Back Story: Who doesn't like snow..?

"Don't be afraid to let her out in the cold and snow," the vet said at our last visit. "Heelers are a hearty breed."

And this is true. Suki has known virtually nothing of the outdoors in her lifetime, but snow and ice, and freezing temperatures. It never seems to bother her, but for yesterday when it was below zero and I noticed that she appeared to be having trouble with her rear paws. She was trying to lift them off the snow. She hadn't been out very long, but I decided to bring her back into the kitchen, where we bathed her feet in lukewarm water. She was happy to be inside and, of course, basked in the attention.

But most days, she loves to romp on the deck or out in the yard, even when it's so icy she slides all over the place. She is developing a wonderful sense of balance out of all this. She rarely gets to a place where there is some traction. Even in the house, we keep her in the kitchen, away from the temptations of the carpet.