Snow-Loving Dogs: 11 Dog Breeds That Love Snow
Some breeds don't shy away from snow or cold - they just love it! But combined with a strong prey drive or curious temperaments, these snow loving dog breeds might also be more likely to get lost if they're out hiking or skiing with you. Here's how to keep them safe.
Some dogs were just born for winter – and will love having adventures in the cold temperatures with you. But of course, not all dogs are made for snow. Sometimes it’s just too cold for dogs, especially the small breeds. However, here are 11 snow loving dogs that you can count on for your winter activities this year – and how you can keep them safe in case they go wandering off this cold season.
Bernese Mountain Dog
The Bernese Mountain Dog is a great snow loving dog breed. Hailing from Switzerland, this gentle breed was bred for drafting – hauling loads for their humans with a cart attached behind them. So in addition to doing quite well in harsh winter conditions, they make great outdoor dogs in general.
Bernese Mountain Dogs are fiercely loyal to their families – but they tend to be slow to warm up to strangers. Which is actually why they make excellent service dogs who can focus on their training without getting easily distracted.
Alaskan Malamute
Alaskan Malamutes come from Alaska, where the temperature in the winter months can drop as far down as -30°F (-35°C). With such frigid temperatures, it’s no wonder Alaskan Malamutes are no strangers to snow. This old and large Arctic sled dog breed have traditionally been using for transporting freight. Their thick, course coat helps keep them warm so they make great winter companions.
⚠️ Malamutes have a high prey drive, which means they’re more likely to bolt when out in nature. They’re naturally inclined to hunt, chase, and capture smaller animals. So if you’re taking a younger or untrained Malamute out hiking or skiing with you, it’s more likely they’ll run off after a woodland animal – and cover hundreds of miles within minutes. (And away from safety.)
So to keep your buddy safe, consider clipping a GPS tracker to their collar. That way, you can track your Malamute in real-time and across an unlimited range – and keep them safe, no matter how far they’re off chasing their prey.
Always know where your dog is
Follow every step in real-time with unlimited range. Get alerts if they wander too far. Keep them happy & healthy with Wellness Monitoring. And let others – like walkers or sitters – keep an eye on your dog too.
Labrador Retriever
Labs are a popular dog breed that also make great snow-loving companions; just take a look at the lab in the video below, who can’t get enough of sliding down a snowy hill. While their thick double coat makes them perfect for outdoor winter adventures, they should (like all dogs) be protected from extreme cold temperatures. But this playful breed seems to be born for the fluffing around in the snow!
Labs and Retrievers also tend to be friendly and curious, temperament-wise – which is why they make excellent therapy dogs.
But watch out during the snowy months. A young or untrained Lab or Retriever might be more likely to run off to find the biggest, fluffiest snow pile out in the woods – or make friends with the woodland animals. Where they’re also likely to get lost, or be unable to find their way back home.
Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky is a popular snow dog that, as the name suggests, comes from the frosty, cold climates of Siberia in Northeast Asia. With their thick coat of fur, they are ready for winter activities and were traditionally bred to be working sled dogs.
Unlike the Malamute, which is built for strength, Huskies are trained for speed and transporting goods across long distances.
Safe to say, these dogs have had time to get used to the snow, making them the perfect snow loving dog breed! Here are two gorgeous Huskies, enjoying a day on the beach with their Tractive trackers.
And here’s one who even enjoys making snow angels with his buddy!
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
The Great Swiss Mountain Dog is a gentle yet powerful breed, also used traditionally for drafting. These dogs can easily acclimate to the snow and will be happy to join you on a dog-friendly winter hike or any of these other activities for snow dogs.
However, much like Malamutes, Swiss Mountain Dogs also have a strong prey drive. So watch out for bolting and hunting behaviors while you’re out together.
Leonberger
Next is the Leonberger, a German-bred dog breed which is a mix of Saint Bernard and Newfoundland. This gentle giant loves snow and can withstand the cold temperatures of mountainous regions. Very sociable, they want lots of attention and may get bored easily if they’re not kept busy. (So more likely to wander off somewhere out of curiosity.)
Leonbergers are a perfect dog to bring with you on your next sledding or skiing adventure. Better yet; they make great family dogs as they get along well with kids and show lots of patience.
Newfoundland
The Newfoundland is a low energy, calm and strong breed from Canada. They’ve been bred to work in icy waters and even help perform rescue missions today. Their double coat and physical size and strength make the perfect snow dogs that will enjoy being outdoors in winter with you without much trouble.
💡 Search and rescue teams around the world rely on their dogs’ Tractive GPS devices for their searches – especially its Location History function. Check out the story of how Ontario-based SAR expert, William Bolton, used his dog’s GPS tracker to track down and rescue a missing elderly man from their community.
