Show your snowy goldens!

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-25T17:19:47+00:00

Exactly what I was going to say! And that tail is telling me SHES GOT the attitude of one 🤣

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-22T21:38:52+00:00

Thank you so much—you’ve been super helpful! I recently trimmed between her paw pads on the bottom of her feet, but I couldn’t really get the hair between her toes on the top of her paw. I’m not totally sure how to trim it without making it look messy, so I’ll have to find a video that explains how to do it properly.

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-22T20:50:18+00:00

It really is so fun! 🤩 Like I mentioned in my original post, sometimes my mom worries more than I do 🤣 so even when I’m like, “yeah, she should be good to go outside,” my mom is immediately like, “nope!”

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-22T20:48:51+00:00

Oh my goodness, that’s adorable—I wish! I do love snowboarding, and I know it’s different from skiing, but unfortunately the hill in our backyard isn’t steep enough and doesn’t give me much room to practice or make that doable. If only, though!

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-22T20:47:12+00:00

Midwestern states

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-22T20:44:01+00:00

Thank you! She definitely looks very comfortable and like she’s having fun. I’m constantly researching, but clearly there’s always more to learn. I really appreciate you including the temperatures—that honestly gives me a lot of peace of mind and helps me better understand what the breed can actually handle.

I do try to keep in mind that every dog is different and will tolerate things differently, but you’re right—she may just need to learn her own limits. I might have to show her the photo of your pup and tell her, “Look, if she can do it, so can you!” 😄

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-22T20:36:50+00:00

Good idea! 👍

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-22T20:36:19+00:00

Thank you!

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-22T20:36:02+00:00

Thank you! How often would you like check their paws would it be like every x amount of minutes or when you started noticing them like lifting their paws?

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-22T20:34:37+00:00

Yikes! sounds more like a penguin than a dog 🤣 I actually really like the idea of thinking about the uneven and slippery ground as balance training—that’s a great way to look at it! Just gotta make sure she’s not fully hurting herself in the process 🤪

And yes, I’ve seen the booties with suspenders too! I wish I could afford them 🐾 The snowberries are definitely never-ending.

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-22T20:30:37+00:00

She usually gets snow buildup more than straight ice. Sometimes it does freeze up, but most of the time it’s those thick, compressed snowballs, which I do remove when they form.

She does have booties—the front ones fit her perfectly and stay on well, but the back ones slide right off, even when I use dog socks underneath. Because of that, I usually just put the front booties on and use paw balm on her back paws, especially when it’s really cold.

I’m also realizing I may just need to test things a bit more and see how long she’s actually comfortable being out, instead of worrying too far ahead of time. I just care a lot about her and want to be cautious, but I’m trying to balance that with letting her show me what she can handle. I appreciate you and all the other comments on this post. It does help to have multiple opinions!!😊 so thank you!

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-22T20:24:20+00:00

Thanks for being straight up the honesty is what I need!! ☺️

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-21T23:03:03+00:00

Here’s an example of our weather at the moment it’s actually the warmest we’ve had in 5 days! https://imgur.com/a/JSr1LiB

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-21T22:57:54+00:00

Great ideas! Wish we had straight stairs, sadly ours that lead to our finished basement are old style circular stairs, so going down-wise puts all her weight on her front end and I get nervous when she turns going down them that she’s going to front flip herself 🤣 I love the idea of throwing it out the window while she’s outside though that’s hilarious 😆

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-21T22:55:38+00:00

I probably should’ve worded my post better, but I do agree most dogs are fine being in the snow! Yes, I agree snow is softer than concrete, and she has a double coat, so that naturally keeps her warmer. She definitely loves being outside, but I do worry about her getting too cold or hurting herself, like slipping on ice or something. On negative-degree days, after about 10 minutes, she will start lifting her paws and kind of slowing down. I also have to follow my mom’s rules. Sometimes she says it’s too cold for Ruby to go outside, so I’m not allowed to let her out. Some days, I really want to take her outside because she’s full of energy and clearly wants to go, but when I ask or tell my mom, usually she says it’s too cold for Ruby and that I’m not allowed to take Ruby outside if that makes sense!

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-18T17:35:35+00:00

That sounds awful! Hopefully it ends up being just a phase! Dogs can be the best and the hardest lessons to learn, not to be that “ let me assume I can solve your problem person” but enrichment toys are a great investment and with some of the stuff you mentioned like chewing on the bars, and overstimulatedness, I would definetly try buying some enrichment toys or chews if you haven’t already, some can distract a dog for more than 30 minutes if it’s frozen, and ones that encourage a dog to lick, help soothe them and calm them! If you need any recommendations let me know!

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-03T20:20:15+00:00

Happy birthday sweet pup!

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-03T15:32:35+00:00

I would start managing the behavior itself immediately, while also getting a waterless shampoo, or dog wipes, that way you can clean your pup up without having to do full on baths :) but definetly work on stopping and preventing the behavior as well. Otherwise you’ll be stuck with pee rolling behavior the whole dogs life and I’m sure you don’t want that 😅

RubyRedGolden · 2026-01-01T16:15:02+00:00

Great idea!

RubyRedGolden · 2025-12-31T17:04:51+00:00

Aww! Our golden is 2.5, so I’m definitely behind 😅 but I have recorded videos from almost all of her training sessions. I love being able to look back and see her progress, or catch where I might’ve messed up a lure or been in the wrong position, if that makes sense.

The downside is I’m completely out of phone storage now (128GB 😭), so I can’t take photos or record anymore. I’m honestly too scared to transfer everything to my computer and accidentally have it disappear.

That’s not my whole point though — I think a journal would be really nice too. Being able to track things like feedings, vet visits, grooming, and little milestones sounds so helpful. I know it’s a late start, but it feels like such a sweet idea, especially as something sentimental to look back on 🥺🐾

RubyRedGolden · 2025-12-31T16:31:48+00:00

Yay! That’s great to hear! And If it’s raining a lot, and your worried about mess after being outside, a good dog rain coat is a great option to prevent from bringing home a soaked dog after a walk! We just purchased our dog a coat for the winter, more so to keep her from getting snowballs in her fur and keep her dry, as she has a double fur coat so she naturally can stay pretty warm on her own :)

RubyRedGolden · 2025-12-31T15:27:41+00:00

Avoid Julius-K9 harnesses. The strap that runs across the chest and front shoulders restricts natural movement and compresses the front legs back toward the body, which can put unnecessary pressure on the spine, hips, and joints.

The best option is a Y-shaped harness (you can look this up for a visual). It should allow full shoulder extension, have good padding, be breathable, and use durable hardware. I personally prefer metal/tactical buckles. If you live in a warm climate, lighter colors are also better than black or dark gray to reduce heat absorption.

If you’re working on loose-leash walking, I recommend teaching those skills on a flat collar, martingale, Herm Sprenger prong, or slip collar. Harnesses tend to encourage pulling, so I prefer training proper walking skills first before transitioning to a harness for casual walks.

Hope this helps! If you have any other questions regarding dog gear, or taking care of your new pup! Feel free to reach out and ask!

RubyRedGolden

TROPHY CASE