Angel Chuck Billy, thank you for all the snow you sent me to celebrate mine and Angel Lemmy’s Gotcha Day Anniversaries. It was thoughtful of you to include so many of our friends in the celebration across the country, as well as parts of Canada. Some places it was an historic snowfall, others received record breaking amounts, and don’t think your creative touch went unnoticed with the different types of snow you sent to each area. This is why today I’m resharing your guide to the different types of snow., because not all of our friends have the proper vocabulary on how to describe it.
Snakebite and Other Types of Snow (February 10, 2020)
Snakebite Snow is icy crunchy snow that when stepped on the paw immediately goes crashing through leading to cuts. Another way to describe it is Broken Glass Snow, because that is the sound it makes when attempting to take a few steps to do one’s business in the morning. Just like snakes are my least favorite type of animal, Snakebite Snow is my least favorite type of snow.
Another form of snow that is equally annoying is Scooby Doo Snow. Remember those old Scooby Doo cartoons where he’d be running but not moving anywhere? Or how about when he and Shaggy would lose their balance and go spinning across the floor? That’s Scooby Doo Snow! Scooby Doo Snow is when old snow has been played on for a few days, melts then freezes, and takes on an icy solid sheen that makes it impossible to walk on never mind play. Sadly this snow is even more deceptive than Snakebite Snow because Scooby Doo Snow appears safe. However, all it takes is one excited pup to run out into the yard to discover it isn’t safe, and will quickly find himself spinning on his belly across the yard and into a fence. Not that I know this from experience, but Asa definitely does.
A third type is Solid Snow. Solid Snow is frozen but not slippery like Scooby Doo Snow. It is possible for a dog to walk on top of this type of snow. However, one misstep, and a paw can go crashing through, leading to a cut paw similar to Snakebite Snow. This Solid Snow is also annoying because one cannot make a proper snow angel in it, nor dig without getting injured nails. So really this snow serves no purpose, except for maybe making you feel a bit taller.
Abominable Snowball Snow is wet sticky snow that will transform a mild mannered Golden Retriever into a ginormous snowball. This snow usually occurs when it is slightly warmer out, and perfect weather for an adventure. However, do not be fooled! It will quickly clump onto fur slowing the pup down and making for a long walk home. It inevitably ends with spending time in the bathtub to melt it away under running lukewarm water. Or you becoming part of an awkward conversation when one human uses the other’s whisk for cooking to remove it.
Personally, my favorite type of snow is Fluffy Snow! Fluffy Snow is wispy snow that is fun to run through, easy to dig in, makes the perfect snow angel, and does not clump on the fur. The problem here is the temperature needs to be extremely cold to get this “dry” form of snow. Therefore, our time allowed to play in it is extremely limited, but ever so much fun!
These are just a few examples of the many words dogs bark to describe the different types of snow. Additional types are Disappointing Snow, also called a Dusting, when it is hardly worth mentioning it snowed. Slushy Snow is when Mother Nature can’t make up her mind and it becomes a rain / snow mix, that is the consistency of a flavored slushy drink left out in the hot sun too long. Oh and speaking of flavoring, Yellow Snow, which only appears after a dog has been playing in it, should never be tasted! I’d like to conclude this post with a direct plea to Mother Nature, please no more Snakebite Snow! We want Fluffy Snow!
2026 Asa Update: I’d like to add an additional type of snow not discussed by Angel Chuck Billy in his earlier post – When Will It Stop Snowing Snow, also called Enough Is Enough Snow. Because we seem to have received far more snow overnight than the “flurries” the meteorologists predicted!
