Now that we are officially in the throws of winter, you may have noticed that the rivers and ponds have frozen over. These frozen bodies of water may seem like fun new areas to explore, or a short cut to get from one destination to another. However, no matter how strong these ice fields may seem, we can never predict how they will react to extra weight.
When a dog walks on these frozen rivers, there is always the chance that their weight will be too much, and the ice will crack beneath them, and they will fall into the freezing cold water below. This puts them at a high risk of drowning. Even dogs who are very good swimmers, can be pulled under the ice by the currents of the river, preventing them from being able to resurface. If a dog can be rescued from the water, they will still need considerable medical care for hypothermia. As well, often times they will have inhaled water into their lungs, meaning they can still “drown” on land, even days later.
If your dog is naturally attracted to the water, you may want to consider putting them on leash whenever you are passing by those areas in the winter.
No matter how frozen those lakes or ponds seem, do not walk on the ice, it is just never worth the risk.
