Most dogs do better out in the cold than we do because of all that fur. But there IS a point where it’s just not safe anymore.
Most breeds are okay when it’s 45 degrees or warmer. Once it’s below freezing, small dogs and dogs that don’t have a lot of hair shouldn’t be out for too long. And when it’s below 20 degrees, ALL dogs are at risk of hypothermia and frostbite.
So when the temperature dips down like it has across most of the country this week, you should keep your dogs inside as much as possible. And you definitely shouldn’t make them SLEEP outside.
Three animal control officers in Saginaw, Michigan are trying to raise awareness this week by keeping THEMSELVES out in the cold.
This Friday, two of them will be spending the night in doghouses, and one will be sleeping outside without any shelter to see how long he can take it.
It’s supposed to dip down into the teens, and it might snow. They’ll be livestreaming it on Facebook to show people just how miserable it is, and they’re trying to stay out all night from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 A.M. the next morning.
It’s not clear what kind of gear they’ll be wearing, but apparently they won’t have sleeping bags. They’ll just be lying on straw. They’ll have paramedics checking in on them though. And they’ll pull the plug if they decide it’s too dangerous. (ABC12)
