When it snows...HELP!!! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

bloopy · 10-10-2005, 04:21 PM

Hi there! I have a question. When it snows, would you recommend that we leave the doggy door open and let Rex have free reign, or would you recommend that we close it during the day when we aren't here?

He just loves the snow, and I get worried that he will stay outside too long, and freeze to death get really sick or get stuck in the snow (the snow here in Colorado is really, really heavy during the fall months, and sometimes Rex gets his little legs temporarily stuck in the heavy, wet snow).

I don't know what to do. I really don't like leaving him in the house all day while we are at work b/c I don't want him pooping and peeing all over the place.

Any suggestions are welcome - I'm at a loss...

alaskayorkie · 10-10-2005, 04:27 PM

I wouldn't trust Eddie with a doggy door in winter. He likes the snow, too, and I'd be afraid of him staying out longer than he should.

Plus, he always comes back in with clumps of snow on his fur, and I could just see the mess he'd leave in the house when it melted.

I stop short of giving you a definite "no" only because I've never had a doggy door and don't know how smart Yorkies are when it comes to being out in the elements unattended.

Let us know what you decide and how it works.

SilverStarShado · 10-10-2005, 04:31 PM

I dont think that I would leave it for "free use". I would be worried that he might somehow get accidently get trapped outside, this would be so sad for him. I would just do the fun in the snow when you are there with him. Anything could happen, thats why it's called an accident...just my thoughts.

troubletb · 10-10-2005, 04:33 PM

I don't think I would leave the door open, Gosh anything could happen. Leave his romping for when you get home!

yorkieusa · 10-10-2005, 04:34 PM

I wouldn't do that in a million years. Why? Kacee has never seen a winter, but Muffin saw many of them. We never let her out in the snow unattended, because she would get out in some deep snow and "get stuck" so to speak. She would suddenly get so cold she couldn't move. I always went with her and was always there to go get her when she got too cold. They don't realize when they are getting too cold. It happens all of a sudden.

Jo-Jo · 10-10-2005, 04:38 PM

I would say no to leaving the doggie door open...too much can happen while you're gone. We almost lost Boog one night in the snow and it scared me half to death...I was bawlling so hard...it wasn't pretty! We were outside with him during high winds and heavy snow, he got tricked out of the yard by a rabbit and in an instant he disappeared. We searched for about 45 minutes before we found him and it was pure luck...I caught something out of the corner of my eye and it turned out to be him. In our neighborhood we all had 1 acre yards...the neighbor 2 doors down drove his tractor out that day and left ruts in the snow...Boog got down in a tire rut and couldn't see, or jump high enough, to get out. That's what I saw...his little ears bobbing up and down in the snow. Also, the heat from the inside of your home can cause condensation on the door and it can freeze shut. Is there some way you can train him to use wee-wee pads while you're gone? Ours are trained to go outside and use pads inside if neccessary.

yorkieusa · 10-10-2005, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Ours are trained to go outside and use pads inside if neccessary.

Mine, too, and it's a blessing.

bloopy · 10-10-2005, 04:41 PM

Thank you so much you guys!

Do you think he will be okay inside for our nine hour days? If he has been used to having the doggy door to come and go as he pleases, will he have more accidents in the house?

Sorry for all the questions, but my husband and I just started working days, and we just had our first snowfall this fall, and I am just a worrywart!

I apprecitate all your replies!

bloopy · 10-10-2005, 04:47 PM

That is something to think about - he never liked those wee wee pads, though. He didn't do good with them when we were potty training, and I'm sure he wouldn't do good with them now. But I will for sure try that out!

yorkieusa · 10-10-2005, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloopy

Thank you so much you guys!

Do you think he will be okay inside for our nine hour days? If he has been used to having the doggy door to come and go as he pleases, will he have more accidents in the house?

Sorry for all the questions, but my husband and I just started working days, and we just had our first snowfall this fall, and I am just a worrywart!

I apprecitate all your replies!

I understand the worrying. I've done plenty of that over the years myself!

