The same thing happens every year when the temperatures plummet – news stories abound about dogs needing rescue after falling through ice. In late fall and early winter, just as bodies of water are starting to freeze over, conditions on the ground tend to be the most dangerous for dogs.
If you love hiking with your dog, all the newly frozen surfaces at this time of year present boundless opportunities to sniff and explore, but remember that the ice is inconsistent and often thin earlier in the season. All it takes is for your beloved canine to spot a squirrel or rabbit on the far side of a frozen lake and go haring off onto unstable ice and before you know it, you hear that sickening crack of the ice giving way underneath them.
