Finn’s Snow Maze: A Puppy’s Backyard Paths After the 2016 Blizzard

For a small dog, a foot of fresh snow turns the garden into a wall. When that much fell on Great Neck, New York, in January 2016, Finn’s owner grabbed a shovel and cut a network of paths across the backyard, giving the snow-loving puppy a maze of his own. The clip, “Finn & The Great Dog Snow Maze”, became one of the happiest winter videos of the year.

Finn and the Great Dog Snow Maze

The video was uploaded by crossfirebob on 23 January 2016. In the description, the owner explains that their puppy Finn loves snow, but after about a foot fell, roughly 30 centimetres, it was simply too deep for him to run through. The answer was a maze.

Seen from above, the yard becomes a pattern of white blocks divided by narrow, dark channels. Finn races along them, turns corners and doubles back, his head barely level with the snowbanks. The idea is simple and the result is pure joy: a familiar space rebuilt at the height of the dog who uses it.

The January 2016 blizzard in New York

The upload date puts the video right in the middle of one of the biggest snowstorms in New York history. The January 2016 blizzard, named Winter Storm Jonas by The Weather Channel and “Snowzilla” by The Washington Post, struck the East Coast from 22 to 24 January.

Central Park recorded 27.5 inches (69.8 cm), the highest storm total since records began there in 1869. JFK Airport set an all-time record with 30.5 inches, LaGuardia had 27.9 inches, and Jackson Heights in Queens reported 34 inches, the most in New York State. Snow fell at up to 3 inches an hour, and Governor Andrew Cuomo banned travel on all roads in New York City and Long Island on 23 January. Great Neck, on Long Island’s North Shore just over the Queens line, was right in the storm’s path.

How to make a snow maze for your dog

A backyard maze is easy to copy after any deep snowfall. A few tips make it more fun for the dog and easier for you:

• Start small. A loop and one or two branches are enough for a first try; you can always add more.
• Make paths wide enough to turn around, and keep every route connected so the dog can always find its way back to the door.
• Clear down to the ground and check for hidden garden tools, toys or icy patches as you shovel.
• Pace yourself. Heavy, wet snow is hard work: lift small loads and take breaks.
• Use a fenced yard so a happy, distracted dog stays safe.

Hide a treat or a favourite toy at the end of a branch and the maze becomes a game of search as well as a race.

Keep winter play comfortable for dogs

The American Veterinary Medical Association’s cold-weather advice is a good checklist for snowy days. Shorten walks when it is very cold, use a dry coat or sweater for small or short-haired dogs, and check paws often for cracked pads and ice balls between the toes. Trimming the hair between the toes helps reduce that ice build-up.

After a walk on streets, wipe your dog’s feet, legs and belly to remove de-icing salts and antifreeze, and keep fresh, unfrozen water available. Bring your dog indoors promptly if it starts shivering, whining, seems weak or tries to burrow for warmth, and call your vet if those signs persist.

More snow dogs and winter fun

The view from above also turns Finn’s maze into accidental land art, a small domestic cousin of Simon Beck’s snowshoe art. If the rest of the family wants a winter project, try our creative snowman ideas.

Related reading:

• Lady’s Icy-Water Rescue in Louisville: Why the Full Account Matters
• Akiak and Norway: A Husky in an Adventure Photo Diary
• This Dog Died Saving His Owner From A Lightning Strike, The Last Photo Broke My Heart.
• A Dog Brings a Game of Fetch to the Skiers in Leukerbad
• Fox Grom’s Huskies on a Mirror-Like Arctic Lake

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