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!

  • Etterra@discuss.onlineEnglish
    1·
    3 days ago

    Well for you sound set. You want to dress in layers, and you want to avoid sweating.

    I have no idea what kind of dog you have. Honestly here in Chicagoland my dad’s had a number of rescue dogs over the years, and the answer depends on the dog breed. The smaller and less furry a dog is, the less you should expose them to the cold. You may have to have them just go to the bathroom on those little absorbent mats inside if they don’t want to go outside. And the dog will let you know that it doesn’t want to go outside in the freezing ass cold.

    But if you’ve got a larger dog, especially a very furry one or a breed that likes the cold (like a husky for example) you’ll have any easier time.

    But the most important thing is to pay attention to your dog when you’re outside; it’ll let you know when it’s not happy about where it is.