Snow Addict

[Phoebe's Mom]

Phoebe has become obsessed with eating snow!  Of course, we might be to blame for starting the habit as she gets some crushed ice each time one of us gets a drink (and she loves it!) but now it has translated into her eating snow constantly!  Taking her out has become a 30 minute plus ordeal-even when I know she really has to go--because she keeps eating snow and not focusing on what she needs to do.  How do I get her to stop or I am being ridiculously naive especially since we live in MN and will have this snow through April?  I have tried bringing her back in without her having done her business but that does not seem to increase her urgency/dampen her desire to eat the snow when I bring her back out again.  Sorry to sound so silly but I have come to dread taking her out these days! For the record, I do take her on walks daily but sometimes I need to just 'run her out' so I can crate her before I leave.  Any and all suggestions most appreciated!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Does she have a specific place where she likes to "do her business"? If she does, would it be possible to just keep that little area cleared of snow? If you bring her straight to that area and keep her there until she goes, it might cut down on the amount of time it's taking for those potty walks. We have one little area way in back that is Guinness's potty place. When I take him out to go, it's straight there and nowhere else until he goes. If he doesn't go, it's right back inside. If he had his way he would walk for 20 minutes to find the "perfect" spot, but I just don't let him when it's "potty time". He gets to do his walking and "doggie sniffing" when we're on our regular (non potty) walks.

[Phoebe's Mom]

That is a great idea but I cannot do it for two reasons. First, Phoebe is all over the place with where she likes to go and, second, in MN digging through th ice is pretty impossible right now. We don't warm up like CT to help the snow melt. We keep our original snowfall plus more through April!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I think your solution is to move to the South. LOL
Really, we had a 1" snow a few weeks ago and there was nothing I could do to keep Peri from eating it. Only good thing was that she cleaned up after us if we tracked anything in :)

[Phoebe's Mom]

I would love to especially now that my DH is out of a job. Of course, my parents, who just moved here in August to be closer to my children, would disown me (or at least be really really ticked!). Phoebe is from Arkansas, you know. Maybe she is trying to tell me something!

[BetteB]

Haha! Maybe she's just so excited to see the white stuff! I know when it snows here in North Carolina (hardly ever!), I can't resist opening my mouth and letting the flakes drift in! :)

[Mrs. K]

How old is Phoebe? If she's a very little puppy, then this is pretty normal I think. When we got Indy last year in mid-December he was just 9 weeks old. The snow fell shortly thereafter, and all he did was eat it when we brought him outside. Made house training quite an ordeal! If he didn't do his business within 2-3 minutes I scooped him up and brought him right back inside, then would try again a few minutes later. When he did his business I'd praise him excitedly and give him a treat. You just have to do it over and over and over again! Takes patience! A few weeks into the winter and he got used to the snow and that was that. This winter he was actually a little scared of the snow at first, but quickly remembered how much fun it was last time and lapsed into snow-eating again! But it's not so bad this time--he only eats the fresh-fallen snow now, fortunately!
So if Phoebe is still young, she'll outgrow it for the most part. Just have to be patient with her. Good luck! :)