you to remember all the behaviours! 

You can teach your dog a behaviour by breaking it down into small increments and rewarding for each step towards the final behaviour.  This is one of the best mental stimulation exercises for my dogs.  Sometimes what I shape has no purpose whatsoever; while others like targeting will be to teach a solid contact in agility. 

Whatever you do to while away the day with Rover, keep it light hearted and the both of you will have fun!