Agency Assistant Vice President, Suzanne Capurso loves spending time with her dogs and we bet you do too. But what are fun things to do with your dog in the winter? Bundle up and get outside! You will be amazed how fast time flies when you’re out having fun with your dog, even when it’s cold outside. Here are some fun outdoor activities you can do with your dog in the winter months.Fetch – Turns out that playing fetch works the same in cold weather as it does in warm weather. Just bundle up and get a brightly colored ball or Frisbee so you can find it in the snow.

Tracking – Sniff in all that cold winter air and train your dog to track scents. Tracking is like a game of hide-and-seek for dogs. Tracking challenges a dog’s problem-solving skills and keeps their keen sense of smell active. It also rewarding when they successfully track a scent. Call a local trainer or find a good tracking training book to get started.

Walk or Run – Same as in warm weather just with more clothes on, walking or running is a great way to exercise yourself and your dog. Dogs make great walking buddies!

Snowshoe Trek – If you can walk, you can snowshoe! The equipment is inexpensive to rent and you and your dog will enjoy the exercise and time outside in the snow. Make sure you have a long dog leash of dogs off-leash are not permissible where you walk.

Skijoring – It’s cross-country skiing combined with dog mushing/racing. Add a special dog harness and belt (for you) to your cross country equipment and you have Skijoring. Your dog pulls you through the snow. Fun for humans and any dog over 30 lbs.

We love pets at AMSkier Insurance. To get a quote on insuring your pet with AMSkier Insurance, please click here!

Have you believed any of these myths? Knowing the facts will help you stay warm efficiently!

Myth #1: Turning off the heat in your home during the day is the best way to conserve energy.

Fact: Reheating your living space after turning off the heat can actually be more expensive than lowering the temperature of your home, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA. Also, if a water pipe bursts because of the very low temperatures, the repair can cost thousands of dollars.

Solution: Invest in a programmable thermostat, which can be as cheap as $20 or $25 at big-box stores. During the winter, if you schedule your thermostat to drop to 68 degrees when you’re home and lower when you’re sleeping or away, you can save $110 per year or more, according to EPA estimates. If you choose to install the thermostat yourself, be sure to shut off the electricity in your house during installation.

Myth #2: Using a wood-burning fireplace will reduce your heating bills.

Fact: “Fireplaces are designed primarily as entertainment-oriented appliances. They are not designed for heating large areas,” says Ashley Eldridge, director of education for the Chimney Safety Institute of America, or CSIA. “While there are some modern fireplace designs that do heat, most of your heating will come from a central furnace.”

Solution: Decorate your mantle, but limit lighting a fire to the times when you want to add a cozy touch.

“In most cases, using the heater is going to be a better choice from a thermal performance point of view, but fireplaces may be desired as an aesthetic choice,” says Max Sherman, a fellow at the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, or ASHRAE, and a staff senior scientist/group leader at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

Myth #3: Portable space heaters guzzle energy.

Fact: “Space heaters can be an energy-efficient option in a poorly insulated house when it is acceptable to only heat a small area,” says Max Sherman.

Solution: If your home doesn’t come with central heating, a portable space heater may be your best bet for warming up. However, not all space heaters are created equal; do your research before buying.

Myth #4: Electric blankets waste energy.

Fact: “Electric blankets use very little energy. They are definitely more energy-efficient than the same-weight blanket and a higher room temperature,” says Sherman.

Solution: People can feel cold at different times and at different temperatures. If you or your family members can’t agree on a room temperature, don’t automatically turn to the thermostat to suit everyone’s comfort level. Instead, using an electric blanket may help solve the Goldilocks-like temperature dilemma until everyone feels “just right.”

Myth #5: Your water heater always works efficiently.

Fact: Heating your water typically accounts for about 18 percent of your household utility bills. You could save $24 to $60 annually by lowering the thermostat of an electric water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, down from the manufacturer’s default setting of 140 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the EPA.

Solution: Wrapping the tank with a fiberglass blanket also helps retain the heat longer, says David Slater, an Association of Energy Services Professionals member from CLEAResult Consulting. The blanket slows down how quickly the water heater loses heat, so you’ll use less energy to maintain the tank temperature.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Max Sherman, a fellow at the American Society of Heating

The Electric Blanket Institute

David Slater, an Association of Energy Services Professionals member from CLEAResult Consulting