Do you have an attached garage? If so, you could put a doggie door going into there with pads down for when you are gone. Is he pad trained at all? Without the garage or pad training, I can't think of anything else. It would be nice if you had a nice big area of your home that wasn't carpeted!

yorkieusa · 10-10-2005, 04:50 PM

Actually, this is a good time for everyone who hasn't thought about what they would do to think about it. Think now what you would do if you had a blizzard with two or three feet of snow or more.

alaskayorkie · 10-10-2005, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloopy

Thank you so much you guys!

Do you think he will be okay inside for our nine hour days? If he has been used to having the doggy door to come and go as he pleases, will he have more accidents in the house?

Sorry for all the questions, but my husband and I just started working days, and we just had our first snowfall this fall, and I am just a worrywart!

I apprecitate all your replies!

I did a poll recently on how many hours yorkie owners leave their pets alone, and most of them fell in the 1-to-4-hour range. You might check out some of the comments.

Good luck. I feel for you. I'm in the same boat for a couple months. We've arranged for people to let him out if he's ever alone for 4 hours. It's a lot of work, but it's been possible.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19363

bloopy · 10-10-2005, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yorkieusa

I understand the worrying. I've done plenty of that over the years myself!

Do you have an attached garage? If so, you could put a doggie door going into there with pads down for when you are gone. Is he pad trained at all? Without the garage or pad training, I can't think of anything else. It would be nice if you had a nice big area of your home that wasn't carpeted!

We do have an attached garage, but what happens when we come home? He will hear the garage door open and run outside to greet us, and then what if he darts out into the street?

I guess we could just do a little extra work and go through the front door, and *then* park our cars in the garage.

We have hardwood upstairs, but really no way to barracade him in certain rooms, unless we put him in the bathroom. We have had him almost 2 years, and he has never been confined, so I don't know if I could do that.

Jo-Jo · 10-10-2005, 05:06 PM

A couple of ideas here...do you have one of the fold up doggie playpens? If so you could put that around the garage door from the house or doggie door into the garage (with the pad inside of it) and then he couldn't run out when you come home. Also...some males (including Jo) don't like to squat to go pee so they don't like to use the pads...you have to give them a 'target'...a water or pop bottle filled with water works well. Boog used to have a small, red fire hydrant on his pad.

bloopy · 10-10-2005, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jo-Jo

A couple of ideas here...do you have one of the fold up doggie playpens? If so you could put that around the garage door from the house or doggie door into the garage (with the pad inside of it) and then he couldn't run out when you come home. Also...some males (including Jo) don't like to squat to go pee so they don't like to use the pads...you have to give them a 'target'...a water or pop bottle filled with water works well. Boog used to have a small, red fire hydrant on his pad.

Thanks, Jo-Jo! I don't know what we are going to do yet, but I will definately let everyone know. I don't mind coming home on my lunch break, but it really doesn't give me a "break" - the commute is about 25 mins each way. But then - anything to make my little Yorkie happy! (And anything to keep him from peeing and pooping all over the place!)

10-10-2005, 04:21 PM	#1
bloopy Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 29	When it snows...HELP!!! Hi there! I have a question. When it snows, would you recommend that we leave the doggy door open and let Rex have free reign, or would you recommend that we close it during the day when we aren't here? He just loves the snow, and I get worried that he will stay outside too long, and freeze to death get really sick or get stuck in the snow (the snow here in Colorado is really, really heavy during the fall months, and sometimes Rex gets his little legs temporarily stuck in the heavy, wet snow). I don't know what to do. I really don't like leaving him in the house all day while we are at work b/c I don't want him pooping and peeing all over the place. Any suggestions are welcome - I'm at a loss...

