Wirecutter
Skip To Content
Wirecutter

The Answer

Advice, staff picks, mythbusting, and more. Let us help you.

A dog leash, a dog treat and a puddle with dog tracks in it, all made out of colorful clay.
Illustration: Dana Davis

Ask Wirecutter: How Can I Convince My Prima Donna Pooch to Go Outside in Bad Weather?

Welcome to Ask Wirecutter, where deputy editor Annemarie Conte helps you figure out how to make the most of your stuff in real life. If you have a shopping conundrum for our advice columnist, submit it using this form.

Dear Wirecutter,

My dog refuses to go outside in any kind of bad weather, and I hate dragging her down my front steps by her leash. Is there a kinder and gentler way to get my mutt to go for a walk on rainy or snowy days?

M.G.

Dear M.G.,

I too have been on the human end of this situation, waiting, leash in hand, for my dog to get his butt off the porch and just pee already. It’s frustrating. For your sake and mine, I spoke with Curtis Kelley, a certified dog trainer with nine years of experience and owner of Pet Parent Allies. He sympathized: “This is pretty common. They’ll stand there and be obstinate about the situation. The sensation of being rained on can be unpleasant for some dogs, and they’ll see it as punishment,” he told me in a phone interview. Here are his tips, as well as some Wirecutter picks that will get your pup moving in the right direction.

Avoid the bad weather

I know it’s not always possible, but if you know that a storm is coming, don’t wait until it’s happening to get your pup outside, especially if you expect thunder and lightning. Since many dogs often need a longer walk to help them do their business, going out while it’s dry and calm is preferable for everyone involved. If your dog has a strong gastrocolic reflex (meaning they have to poop after they eat) and you normally feed them on a set schedule, consider adjusting their mealtime up to two to three hours earlier, before the storm hits, says Kelley.

Bring an umbrella

This is a solidly built, easy-to-find umbrella that holds up in high winds. It also comes in a variety of colors.

Buying Options

$27 from Amazon

price may vary by color or style

$27 from Walmart

price may vary by color or style

Juggling a leash and an umbrella can be tricky, but that bit of extra protection might just do the trick. “Some dogs will tolerate bad weather much better if you’re holding an umbrella to keep rain off of them,” says Kelley. We like the Balios Prestige Travel Umbrella and the Repel Easy Touch Umbrella, both of which have a 37-inch diameter and auto-close features that can be helpful when you have your hands full. You might also consider the Totes Blue Line Auto Wooden Stick Umbrella, which has a bigger, 42-inch canopy for full coverage. Of course, you know your dog best, and if your pet is reactive to shadows or quick movements, skip the umbrella and move on to the next tip.

Consider a jacket and boots (for your dog)

The WeatherBeeta sits securely and will keep a dog warm and dry in all but the worst conditions. It comes in sizes that fit dogs between 12 inches and 32 inches long, in 2-inch increments for a close fit.

Muttluks protect against sharp objects, keep paws comfortable in cold or hot weather, and provide a flexible fit to accommodate most dogs.

Buying Options

$66 from Chewy

Some dogs are fine wearing clothes—but others will look at you like their dignity is being stripped from them, one tiny cowboy hat at a time. There’s also the potential issue of overstimulation because of the touch of the clothing. “They get too excited and flop on their back, and it’s a good time for no one,” says Kelley.

The design of the clothing matters. “I know they’re cute, but many dogs don’t like wearing hoods, just like they don’t enjoy having their heads patted because it’s improper dog etiquette or it can signal discomfort and stress,” says Wirecutter’s Kaitlyn Wells, who edited our guide to jackets and raincoats for dogs. “If you can, find a dog-friendly raincoat that’s hoodless. It’ll make your pup’s outdoor time in bad weather a bit better.”

The key to introducing your dog to something they may be reluctant to wear, says Kelley, is to acclimate them to it slowly and with tons of positive reinforcement. “Put it on, give them a treat, take it off, give them a treat. Build it into becoming a neutral,” he says. It can take days, or even weeks, of prep work and positive encouragement for your dog to wear a coat comfortably.

Getting them to wear a set of boots to protect their feet from mud, snow, or road salt is often even more of a challenge, so expect it to take as long as two months for some dogs to get used to wearing them. That means potentially getting ready in October for a December snowfall. Kelley recommends starting with just one boot on one front foot and having your dog stand or walk a bit for a few minutes. Then move on to the second front foot. Then do both front feet, then one back foot, then the other back foot, and then the back two feet. Slow and steady.

You don’t have to do all of this inside the house, either: You can try taking your dog outside into the rain and then putting the coat on so they connect the coat with a feeling of protection from the elements.

Consider a jacket and boots (for yourself)

If you normally let your dog out into the backyard to go to the bathroom, but they staunchly refuse during bad weather, you might have to suck it up and put on your own rain jacket and boots and go outside with them. “My dog, Vista, will do that sometimes. If it’s really, really raining, she’ll look at me and be like, ‘Nah, you too. Get your coat,’” says Kelley. Just the act of stepping outside with them in solidarity can be enough.

Lure them with treats

If your pup is absolutely resolute, luring with a treat is acceptable in this situation, says Kelley. Leave a trail of training treats out the door for them to follow (we like PureBites Mini Trainers Freeze-Dried Raw Beef Liver Dog Treats and Etta Says Sit Training Treats Bacon Recipe). Another option is to hold a treat in your hand and walk outside, getting your dog to slowly approach you. High-value, smelly treats are best for this. Kaitlyn recommends a training treat, a small piece of string cheese, a hot dog, or Full Moon Chicken Jerky. For dogs on a specialized diet, kibble can also work.

Kelley also suggests keeping an eye on your dog while you’re inside. When you see your pup becoming more and more desperate, that’s the time to get them outside, have them do their business quickly, and then head back inside. This approach teaches your pet that the faster they go out to use the bathroom (and get some relief!), the faster they’ll be back inside in the dry warmth.

Turn it into a game

For toy-loving dogs, distraction is a great way to trick them into leaving the house. We like the Hear Doggy Ultrasonic Squeaker Toy, which has a squeaker tuned to an ultrasonic frequency between 24 and 28 KHz that’s silent to people but fun noise for dogs, you can play without being driven up a wall. Start their favorite game inside, whether it’s tug or chasing a ball, and then move it outside. In their excitement they might not even realize your bait and switch.

Soothe their sore paws

Popular in the dogsledding community, this waxy protectant creates a breathable barrier between paw pads and pavement, ice, and salt.

The abrasiveness of cold, wet roads and sidewalks (or salted ones, if it has been snowing) can be brutal on a dog’s paws. For dogs that don’t wear booties, make sure to wipe their paws off with a warm washcloth after they return inside the house, and then apply Wirecutter-pick Musher’s Secret to protect their paws from the elements. Kelley says twice a day in between walks is best.

This article was edited by Jason Chen.

Mentioned above

Edit