The dog pictured above is my "Little Lady" Lexi. I adopted her way back in January of 2014, and she's an awesome dog.
As you can see, Lexi is a 55-lb sheltie (or rough collie) mix with a thick double coat of fur that keeps the lint roller industry in business. She and her ancestors were basically bred to not only tolerate, but also enjoy, cold and freezing weather.
Here's a pic of her trying to herd her adopted-brother Simon – a border collie (or aussie) mix – during a recent snowstorm:
When it's not snowing, one of Lexi's favorite things to do on a cold and chilly Oklahoma night is to curl up into a shallow hole, watch after her imaginary flock of sheep, and patiently and comfortably wait for Mr. Possum to walk across the fence line – a relaxing, cozy and instinctual activity that could now get me a $500 fine thanks to a new Oklahoma City Council ordinance.
Yesterday, they passed an ordinance that will allow the city officials to cite and fine residents who leave their pets outside for more than 30 minutes when temperatures drop below 32-degrees: