that's a good point. i have a good friend coming on the hike i can have handle luc.

i can carry teagan (while she looks a lot bigger than luc, she's actually only 5 or 6 lbs heavier than luc, close to his weight when i first got him - given their size difference, muscle does weigh more than fat). i've carried luc before when he hurt his paw (and sometimes i carry him just cause i'm mean ).

i've really been working w/teagan post-monday's incident. i may try that then.

Practice carrying her at home before you leave, and bring the muzzle just in case.

well, she behaved beautifully on the hike (people were like 'why would you be worried about her?')

the biggest problem was we had about 10 inches of snow, and 6-7k in (it was an out and back) i was leading crossing on what i thought was a path but wasn't - it was water/ice, the ice broke and i went in up to my hips, teagan with me. i should've known better, i have way more experience than to do something that stupid, the landscape looked potentially damp but it didn't look like anything we needed to worry about - we all thought it was the path (this is a very rough trail).

my friend mark, who asked as we got the trail 'hey, can i walk luc today?' ....sure (my master plan falling into place) was behind us and went in but not as badly.

immediately everyone said we were going back. mark and i changed what we could, then headed back.

teagan had HUGE iceballs stuck to her feet. we stopped for a quick snack, and i thought 'the trainer who came wednesday handled her really well, i should be able to be positive and assertive enough to clean her feet, dominance or no-dominance'.

and i did! i got all the big stuff. she and luc seem to be fine, any bits i missed have melted off. there were still a few balls when we got back out the road (we had a short stretch along to the parking), and they were a bit uncomfortable in the slushy road bits but were fine on asphalt and seem fine now, though i'm going to take it slow with them for the next day or so.

i know all these people who hike w/their GSDs, and don't use boots. i can confirm they need boots if they're going to be breaking through ice but otherwise should be fine.

so we only got a short hike, around 14k, but both dogs are tired as it was very rough terrain. and i'm sure the unexpected swim was tiring as well. man sometimes i have the biggest brain farts. we'd been talking about how sometimes w/experience you do dumb things because you're experienced, and the 'this way looks fine' was definitely one of those moments. sheesh.

You can help by keeping your dog's fur between his toes trimmed to a manageable level. Cut too short, the fur won't offer protection from the snow anymore, but a neatly trimmed foot will attract less ice and snow to collect inside.

good idea! thanks! teagan definitely had bigger balls (of ice), and she's got all the long fur, even between her toes.

....sigh. i'm so good at reading where trails are, i can usually tell intuitively....big ouch to my ego today i'm glad the dogs are okay though.

(myself and a girl who lives right by me took the bus home from eglinton west station since it goes down our street, and when we got on, the driver called me back and said 'do you know it's rush hour!?' (aka animals not allowed). me and susan both said 'on a saturday?' and he ummed and said 'well just keep the dogs out of the way' i guess getting on w/two german shepherds freaked him out.
(the minute i sat down, luc jumped onto my lap - which he just doesn't do at home (not allowed on furniture after all) but i figured hey, he's out of the way. susan said 'yeah, he's really not a tough dog, is he'. teagan sat nicely between my legs.)

Edited by Jennifer Mullen (12/01/2007 05:08 PM)
Edit reason: balls of ice! i have enough problems w/luc being girly without teagan's balls being bigger!

 Quote: Jennifer Mullen

well, she behaved beautifully on the hike (people were like 'why would you be worried about her?')

That's really great.

I knew you wouldn't read Teagan wrong, you've done so well with both dogs all along. But really Jennifer be careful out there, this time of year in these northern climes and getting wet is really a dangerous way to live, and in another month, you know and I know deadly. So for gods sakes be careful.
We've got snow coming in soon, yeah same storm and cold you just went through, and I'm going to have get some stuff for the paws of the dog a sled racer told me about last year. I know where to buy it but can't remember the name at moment. I've had problems with all my dogs since moving here especially when breaking new trail and this racer told me about it. Supposely keeps the snow from sticking and lasts.
Give me a day or two to come up with a name for the product (I'm going to need it by all accounts) and I'll pm it if you want.
Randy

Glad the hike went well.

I was ski-touring today with my dog and I understand the ice ball issues. My dog has lots of soft fur inbetween is toes and pads. I trim it, and that helps some. I have ordered some Musher's Secret, but I have found many paw waxes are nice for dogs going to play in the park for 15 min, or walking on a snowy sidewalk, but that is about it.

I know my dog is touch sensitive and I curse him stopping to knaw out the ice balls in his feet, but it must truely hurt, as at least one paw was bleeding by the time we got down.

I also have yet to find a booty that works in deep snow (that doesn't fill up with snow eventually).

I swear my next dog will be a mal, GSD or a lab (except not a GSD or lab ). Snow does not stick to their paws!

Not sticking to their paws? It's got to be some kind of wives tale.
First hand, I can attest, no matter what type of dog I've had, ice balls are always an issue.
Mushers secret doesn't last? Bummer, now what? I've never found boots to be acceptable either, they fill up with snow or the dogs are trying to chew them off (I think because of fit or their paws get too cold, take your pick). Any other ideas?

Dreaming of a green Christmas.
Randy

 Quote: randy allen

But really Jennifer be careful out there, this time of year in these northern climes and getting wet is really a dangerous way to live, and in another month, you know and I know deadly. So for gods sakes be careful.


Randy

this was the last hike i had scheduled on this trail (often there's no easily discernable trail, it's got a bit of a bushwhacking ethos) b/c of the way the trail would hike w/a snow load. we had been walking through similar ground cover that was a bit muddy, so i figured this was the same (until i was up to my hips in a stream anyways). we couldn't see any other path across where you wouldn't have had to go over water, the trail description said a couple of beaver dams, there must've been one under all the snow we couldn't see. don't worry, for the winter i switch to trails w/structures like bridges

i do have some sort of wax (not musher's secret, it's called 'invisible boot') but i find the dogs lick it off and it doesn't last, so for a hike i didn't really bother - i don't think it would've made a difference today though w/submersion.

so jennifer....you're getting a mal then?

edit: and thanks guys re: teagan. i have a feeling she'll mostly pull crap w/me, b/c i directly challenge her for leadership. not that someone else couldn't accidentally, so i still feel that i should be careful w/her.