Why won’t my dog pee or poop in the snow? How to get your puppy to potty in cold weather

Indy is seeing extreme cold temperatures Wednesday that are causing school delays and cancellations.

If it’s too cold for kids to stand at the bus stop, it’s too cold for pups to be out in the cold for very long. Dog owners may struggle to get their pets to use the bathroom when it’s this cold.

Here are some tips on how to help your four-legged friend go potty in the cold and how Indianapolis residents can report any neglected pets you see out in the subzero temperatures.

❄️:Here’s which schools are closed or on a delay as extreme cold continues Wednesday

Why won’t my dog pee or poop in the snow? Why won’t my puppy potty in cold weather?

Not all dogs are fans of winter, so refusing to go outside to potty is common in pups that have become accustomed to the heat and warmth of the indoors. They may just need a little help to make the cold weather outside a little more bearable.

Below are some of the best answers provided to help your dog potty in the snow:

Put socks on your dog’s feet.

IndyStar’s Matt Glenesk said, “We put socks on our dog’s feet and put rubber bands around them. Now he’s jumping in the snow for fun.”

But Charlie still seemed hesitant to go outside.

The sock trick worked for other dog owners. Greenwood resident Lindsay Ray found success in getting her pooch to poo by putting socks on her paws.

Junebug rocks pretty pink socks to help her deal with the cold weather.

Socks also worked for this schnauzer.

This schnauzer wears socks secured with rubberbands to keep her paws warm in the cold weather.

Clear a path and dig up a grass patch.

One friend said, “I dug out a patch of grass and then had to carry her from the house to the patch of grass and she finally went!”

Apply Petroleum jelly to the paws and in between the pads before your pups go out.

Another reader recommended a product called Musher’s Secret. It claims to be an “all-season paw protection” for your dog. The dense, barrier wax forms a breathable bond with your dog’s paws to provide protection in even the most extreme conditions.

Salt and other chemicals used to melt snow and ice can irritate the pads of your pet’s feet. If your pooches’ paws are trekking through the stuff, be sure to wipe their paws with a damp towel.

Buy dog booties.

This adorable pup is wearing rubber booties. Owner Beth Maier says, “Works great!” I found tons of dog boots on Amazon.

These rubber dog boots helped this pup go potty.

Get warm and get it done quickly.

Other dogs wore jackets to keep warm. Owners said the dogs hurry and do their business and they quickly bring them back inside.

This dog wears a coat before she goes outside. Does her business quick and comes back inside.

If you notice an animal has been left out in below freezing temperatures longer than 30 minutes and they’re showing signs of being too cold (shivering, lifting up their paws) then you may want to consider filing a complaint.

Request Indy is the preferred method of reporting these complaints, however, the Mayor’s Action Center also has representatives available to take calls 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and can be reached at 317-327-4622.

Residents also can call the non-emergency Indianapolis police department number at 317-327-3811. Do not call 911.

Do not report animal complaints or concerns via social media (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.), email, or by calling the Animal Care Services shelter.

Complaints reported using Request Indy or the Mayor’s Action Center are automatically entered into the system for Animal Care officers to investigate, making sure your request gets where it needs to go and the report is handled quickly, according to the city.

❄️:How to report neglected pets in Indy and keep animals safe and warm during freezing temperatures

Go to request.indy.gov/citizen.home. If you already have an account, you can login. Otherwise you can hit register to create one or continue as a guest. Registered users can access service request history more quickly.
On the desktop version, when the next screen pops up you will want to hold your cursor over the “Request” section of the screen then while still hovering, place your cursor over the request type (in this case, Animal Care Report) then click on it. On the mobile version, you will select request and then be prompted to select which type.
On the location screen you will see a large map. You will then enter in the address where the endangered animal is located in the box on the top left hand corner of the screen that says “Where is the service location?” Then you’ll hit next.
On the details screen, you will then select from the dropdown box to answer “What is the nature of your request?” For reporting an animal left out in the cold, you will select “I would like to report an animal in danger.”
Once you have made that selection, more questions will appear. It will ask for a description of the animal, where it is located on the property, if they are chained/tethered up, if you know who is responsible for the animal, if the animal is is in immediate danger of death and any other information that will be helpful to the Animal Control Officer.
Once you have answered all those questions and any other follow up ones that appear based on your answers, it takes you to the contact screen where you can input your information to be updated about the request. You can report anonymously, however, if you answer yes to knowing who is responsible for the animal on the details screen, it will require you to provide your contact information. Then hit next.
It will then ask you to review your report as a whole. If you have entered in the location, details and contact information required and it all looks correct, you are then able to hit the submit button at the bottom of the screen.

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