Question
I want to take my dog to the golf course in the winter to run around, but someone told me that it's dangerous because of the chemicals they put on their lawns. I want to know if anyone knows if these chemicals are still dangerous in the winter for a dog ? I would think it wouldn't be since the ground is frozen.

Answer
Hi Annmarie,

This is a bit of a tough question because it's a bit like saying that Windex is not good for your dog, so should you keep a dog in a house where Windex is used?

The chemicals used on gold courses are far less dangerous than they were 15 or 20 years ago. That said, they are not "good" for dogs or humans either. Still, there's a big difference between running around on grass that was treated a week ago, and drinking a big glass of the stuff.

The chemicals do not last forever. They usually don't last much more than a month, and certainly not on the surface of the grass. The superintendent will not be spraying the frozen ground, so you should be fine.

It's good to be cautious, but it is also very easy to take it to extremes. Is it possible that there is trace residual on the grass that could get onto your dog's paws? Sure. Is it likely? No. I say, let the little guy run.

-C.J. Brown