Skip to content

Pooch to 5k

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Personal Training for Dogs?
  • Code Of Conduct for Running With Dogs
  • Training Programs
  • Media
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Pooch to 5k

Running with dogs

Research Reveals that your Dog’s Paws act as Natural Snow Boots for Cold Protection

by Admin
A guest post provided by VetDepot.com.

As a dog owner, you may wonder how your sweet pooch handles walking on cold, wet or sometimes even snow-covered ground without hesitation. Until now, no one really understood why dogs are able to tolerate the cold on seemingly poorly insulated paws. Recent research released in the journal of Veterinary Dermatology reveals that although your dog’s paws may lack the fur that protects the rest of his body from cold, the paws actually act as “built-in snow boots” to keep warmth in the body.

Your dog’s legs and paws contain a network of veins that rapidly circulates blood from his foot pads through his lower legs to warm those areas before sending it through the rest of his body. Arteries run right alongside veins inside your dog’s legs, which speeds warming even more. This “counter-current heat exchanger” system also limits the quantity of blood near your dog’s cold skin and pulls warm blood into his paws. This complex circulatory system keeps your dog’s overall body temperature stable and helps protect his paws from damage caused by cold temperatures.

This circulatory network is very similar to the type found in arctic foxes, penguins, and dolphins, although experts are not sure why domestic dogs have this specialized trait. One possible explanation is that domestic dogs evolved from ancestors native to cold climates, according to Dr. Sarah Williams, an anatomist from the Royal Veterinary College.

Research published in the December 2011 issue of Veterinary Dermatology explains that rapid circulation is only partially responsible for your dog’s warm paws. Your dog’s paws also contain abundant fat and freeze-resistant connective tissues that act as insulators, protecting his paws even more from the cold ground. In fact, previous studies have shown that the paws of dogs can tolerate temperatures as low as -35 degrees C.

Of course, this news does not mean you should keep your dog outside all winter long. Dogs are at risk for frostbite and other problems when spending time outdoors in very cold weather. Older animals and sick dogs are at even greater risk due to a higher sensitivity to cold and a lower percentage of body fat. Do not leave your dog outside for prolonged periods during winter months, and follow all safety precautions when allowing your dog outside in wet or snowy weather.

Post navigation

Previous Post:

Hydrotherapy for Sporting Injuries

Next Post:

Suburban Trail Running.

One comment

  1. Pingback: Equipment to Keep Your Pooch Healthy | Pooch to 5k

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Dog Health and Fitness Newsletter

Subscribe to our dog health and fitness newsletter for training advice, nutrition information and more, to help you care for your canine athlete.

Download Our Free Training Programs

Click here to download our training programs so you can start your dog on his journey to fitness and health.

First Aid Courses For Your Pet!

First Aid and CPR for Pets

Our Favourite Sites

  • Parkrun
  • Tailrunner

Categories

  • Dog Breeds (3)
  • Dog Friendly Runs (14)
  • Dog Health (30)
  • General (33)
  • Nutrition (4)
  • Product Reviews (8)
  • Runner Health (5)
  • Running Buddy of the Month (11)
  • Running Training for Dogs (10)
© 2025 Pooch to 5k | WordPress Theme by Superbthemes