Gear up for cold weather.

It’s that time of year, when we all wave farewell to one of the more pleasant autumns in memory and turn to confront another winter head-on. For some, this gradual movement toward the bottom of the thermometer is when Fido’s first and last walks of the day are no longer described as “invigorating,” but instead make the move into “numbing” or “as-short-as-possible” territory. Not so for those savvy readers who know about these dog-friendly places who have the gear they need to protect themselves and their puppy pals from the elements, however.

Jan Guenther, the owner of dog-friendly Gear West in Long Lake, stresses the importance of smart preparation: “Dressing for humans is all about layering, especially wicking materials,” she says. “If you’re doing something with your dog that makes you perspire, like running, your first layer needs to wick moisture away from your skin.”

Dog-friendly Midwest Mountaineering located in Dinkytown in Minneapolis.

At Midwest Mountaineering in Dinkytown, the cashiers hand out dog treats like candy as Jewels, the shop dog, surveys her terrain. Her—and the store’s—owner, Rod Johnson, advises wet-weather walkers to choose “a thinner, water resistant material” as an outer layer, and suggests “soft and warm merino wool” as a no-fail inner- or mid-layer for any type of cold weather. “Its longer thinner filaments are not scratchy, are machine washable and don’t retain odors,” he says.

Marathon Sports in south Minneapolis can help you keep your feet from freezing with Mizuno Breathe Thermo socks—which heat up—as well as YakTrax, which slip over your shoes or boots to give you better grip on ice and snow. General manager Corey Swan points out that the store welcomes dogs, with lots of room to roam and water bowls scattered about.

Shop Dog Tulear models packs at 45 Degrees in Stillwater.

45 Degrees in Stillwater, MN offers plenty of cold-weather gear for people and pups. Melissa, a manager and self-proclaimed “shop-dog wrangler” splits her time between taking care of Tulear, the shop’s Hungarian Vizsla and providing a font of information on booties, jackets, leashes, collars and packs that are available to aid cold-weather walks (the shop carries many options for keeping owners warm and happy as well.)

Now that you’re prepared, there’s no excuse for letting the weather keep you and your four-legged loved ones from enjoying winter’s underrated appeal.

DON’T allow your dog to greet guests at the door with jumping, crowding the entry or barking and growling. This is fearful or protective behavior and can result in injuries and unhappy guests.

DO educate your guests on how best to greet — and treat — your dog throughout the night. And set your dog up for success by keeping her under your control. Keep treats near your front door and when guests arrive, place your dog away from the door in a down-stay. Give her the treat AFTER your guests enter. Give your guests some treats, too, instructing them to greet your dog with a command and treat reward. If your dog cannot stay in a sit- or down-stay, put her on a leash to greet guests or keep her confined to another room and take the greeting out of the picture all together.

DON’T allow your dog to roam the party all night unsupervised. This can be off-putting to guests who don’t understand how to interact with dogs and can increase your dog’s chances of stealing food from guests’ plates. This can also put your dog in dangerous situations with decorations, lights and toxic foods such as coffee, chocolate, onions, raisins, grapes and alcohol.

DO create a quiet retreat for your dog that is removed from the party while you entertain guests in your home. If you want the guests to meet your dog, create a period of supervised greeting and visiting and then put Fido to bed for the rest of the night.

DON’T treat your party as your dog’s exercise for the night.

DO exercise your dog thoroughly prior to the party starting. A tired dog is a calm dog and one who is much more willing to tuck herself in early for bed. By the way, exercising together will also help relieve your holiday stress!

DON’T automatically take your dog to other people’s holiday parties and don’t assume your dog is welcome at extended overnight stays with friends or family.

DO exercise your dog well before you leave for a party and leave her safe at home with soft music playing in their comfortable space. If staying overnight for a few days or more with friends or relatives, first phone ahead and ask them how they would feel about your dog accompanying you to their home. Be gracious and let them easily say no. Then, if can’t take your dog, check out a local overnight daycare or hire a qualified pet sitter to stay in your home.

DON’T feed your dog every little leftover scrap from parties and dinners and don’t let guests feed your pet. Many foods may toxic to your pet. Additionally, the extra food leads to extra pounds. Even a few extra pounds on a dog can contribute to severe joint strain and problems, digestion disorders, diabetes and more.

DO keep your dog on her regular, high-quality diet and not a diet of leftovers. If you decide to feed leftovers, consult the list of friendly foods from your local veterinarian and make the portion size complementary to — not in addition to — her regular food. And, in case of emergency or accidents outside of your control, familiarize yourself with the signs of poisoning and the keep the Pet Poison Helpline handy.

DON’T place any potentially dangerous items or decorations at "dog level" including ornaments, electrical cords, lights, trees, tree water, candles, holiday plants or gifts.

DO elevate your trees, plants, decorations and gifts and consider placing a barrier around them or using a repellent spray. Keep all that extra stuff out of the way of your curious pet. While you’re at it, check your smoke detectors, carbon monoxide and radon detectors to make sure they’re working and go over your exit plan in case of smoke or fire in your home.