Although Bailey is wearing her new, warm Alpaca Jacket, she was only outside for a few minutes. In the single digits as a high for the day, it was really too cold to stay outside.

The initial snowfall was also deeper than Bailey is tall. The drifts are still much deeper.
Nevertheless, the layer of ice underneath the snow has seemed to pack things enough that the little dogs don't sink in the whole way. The extreme cold also has formed a frozen crust on top of the snow. So, Bailey is more or less on-top-of the snow. Otherwise, you wouldn't see Bailey in the photo.

During the actual blizzard on January 5th, our dogs went outside as usual to go potty. Even in a very quick outing, one of the biggest dangers for our little dogs with snow or ice is frozen feet. Therefore, my husband first cleared a small area outside our back patio door each time the dogs had to go outside. With the combination of heavily falling new snow and high winds blowing whatever snow that fell, that was an exhausting day for him. Ice (like what fell the first day of the storm) is almost impossible to clear away. Because we won't use toxic ice melt, he had to chip it. Then during the actual blizzard, almost as fast as he cleaned a place for the dogs to go out, the snow would blow back over the cleared area. Still, he made sure that the dogs had no major problems.

Today, he was able to hand-shovel our long front walk, plus, the entire dog patio.

In the photo above, Bailey is on the deck. If it ever warms up again. the deck will eventually melt naturally. Right now, we're experiencing a super cold spell. The snow will be around for a while. Today, was our first outdoors "playtime" (although very brief) since the ice storm hit on Saturday before the blizzard came in on Sunday. Brrrrr!!!

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Chihuahuas are not meant to be arctic sled dogs...
In fact, cold weather can indeed be dangerous for a Chihuahua.
These tiny dogs are particularly susceptible to the cold for several reasons:


Small Size & Body Surface Area: They have a larger body surface area relative to their volume.
Their small bodies lose heat quickly and make them more vulnerable to hypothermia.

Fat and Fur: Most small dogs have less body fat, which provides less insulation.

Metabolism: Smaller dogs may have faster metabolisms,
but it doesn’t compensate for their heat loss.

Activity Level: Smaller dogs tend to have higher energy levels,
but if they don’t move around enough in cold weather, they can get cold very quickly.

Age and Health: Older dogs, puppies, or those with health issues
struggle more with maintaining body heat.

Breed Specifics: Some small breeds, like Chihuahuas,
are naturally more sensitive to cold due to their origin in warmer climates.

Acclimatization: Dogs that are accustomed to warmer indoor environments
may not tolerate cold as well when they go outside.

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Although it perhaps would be nothing for a big dog,
this brief outing for Bailey today in the snow was a big deal.

Bailey is 2.7 pounds or 1.2 kilograms.
She is tiny. She's also a very spoilt indoors Princess. Plus, she's 11 years old.
Today left a good memory. She might be tiny and now older, but Bailey has a big spirit.
We had fun today.

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PS Bailey wasn't out long enough to feel cold. No 30 minute or longer long play sessions. Just enough time outside to enjoy a little bit of the snow. Even when the ground is cleared of snow, she'll fearlessly plow into where it isn't. That's her personality.