Jasper Hates the SnowJasper Loves the Snow

Over the weekend, we had ourselves a nasty bit of weather. It started off well enough - some light snow on Saturday, which made for a lovely backdrop for the trip to the farmer's market. However, by the end of the day it had turned to sleet and freezing rain, which not only made the roads treacherous, but soaked into the snow and froze over into a solid shell. Walking Jasper out among this mess on Saturday night was hardly fun for either of us. Being the distrustful sort, he didn't know what to make of this glazed, slick surface that he would often punch through. What is more, the big woof (me) made an awful commotion with each step, because I definitely did punch through with each step. Therefore, Jasper hated it. Oh sure, he made a valiant attempt at his usual romping, but it didn't last. The following morning when I let him out, he didn't get any further than the patio - so fearful of a glazed backyard he was.

Over the next two days, Jasper had even more reason to dislike the ground conditions as the crust got broken up by boots, snowblowers, and plows. I worried for his paws - walking over these broken chunks of ice couldn't have been good for him. In the meantime, the banks of the creek where we usually walk had consolidated to a very slick slope, so much so that Jasper couldn't venture down to the water's edge, as is his wont, for fear of not being able to get back up.

Today, however, we received 5-6 inches of fluffy powder. With this lovely cushion, Jasper was back to his romping, playful self. Now he loves the snow. It's so much fun for him to run through, slide to a stop, spin around, and run some more. The fact that there's snow on the ground doesn't stop him from sniffing everything around him - it just gets his muzzle dusted. Now the only worry I have is the snow that galls up between his pads. He doesn't seem to mind it too much, though.