I've lived in Wisconsin for a good chunk of my life, but I learned most if what I know about dressing for the winter elements during the ten years that I had a 116-pound black lab that absolutely required a six-mile walk every day.
People actually sent letters to the local paper complaining about my cruelty in walking my dog during sub-zero temps and high winds. We returned home from one of our treks to find a photographer and reporter waiting for us.
The cold didn't seem to phase that dog in the least, but I had to watch for the rock salt people sometimes used to try and melt sidewalk or street ice, and wash his feet thoroughly when we were done.
As he got older, I'd worry about him during the summer heat, but he always became a puppy again when we got our first snow. I think he went a long way toward shaping my own feelings about Wisconsin winters.
Knute, I didn't mean to hijack your thread, but it reminded me of how much I miss that dog.
People actually sent letters to the local paper complaining about my cruelty in walking my dog during sub-zero temps and high winds. We returned home from one of our treks to find a photographer and reporter waiting for us.
The cold didn't seem to phase that dog in the least, but I had to watch for the rock salt people sometimes used to try and melt sidewalk or street ice, and wash his feet thoroughly when we were done.
As he got older, I'd worry about him during the summer heat, but he always became a puppy again when we got our first snow. I think he went a long way toward shaping my own feelings about Wisconsin winters.
Knute, I didn't mean to hijack your thread, but it reminded me of how much I miss that dog.