St. Bernard
The big, lovable St. Bernard dog is the next on our list of snow loving dog breeds. They’ve been used as sled and freight dogs and have even been trained to help rescue people lost in snow. Their great sense of smell makes them well suited to do so.
Nicknamed the saviors of the Alps, St. Bernards are named after the St. Bernard pass, a region in the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. For hundreds of years, these smart dogs have been saving humans in the snow – so why not bring one on your next winter adventure?
Tibetan Terrier
Tibetan Terriers are uniquely suited to the now; they have ‘snowshoe feet’ – large, round, flat paws perfect for traveling across snow-capped mountains. It makes sense – these dogs come from the mountainous region of Tibet where they were used to herd sheep and retrieve items from the mountainside. Their warm coat can cause them to get overheated easily, so they won’t be up for a long run or too much activity in hot temperatures. This snow loving dog is better suited for the cold.
Old English Sheepdog
Old English Sheepdogs come from southwest England and were used to drive cattle and sheep to market. With an insulating and waterproof double coat, these furry friends are protected in cold, wet winter conditions. Yet be prepared to spend a few hours each week grooming your dog’s heavy coat if you have this breed. Make the most of it and get out and play in the snow with this winter dog!
Samoyed
Friendly, playful, and highly sociable – Samoyeds are the quintessential snow loving dogs who are also great for families. They’re originally from the snowy landscapes of Siberia, where they were used by reindeer herding communities. Their thick, double-layered coats make them perfectly comfortable during the cold months. So they love running around and playing in the snow as much as possible.
While Samoyeds have low prey drive, they’re extremely curious. So they’re more likely to sniff around, explore, and investigate every new sight, sound, or smell they come across. Which might make them wander off further away from safety than expected.
How to keep your snow loving dog safe this winter – and prevent them from getting lost
Besides prey drive or their curious temperaments, your snow loving dog might be more likely to get lost this winter. Why? Because, if they wander off, snow can often mess with their sense of smell. Making it difficult for them to sniff their way back home to you.
So if you want to keep your dog safe this cold season, consider investing in a dedicated pet GPS tracker you can safely and easily clip on to their collar.
With the Tractive GPS, you can track your snow loving dog in real-time – over an unlimited range and over 175 countries via mobile connectivity. Perfect for tracking your dog even while on vacation.
Or you could set up a “safe zone” (like your lawn) and immediately get a notification if your dog ventures past it. Perfect for alerting you in case your buddy’s been caught in a dognapping attempt.
Or track their favorite spots with Tractive’s Location History and Heat Map – which has even saved the lives of dogs and humans alike.
Like Imogen, a high-energy Borzoi, who bolted past her fence and crashed through the ice of a frozen lake nearby. Luckily, her mum tracked her down immediately with the help of Tractive’s Location History – and rescued her from freezing and drowning.
And the best part? Tractive helps you keep your snow loving dog safe even in areas with poor network:
“If you want to pinpoint your pet’s location or store their Location History, you don’t actually need a cellular connection. So once you’ve equipped your Tractive GPS, there’s no need to worry if your device loses coverage for a little while. Your tracker stores your pet’s positions securely. So you’ll be able to see where they’ve been even if you’re offline.”
– Ivelin Nenkov, Embedded Systems Engineer at Tractive since 2016
The Tractive GPS: Keeping dogs safe around the world
Tractive pet parents around the world are keeping their dogs safe – with just a glance at their phone. Take the story of Happy, an off-leash Golden Retriever, who ran off into the woods on his first hike in the Alps.
Despite her panic, his mum Francesca immediately switched on Tractive’s LIVE mode – and tracked him down immediately:
“Happy is a good dog and at the end of the day, he always comes back. Well, except the time I brought him for our first time to the Siusi Alps. These mountains are known for the intricate paths and the beautiful flora. I was there with Mac, Happy and my family when Happy got lost. Whether this happened because he went after a deer, or not, this is still not clear to me. What was clear is that he was gone.“
Then I remembered that Happy had the GPS tracker clipped on. I immediately switched on the LIVE Tracking mode and started breathing more easily the closer I got to his position. I could follow his path, live, directly on my phone and the position was so accurate that… finally there Happy was, sipping water from the source on a mountain’s edge.”
– Francesca & Happy, Italy
Here’s the full story of Happy, Francesca, and Tractive’s life-saving technology that’s keeping dogs and cats safe all over the world.
Got a winter-loving dog breed that loves the snow? They might not love it as much as Storm the Samoyed, who loves snow so much that he’ll even cry if he doesn’t get to play in it!
P.S. No matter how much your dog loves the snow, winter can be a tough time for a dog’s paws. Exposure to winter’s dry, cold air, chilly rain and snow can cause chapped paws and itchy skin. Learn how to protect your dog’s paws from winter and snow by following these basic paw protection tips! And don’t forget to take your GPS dog tracker with you on all your winter adventures.
