The Sled Was Ready and the Snow Was Perfect. Then a Puppy Climbed On.
The sled is ready, the snow is deep and the passenger is already aboard. An apricot Goldendoodle puppy sits upright in an old wooden sled, his wavy coat dusted with a few snowflakes and his head turned to the side as if listening for the countdown. A rope is coiled beside him, the runners curve upward like ribbons and, across the yard, a house with a wreath on its red door glows in the late winter light. A mailbox pokes out of the snowbank nearby.
Playing in the snow is great exercise, but puppies feel the cold more quickly than adult dogs. Short outings with breaks to warm up are better than one long session, and it is a good idea to check paws for ice balls between the toes and to wipe off any salt or de-icer, which can irritate skin and be harmful if licked. A dog who is shivering, lifting paws or slowing down is telling you it is time to go inside. For sledding, hills with a gentle slope are safest, and a dog should never be left on a sled that is moving toward a road or a crowd. Goldendoodles generally love an outing with their family.
Whether this sled ever goes down the hill with a puppy riding is a question for the grown-ups. Right now the picture is plain winter happiness, one fluffy dog on a worn wooden sled with the whole white afternoon in front of him.