10-10-2005, 04:27 PM	#2
alaskayorkie Banning Thread Dictator Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anchorage Posts: 30,843 Blog Entries: 57	I wouldn't trust Eddie with a doggy door in winter. He likes the snow, too, and I'd be afraid of him staying out longer than he should. Plus, he always comes back in with clumps of snow on his fur, and I could just see the mess he'd leave in the house when it melted. I stop short of giving you a definite "no" only because I've never had a doggy door and don't know how smart Yorkies are when it comes to being out in the elements unattended. Let us know what you decide and how it works. __________________ Mike ~ Doting Dad to Jillie, Harper, Molly, Cooper, Eddie (RIP), Lucy (RIP), Rusty (RIP) and Jack (RIP). Check us out on YouTube

10-10-2005, 04:31 PM	#3
SilverStarShado I Love My FurBaby! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,195	I dont think that I would leave it for "free use". I would be worried that he might somehow get accidently get trapped outside, this would be so sad for him. I would just do the fun in the snow when you are there with him. Anything could happen, thats why it's called an accident...just my thoughts. __________________ Becky & Sir Yoda See ME & My PupPals HERE My YT Photo Gallery HERE *Live, Love, Be Happy*

10-10-2005, 04:33 PM	#4
troubletb Love my Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: New Port Richey, Florida Posts: 2,339	I don't think I would leave the door open, Gosh anything could happen. Leave his romping for when you get home! __________________ Karen~ Bell, Lilly and Peter's Mom Rest in Peace <3

10-10-2005, 04:34 PM	#5
yorkieusa Crazy about Kacee! Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 21,173	I wouldn't do that in a million years. Why? Kacee has never seen a winter, but Muffin saw many of them. We never let her out in the snow unattended, because she would get out in some deep snow and "get stuck" so to speak. She would suddenly get so cold she couldn't move. I always went with her and was always there to go get her when she got too cold. They don't realize when they are getting too cold. It happens all of a sudden. __________________ Karen Kacee Muffin 1991-2005 Rest in Peace My Little Angel

10-10-2005, 04:38 PM	#6
Jo-Jo YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 397	I would say no to leaving the doggie door open...too much can happen while you're gone. We almost lost Boog one night in the snow and it scared me half to death...I was bawlling so hard...it wasn't pretty! We were outside with him during high winds and heavy snow, he got tricked out of the yard by a rabbit and in an instant he disappeared. We searched for about 45 minutes before we found him and it was pure luck...I caught something out of the corner of my eye and it turned out to be him. In our neighborhood we all had 1 acre yards...the neighbor 2 doors down drove his tractor out that day and left ruts in the snow...Boog got down in a tire rut and couldn't see, or jump high enough, to get out. That's what I saw...his little ears bobbing up and down in the snow. Also, the heat from the inside of your home can cause condensation on the door and it can freeze shut. Is there some way you can train him to use wee-wee pads while you're gone? Ours are trained to go outside and use pads inside if neccessary.

10-10-2005, 04:41 PM	#8
bloopy Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 29	Thank you so much you guys! Do you think he will be okay inside for our nine hour days? If he has been used to having the doggy door to come and go as he pleases, will he have more accidents in the house? Sorry for all the questions, but my husband and I just started working days, and we just had our first snowfall this fall, and I am just a worrywart! I apprecitate all your replies!

10-10-2005, 04:47 PM	#9
bloopy Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 29	That is something to think about - he never liked those wee wee pads, though. He didn't do good with them when we were potty training, and I'm sure he wouldn't do good with them now. But I will for sure try that out!

10-10-2005, 04:50 PM	#11
yorkieusa Crazy about Kacee! Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 21,173	Actually, this is a good time for everyone who hasn't thought about what they would do to think about it. Think now what you would do if you had a blizzard with two or three feet of snow or more. __________________ Karen Kacee Muffin 1991-2005 Rest in Peace My Little Angel

10-10-2005, 05:06 PM	#14
Jo-Jo YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 397	A couple of ideas here...do you have one of the fold up doggie playpens? If so you could put that around the garage door from the house or doggie door into the garage (with the pad inside of it) and then he couldn't run out when you come home. Also...some males (including Jo) don't like to squat to go pee so they don't like to use the pads...you have to give them a 'target'...a water or pop bottle filled with water works well. Boog used to have a small, red fire hydrant on his pad.