Dog Fun in the Snow

If the 11 new inches of powder that Steamboat Springs Colorado received on Christmas Eve gets you calling into work sick...

If you are at your wits end with cabin fever from being stuck inside the house all winter...

If you are planning for a physically fit 2013...

Then here are a few ideas that will get you out and about with the furry ones you love.

Snowshoeing - This is a great way to get outside in the Colorado sunshine and enjoy the quiet winter wonderland. And if you are anything like those of us at SmartCookieTreats.com then you bring your DFL (Dog Friend for Life...you heard it hear first) with you. Aspen Snowmass has a ton of dog friendly trails that you can choose from. Sam, our Chief Tasting Officer, and my favorite trail, is the Bernese Boulevard because it wraps around the golf course and in the summer time I like to play golf and Sam likes to chase the geese. So we just imagine how spring will be here before we know it, as we crunch our way along.

Any Big Box pet store- I do recommend going there to play, not necessarily to shop. Sometimes here at SmartCookieTreats.com we like to take a couple of our couch potato dogs down to, insert big box store here, and go crazy in the toy section. Besides a poopers scooper full of laughs and a bunch of weird looks it will be impossible not to come out at least 5 years younger. You and your DFL will never be the same.

Skijoring- This is a really fun way to get outside, enjoy your surroundings, and get some exercise. All you need is a willing DFL, a Skijoring harness for both you and your dog, and some cross country ski gear. From there imagine dog sledding without the sled and they are attached to you.This used to be my favorite method of transportation back in college. Nail a plastic lawn chair to an old snowboard and pull out the dog harness... I need to run some errands. An obscure and borderline classless way to get from point A to point B but it was fun!  Now the sport has traveled all the way from Scandinavia and is gaining a lot of momentum within the states. Colorado has plenty of Nordic centers and trails to test your Skijoring skills on but if your looking for a little more guidance there are classes for you and your dog.

 

As with anything that you do with your DFL please be safe and make sure everyone, both two-legged and four-legged, are wearing protective gear and following local regulations.