A Pet Owner's Journey (Pt. 9)

I have spent all of my life in Canada, and most of it in north-eastern areas where snow is frequent and abundant in the wintertime. I love the snow. As a kid, I loved it more than I do now, but I think that is just the way it goes. We are a little more immune to the cold when we are children. As adults, we learn that there are a number of downsides to snow and ice and cold.

When I got Roxy it was in February during one of the mildest winters I had yet to experience. It had been rainy and icy and wet, but there had been hardly any snow. So it was hard to tell what she thought of the whole season.

On a few occasions, we would get a decent snowfall and she would romp around in it like a happy puppy, eating snow and rolling in it. But for the most part, she seemed content to stay inside where it was warm and dry.

Winter number two was much the same. There was no shortage of snow that winter, and she played and rolled around in it. She went on our walks, reluctantly sometimes, and we endured the wind and snow. We stayed inside during the freezing rain and then went slip sliding around on the sidewalks the next day.

She was a trooper that winter. Neither of us wanted to be outside but she needed her exercise and due to not having a fenced in yard the walk was necessary. So we go through it.

Now it is winter number three and circumstances have changed again. We are further north now. There is going to be more snow and ice. So far she has been handling it alright. Although she has transformed completely into a couch dog.

She has a yard now, so she will go outside to bark and run around. And then when she is done with the snow and cold she comes back inside.

The first time it snowed this year she looked out the door to outside, looked at me, and walked away. I felt that thoroughly expressed what her feelings for the season would be. And for the most part, its been true.

Pets can be odd sometimes. A breed of dog that you would expect to love the cold and snow might completely hate it. And a breed that you would expect to hate it might be impossible to keep inside. Dogs have personalities that are unique to them and that's why it is important to get to know your pet.

Despite Roxy's aversion to the winter, we still go on our walks. We still go outside in the cold and she still romps and plays in the snow. She may pretend to be all huffy about it, but once she gets out there she has a good time. There is a snow puppy buried somewhere inside her, it just takes a while to coax out.

Winter is one of those times that I wish Roxy could be let off leash. There is a dog park nearby and one day I'm going to take her to it. One day, when it's too cold or snowy for most reasonable people to go, I'm going to take her and see how she does off leash in the snow.

Having the backyard is an improvement. I can watch her run around and play. I can watch her eat snow and roll around in it. But it is still a limited amount of space.

I'm certain that underneath all of that laziness she is just a ball of energy waiting to explode. Everyone keeps telling me how high energy she should be and how active her breed is, but I have yet to really see it. And it's not for a lack of trying. Given the option between a run and sleeping, she will pick sleeping.

Roxy is an interesting dog and she never ceases to surprise me. But that is one of the things that I love about her. She is loyal, she is loving, and she is slightly unpredictable. I wouldn't trade her for any other dog in the world.

Thanks, as always, for reading and I hope you'll come back for more adventures with Roxy as we continue on "A Pet Owner's Journey".