# Minis and exercise



## croth (Jun 5, 2018)

I was wondering if anyone has experience with a miniature poodle in northern climates. I'm in Canada and we get lots of snow and cold weather. 

I was wondering if anyone can tell me if they run with their minis (all seasons) as well as snowshoe/cross country ski on groomed areas with them. What sort of gear do I need? I normally put a coat (Chilly Dog) on my Boston for walks but he isn't built for those other activities.


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## Newport (Jul 16, 2014)

I know that Carol Brand of Beauvoir Poodles does a lot of hiking in the Colorado Rockies with her mini. You can see her website here: ABOUT US. I know she is planning a litter of silver minis for Spring 2020. She would be an excellent resource to talk with about your outdoor activities and how well they would mesh with a mini. She is very familiar with spoos as well.

Here is an interesting article about running with your dog and a brief synopsis of 20 different breeds and their running style: The Best Types of Dogs for Runners
Some dogs are good at 3-5 mile runs, some do better on grass or forest runs, some are up for marathons, go read all about it. 

I hate to say this because there can't be anything better than a poodle, but... a malemute or a husky can do all the things you are talking about wanting to do.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

My last girl was half mini and just over 10 lbs. She was extremely athletic and had excellent stamina for much of her life, but she was definitely not built for extreme weather. Both hot and cold took a toll on her (and we lived in Toronto, so had a lot of both).

In the winter, she wore Pawz booties to protect her paws from the salty roads and sidewalks. But if we were on a trail, I preferred to leave her paws bare for traction.

She wore a Goldpaw stretch fleece for a bit of warmth without any restriction.

We did a lot of hiking together, but one time she did fall into a gap between two rocks, and getting her out wasn't fun for either of us. I also had to be extremely mindful of wildlife. Where we live now, especially, there are lots of birds of prey. That's why we sized up with our current dog. She's a standard poodle and would be perfect for the activities you've described.


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## croth (Jun 5, 2018)

Newport said:


> I know that Carol Brand of Beauvoir Poodles does a lot of hiking in the Colorado Rockies with her mini. You can see her website here: ABOUT US. I know she is planning a litter of silver minis for Spring 2020. She would be an excellent resource to talk with about your outdoor activities and how well they would mesh with a mini. She is very familiar with spoos as well.
> 
> Here is an interesting article about running with your dog and a brief synopsis of 20 different breeds and their running style: The Best Types of Dogs for Runners
> Some dogs are good at 3-5 mile runs, some do better on grass or forest runs, some are up for marathons, go read all about it.
> ...


If only the malamute and husky didn't shed!


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## Newport (Jul 16, 2014)

croth said:


> If only the malamute and husky didn't shed!


Haha, SO TRUE! There are piles of hair with those dogs. Well, I'm glad we firmly have you on the Poodle wagon.


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