Winter guide · short outside, hard inside

How to Exercise a Dog in Winter

How do you exercise a dog in winter? Keep the outside part short and safe, and move the real work indoors. A quick hard burst in the yard on the days you can, then chase in a garage or basement, hallway recall sprints, and puzzle feeders and scent games inside. The AVMA says you’ll probably need to shorten walks in very cold weather, but the cold doesn’t take any energy out of your dog, so the work has to go somewhere.

Know your dog’s limit: the AVMA says cold tolerance “can vary from pet to pet based on their coat, body fat stores, activity level, and health.” Short-haired dogs feel it faster, short-legged dogs get cold faster cause their bellies hit the snow, and very young, very old and sick dogs struggle more. Your vet can help you figure out your dog’s limits.

By Christopher Lee Moran, working dog trainer, about 10 years and around 400 client dogs, Controlled Freedom method. I designed the Whimsy Stick.

Who this is for

You live somewhere cold and the walks have been getting skipped since November. Your dog goes stir-crazy every time it snows, and by February everybody in the house is short with each other.

Walks have dropped to almost nothing this winter
Your dog bounces off the walls on snow days
There’s more chewing, digging or barking since fall
Your dog has a thin coat and hates the cold
Your dog is putting on weight over the winter
You want to tire your dog out without risking frostbite

Outside: short, hard, then back in

So on the cold days I’d rather do a quick hard burst in the yard than a long shivering walk, and then bring the rest inside. The cold is the risk, so keep the time out short and make it count.

Gear that helps

The AVMA says to consider a sweater or coat for a short-coated dog or one bothered by the cold, and to keep a few on hand cause “wet sweaters or coats can actually make your dog colder.” Booties can also protect feet if they fit right. And clipping the hair between the toes may cut down on ice balls.

Wipe the paws, legs and belly when you come in

Whatever’s on the sidewalk ends up on your dog, de-icer, antifreeze, road gunk, and then it gets licked off back in the house, which is why the AVMA says to wipe down or wash the feet, legs and belly every time you come in. While you’re down there look at the pads for cracks or bleeding, and if your dog suddenly starts limping out on a walk, a lot of times it’s just a clump of ice wedged in between the toes.

Winter dangers. Antifreeze is the scary one, the AVMA says even a little bit can kill a dog, so if you spill some in the garage clean it up right then. Keep your dog off frozen ponds too, cause there’s no way to know if the ice will hold. And know what hypothermia looks like, whining or shivering, acting anxious, slowing way down or stopping, getting weak, or hunting for somewhere warm to burrow into, and if you see that get the dog in and call your vet.

Inside: where the real burn happens

Flirt pole in the garage or basement

If you can clear out the garage or the basement, or you’ve got a nice wide hallway, that’s usually enough room to run a chase, and the dog still gets to sprint and cut and grab the lure, it’s just out of the wind for once. I’d be picky about the floor though, nothing slick, and keep the lure down low and the turns wide with a breather between rounds. The flirt pole training guide shows how to run it.

Hallway recall sprints

For this one, toss a treat down the hall and let your dog run for it, then call it back for another one. Back to back, that burns energy with no gear, and you’re getting recall practice in too.

Puzzle feeders and scent games

Meanwhile, feed meals out of a puzzle, hide treats around the house, and teach a trick or two. Making a dog think wears it out and fills the long dark evenings. See scent work for dogs and enrichment and mental stimulation.

Day	Outside	Inside
Cold but clear	Short hard burst in the yard	Puzzle meal
Bitter cold	Potty trips only	Garage chase, hallway sprints
Snowed in	Quick and careful	Chase, scent games, a new trick
Icy	Skip it, footing’s bad	Everything inside

That’s my take, not a rule. Adjust it for your dog’s coat, age and health.

Why cold walks fall short

A slow winter walk is easy work, and it’s short cause it has to be, so a high-drive dog barely notices it. The cold limits how long you can stay out, but it doesn’t limit how much energy your dog has. Chase inside turns that around, the dog gets to run the whole predatory motor pattern, chase and catch and all. What clients tell me in general is their dogs are a lot more relaxed and calmer and seem more satisfied.

Watch the winter weight

The AVMA says to keep your dog at a healthy weight all winter, and that the idea a little extra weight protects from the cold isn’t worth the health risks. After all, fewer walks plus the same food is how the pounds show up by spring, see how to help an overweight dog lose weight.

Warm up first

Remember, a dog coming in from the cold is stiff, so ease into the fast stuff before any hard sprints inside. Also, the AVMA notes cold weather may worsen conditions like arthritis, and that older dogs with sore joints slip more easily on snow and ice.

The pole I built for the garage in January

I bought the flirt poles I could find, handed them out to clients and watched what broke, then designed my own and tested it on high-drive client dogs for years before I sold one. The Rugged XL is one 46-inch piece of reinforced fiberglass with no joints and an 800-lb Dyneema line, for dogs 30 lbs and up. Under 30 lbs? That’s the Standard, with a 450-lb Kevlar line.

Rugged XL

$75

Dogs 30 lbs and up · 1 lure
800-lb Dyneema line · free US shipping

Add the Rugged XL, $75

Rugged XL + 3 Lures

$95

Same pole and line, 3 lures to rotate
Dogs 30 lbs and up · free US shipping

Add XL + 3 Lures, $95

Rugged XL Pro Kit

$130

The XL with 5 lures and a spare line
For dogs that shred lures · free US shipping

Add the Pro Kit, $130

The Standard

$56

Dogs under 30 lbs · 450-lb Kevlar line
$20 flat US shipping, cause it goes in a longer box

Add the Standard, $56

Every order has a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you pay return shipping unless the pole failed.

Want more of this in your Google results? Add Whimsy Stick as a preferred source.

Winter dog exercise, FAQ

How cold is too cold to walk my dog?

It depends on the dog. The AVMA says tolerance varies with coat, body fat, activity and health, and that you’ll probably need to shorten walks in very cold weather. Ask your vet for your dog’s limits.

How do I exercise my dog inside in winter?

Chase in a garage or basement, recall sprints down the hall, and puzzle feeders and scent games. Put a hard one and a brain one together and most dogs settle.

Does my dog need a coat?

Short-coated dogs or ones bothered by cold can use one, per the AVMA. Keep a dry one ready, cause a wet coat makes a dog colder.

Is ice melt bad for dogs’ paws?

De-icers can make a dog sick if it licks them off, so wipe the feet, legs and belly when you come in. The AVMA suggests pet-safe de-icers on your own property.

What are signs my dog is too cold?

Whining, shivering, anxiety, slowing down, weakness, or trying to burrow somewhere warm. The AVMA says get inside fast and call your vet if you suspect hypothermia or frostbite.

Can I use a flirt pole indoors?

In a cleared garage, basement or wide hallway with good footing, yeah. Keep the lure low and the turns wide, and skip slick floors.

Why is my dog gaining weight in winter?

Usually fewer walks and the same food. Keep the indoor work going every day, and check the portions with your vet.

Can I leave my dog in the car in winter?

The AVMA says no, a car can chill fast like a refrigerator, and young, old, sick or thin dogs are especially at risk.

Cold outside. Tired dog inside.

Short and safe outdoors, hard and structured indoors, every day all winter. The Rugged XL is made for dogs 30 lbs and up, it ships free in the US, and you’ve got 30 days to send it back.

Add the Rugged XL, $75

Under 30 lbs? See the Standard, $56

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Based on my own experience training dogs. Not veterinary advice. Exercise disclaimer.