Cold-Weather Wear for People and Pups

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.