The dangers to watch for, and the precautions that make a snowy mountain holiday with your dog a success

During the winter break, many owners head to the mountains for a snow holiday with their dog. To get the most enjoyment out of it and avoid mishaps, a few precautions are worth taking:

– Remember that walking through deep, unpacked snow is very tiring, and a dog unused to it can wear itself out quickly. So no ski touring or snowshoeing unless your dog is trained for that kind of effort.

– On a long walk along snowy paths, remember too that a dog’s paw pads, more used to tarmac or earth, can be attacked by the snow and above all by the salt that is sometimes spread generously. You can limit the harm by protecting the pads before setting out with petroleum jelly, udder balm or a special paw balm, and on returning from the walk, by washing the paws with lukewarm water before drying them carefully. Bear in mind, too, that in sunny weather the glare off the snow can be intense. A reserve of drinking water will therefore be most welcome!

– When gliding along on skis or a sledge, we sometimes forget how fast we are going on ever-more-slippery ground. So, the same care as ever: make sure the dog is fit enough (in heart, lungs and muscle) for this sport, so as to keep up without coming to harm.

– The last danger can come from the sharp edges of skis or snowboards. These two sports often sit awkwardly with walking the dog. Cuts, to the paws in particular when the dog has come too close to the skis, are common and usually bleed heavily. They often need stitching straight away at the vet’s. On top of that, pets are generally banned from the ski runs.

– Some dogs are also mad about eating snow. In large amounts it brings on vomiting, so this habit is best not allowed.

– Dogs that suffer badly from rheumatism, or those without a very warm coat (poodles, for example), can wear a coat to protect them from the cold.

With a few precautions, your dog should have a wonderful holiday — for as a rule, most of them love rolling in the fresh snow, playing and leaping about in it, or even trying to snap up every falling flake…!