Tips And Techniques For Keeping Retrievers Safe In Cold Weather

Prepare you and your dog for success when it comes to staying safe during late season adventures.

The famous Vince Lombardi quote, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail,” rings true in the world of dogs, especially when it comes to hunting during the late season. Dogs are often exposed to the elements throughout various waterfowl and upland seasons. Examples include cold water, low temperatures, ice, and snow. 

It is not uncommon to have a retriever buck choppy seas through blinding sleet to bring in a wing-tipped mallard. That same dog likely braves below-zero temperatures chasing wily late season roosters. It is our job as owners to not only adequately prepare our dogs for these hunts and ensure their safety.

For example, when lakes harden and ducks fly south, waterfowlers get a twinkle in their eye. These folks work hard to find open water. Icy conditions can be the most challenging and dangerous hunts for your dog as they are fully exposed to winter’s grip. It is during these times that you must consciously keep your dog safe.

Condition Your Dog To Cold Water

To condition a dog to cold water, gradually expose them to progressively colder water temperatures over time. This is best done in the months and weeks preceding cold water hunts. 

Throw water marks once or twice. Have your dog experience the cold water. But immediately after, throw some fun bumpers on land. This action gets them moving and warmed back up. A few of these sessions a couple of times a week keeps them conditioned. It also makes them less susceptible to limber tail syndrome, or “swimmer’s tail.” Your dog will be more acclimated to the water temperature, and this exposure can trigger a thickening of their existing undercoat, helping prepare them for cold hunts to come.

Keep Your Retriever Dry

Many retrievers that hunt weekly throughout the season are naturally conditioned to cold water as the temperature usually drops a few degrees each week through the fall. However, during late season hunts, it is not the retrieving that gets your pup in trouble—it is the waiting between flights. 

Use A Towel

After swimming in cold water, dry off your dog between retrieves. After they shake, wipe them down to remove any excess water with an absorbent towel or shammy. Be sure to rub them while you are drying them to help stimulate blood flow. 

Throwing bumpers on land after an icy retrieve or taking a midday romp through a field can warm them up quickly as well.

Provide A Safe Place For Your Dog Between Retrieves

Similarly, keep them out of the water between retrieves. Use a dog platform or stand with a mesh bottom in an enclosed blind to allow the dripping water to drain away and keep the wind and elements at bay. If you hunt out of an aluminum boat, have them sit on a bar mat or foam pad—this keeps them off of the heat-robbing metal deck. 

Wool blankets, an old parka, and neoprene vests work well to cover a pup and retain heat. Consider keeping a portable heater in the boat or blind. If possible, add some straw to the dog’s stand/blind to aid in insulation, too. 

Know Your Hunting Spot

Know the depth of the water you’re hunting in and where the current, if there is one, flows. Is the water shallow enough for your dog to jump back up onto the ice shelf, or is it too deep for your dog to easily get back on land? Keep your hunting area clear of ice by using a rake.  If you’re hunting out of a boat or skiff, be ready to launch at a moment’s notice if you see any signs of distress. 

Help your pup out. If you have multiple birds down, go pick up a few yourself. Kill all cripples before even thinking about sending your dog. There is just no sense in sending your dog into the elements for longer than needed. 

Lastly, be observant and be diligent. If your dog looks visibly uncomfortable, cannot stop shaking, or otherwise looks distressed, get them warm and call it a day.

Fit, Healthy Retrievers Stay Safer

Opening day shouldn’t be the first time your pup is tasked with the herculean effort of long swims or quartering a field for hours on end. Fitness needs to be a year-round endeavor. 

Local retriever clubs and dog training groups are a great way to keep your pup’s skills sharp and its muscles physically conditioned throughout the year. By meeting at least once a week, your dog will get the “working” fitness they need to keep their strength and endurance at peak levels. Trail runs, long, off-leash walks, and summer swimming are also good ways to keep your canine athlete in tip-top shape.

Additionally, make sure you are feeding a high-quality dog food. Like human athletes, canine nutrition is a major component of overall health and successful performance in the field. After challenging hunts, you may need to give them more food. During cold, multiday hunts, your dog will burn more calories than normal. Always maintain their weight and make sure your pup is neither too heavy nor too light.

We, as owners, are responsible for our dogs. Dogs don’t always see the danger, consider the cold, and contemplate the consequences of jumping into a mostly frozen lake. They will do it because they have been bred to do it. They will do it because we asked them to. Give your dogs all the support they need, and don’t ask them to do something that will harm them. 

While retrievers were bred out of necessity, the times have changed. So has education, resources, and knowledge. Helping your dog out between flights can go a long way in ensuring safe and successful late season hunts for you and your retriever.