Dogs eating snow is a common wintertime behaviour that often puzzles pet owners. There are several reasons why dogs might indulge in this behaviour, including thirst, hunger, and curiosity. However, it is essential to note that ingesting large amounts of snow can lower a dog’s body temperature and lead to health issues, such as bloating and hypothermia. It’s always best to provide your dog with plenty of fresh water during winter months and to monitor their snow consumption.
Reasons Why Dogs Eat Snow
Dehydration
When dogs don’t have access to clean and fresh water to drink, they can become dehydrated. Even though fresh snow is less than 5% water, it’s still a refreshing option for those dehydrated dogs. Even though we usually associate the warmer summer months with dehydration, dogs can become dehydrated in the winter due to the heat circulating inside our homes.
If your dog was dehydrated, he would likely experience other symptoms such as:
- Dry and tacky gums
- Thick, sticky saliva
- Dry nose
- Loss of appetite
Dogs trying to rehydrate themselves may actually drink too much water too quickly and may cause themselves to vomit. If you suspect your dog is dehydrated, call your vet.
Medical Conditions
There are some underlying medical conditions that can cause dogs to become increasingly thirsty. Kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, and Cushing’s disease are just a few medical conditions that could cause a dog to be excessively thirsty and unable to step away from eating the snow.
These medical conditions would be coupled with other symptoms, such as:
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Weakness
- Restlessness
- Weightloss
Curiosity
In a lot of places, snow isn’t a regular occurrence, so dogs are genuinely fascinated and curious when it finally does start falling. Dogs explore the world with their mouths, so it should come as no surprise that they occasionally want to try a bite of that fresh, powdery snow.
Breed
Some double-coated, arctic breeds like Siberian Huskies or Alaskan Malamutes were purposefully bred to thrive in cold, snowy weather. Their love of snow is passed down through generations, so these breeds love snow and ice more than other breeds. They prefer the cold, snowy weather, and they find it fun to start playing in it and eating it.
Taste
While you probably don’t consider snow a tasty treat, your dog may! Because it’s fresh precipitation falling from the sky, it has a slightly different taste to it than the water currently inside your dog’s water bowl. This different taste could be really interesting to your dog.
Is It Safe for Dogs to Eat Snow?
While a small snack of snow isn’t toxic or harmful to your dog, there are some things to take into consideration to make sure your dog is being safe.
Snow covers the ground, so it could potentially be hiding toxic items underneath, or even rocks or trash. If ingested, these items could cause your dog to become sick.
If snow appears discoloured or dirty, be sure to discourage your dog from eating it. Similarly, you shouldn’t let your dog eat snow that is on roads or has been ploughed up next to a road. This snow could contain chemicals like antifreeze or large quantities of ice melt.
In addition, remember that snow typically happens when it’s below freezing. If your dog is overeating snow, he could be at risk for hypothermia, which is an abnormally low body temperature. Other signs of hypothermia include:
- Shaking
- Stiff muscles
- Paleness
- Shallow breathing
How to Prevent my dog from Eating Snow
If your dog seems insistent on eating snow, you should make sure you’re watching him closely so he doesn’t put himself at risk for any illness due to contamination.
If you’re walking in an urban area with mounds of snow ploughed up or shovelled, be sure to steer clear of those areas since they’re probably contaminated with antifreeze and salt.
If your dog doesn’t stop eating snow, there are a few steps you can take:
- Ensure that your dog has plenty of fresh water that is easily accessible. If your dog is thirsty, direct him to his fresh water bowl.
- Keeping your dog on a 6-foot leash while out and about will allow you to keep him closer to you so you can steer clear of any dirty or contaminated snow
How Do I Stop My Dog from Eating Snow?
You should teach your dog a “leave it” or “stop” cue by using positive reinforcement training methods. To do this:
- Place a low-value treat on the floor. With your dog on a leash, approach from a large distance so your dog just barely notices the treat but doesn’t pull like crazy towards it.
- Tell your dog to “leave it.” Use a verbal marker like “yes” to mark the moment your dog leaves the treat alone and looks at you instead.
- Reward your dog with a high-value treat.
Be sure to practice this regularly because it will take some time for your dog to learn it.
Conclusion
Overall, eating small quantities of freshly fallen snow won’t hurt your dog or make him sick, but you shouldn’t let your dog eat large amounts of snow. If the snow your dog is eating is dirty or on the side of a big city street, tell them to leave it. If your dog doesn’t stop, contact your vet to rule out underlying medical conditions.
