You helped me a lot with my move! I appreciate it.
The forecast for my area next week has temps as low as -20F (-28C), with a lower windchill (I think around -30F/-34C). We will have snow on the ground but I don’t believe it is expected to snow on the coldest days. Side note - we are around 4500ft/1372m above sea level.
So far the winter has been pretty mild and hasn’t gone below 0F/-17C at all. Snow has also been sparse with I think less than 2 inches (5cm) each time, quickly melting. So I haven’t gotten a chance to really get used to such cold temps. We can get some pretty fast winds. I think it mostly sticks between 20-25 mph (32-40 kph). Also a very arid climate. I have a hard time getting my home above 30% humidity. Not sure on the outdoor numbers.
Is there anything different I should be doing for myself and for my dogs? I feel like these temps are dangerous for exposed skin? Not sure.
One of my dogs has medium length hair and the other one is short hair.
For me I have stuff like longjohns, thicker sweatpants, sweatshirts, windbreaker, I also have a wool coat. Then like thicker socks and some fur lined boots. - I’m thinking I need to add a scarf or something for my face and then also make myself wear gloves? I have some sheepskin gloves so I was thinking of putting on like regular winter gloves and then the sheepskin over it?
For the dogs they have a wind resistant fur lined coat and then some winter shoes. So I’m guessing they need something for their head - I have a soft head covering for them but it is slightly too big and keeps falling over their eyes when we practice wearing it. Do I need to get them something that covers their legs and belly better as well?
I was also wondering if I should even be taking them out at all when it’s that cold. I mean I know it is that cold often elsewhere but they are used to the dry heat of the south of the US and I don’t want them to end up not wanting to go outside ever again haha.
I still feel very unprepared for winter weather so I hope my fellow Lemmings can help!
Unless you have a husky or malamute, you need to protect their paws and ears. Their paws will be in contact with the ground, and their ears don’t have any insulation at all. But that’s not all. At -20 F exposed skin can develop frostbite in 10 minutes. So bathroom breaks should be short. Longer hikes should include boots, a jacket that covers their belly, and a snood that protects their ears. Dogs really shouldn’t be out in that sort of extreme weather unless they’ve been bred for it.