Hello Friends,

Sled dog using long bushy tail to keep nose warm.

A friend from Wisconsin just asked if sled dogs liked the cold weather. The answer is YES, the weather is pawsome! We have adaptations to help us survive cold weather such as two layers of fur (guard hair and underfur), a special kind of fat in our toe pads so our feet don’t freeze, and long, bushy tails to keep our noses warm when curl up in a ball to sleep. When it snows, the snow actually acts as a blanket to help keep us warm. When it’s time to run, we get up, shake off the snow, and are ready for a new day on the trail. (Teachers, check out the lesson about adaptations from Denali National Park and Preserve here.)

I just looked at the temperature for the state of Alaska and it is COLD. In Anchorage it’s 10°F and in Fairbanks it’s -18°F. My human friends are inside keeping warm, my canine friends are outside, loving the cold weather, and training for the upcoming Iditarod. What’s it like where you live?

If you have a questions for Zuma, send an email to askzumadog@gmail.com. Answers will be posted here. Stay warm!

Tail wags,

Zuma