Helping your pets enjoy winter, too
Oh, the joys of pet ownership. Pets come with all sorts of pleasures and woes. Some owners find more woes than others, but, regardless of these annoying parts, a therapeutic bond can form.
An article published in the Western Journal of Nursing Research in 2002 found that the presence of brightly colored fish in an aquarium positively affected eating habits and nutrition of Alzheimer’s patients.
Another article, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2001, concluded that while medications can lower the blood pressure in hypertension patients, pets accomplish this better by lowering patient response to stresses that cause high blood pressure.
So, for better or worse, we have pets. Some pets, like parakeets, guinea pigs and turtles, sit in their respective containers all day. More interactive pets, like dogs, cats and horses, require daily playing, walking or grooming to be healthy.
All pets need care, and that care requires time. An owner can take his pet to play fetch in the park or for a walk, run or bike ride along the many trails in Logan Canyon. Pets such as dogs are great backpacking partners, for they hardly ever complain and they love to be alone with you however long you are wandering.
However fun these activities are in the spring, summer and fall, the owner’s desire to leave the house may wane during the cold winter.
“Her love handles are quite evident during the winter,” said Lauren Hancey, social studies secondary education major, regarding her dog Lila. “But, the last thing I want to do is trudge out into the cold inversion weather with the dog.”
What can one do to entertain their dog during the winter? Winter activities in Cache Valley are abundant and many are dog-friendly.
For example, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing exercise both the dog and the owner. One sport, skijoring, involves the dog pulling its cross-country skiing owner in a mix between skiing and dog sledding.
If your dog is more athletic, wear him out in deep, ungroomed snow such as the Jardine Juniper trail, located approximately 12 miles up Logan Canyon. Smaller and older dogs can jog along groomed trails such as Green Canyon, located in North Logan.
With the right clothing, these activities are generally warm. Skis, snowshoes, GPS devices and other equipment are available to rent at the Outdoor Recreation Program (ORP), located east of Romney Stadium.
Additionally, the ORP has begun a trial dog policy at their yurt in Green Canyon. The yurt, located three miles up Green Canyon, has all the amenities for a warm cozy night in the winter wild. Equipped with a woodburning stove, a propane cooking stove, cushioned beds, and cutlery, it is a place to camp outdoors with your dog, and not freeze.
The yurt, discounted for students, is rented through the ORP and owned by campus recreation. Check availability by calling 435-797-3264 or stopping into the ORP.
The groomed trail to the yurt accommodates small, fat and old dogs alike. Once there, the owners with more energetic dogs can explore the adjacent Naomi Wilderness with its deep snow and cross-country skiing trails. Due to Forest Service policy, the dogs must be leashed for the first mile up Green Canyon. After that mile, however, the dog is free to romp and play.
Both owner and pet benefit from continued winter activity. Activity can curb the winter blues for both parties, and then soon, it is back to playing fetch in the park.
– jddredge@gmail.com