Woman Snowed In on Vacation Builds Epic Maze for Dogs: 'Core Memory'

A woman on vacation with her two dogs found a way to turn the heavy snow to the advantage of her four-legged friends.

Amanda Cerny from Florida had hoped her recent family vacation to Breckenridge, Colorado would offer her a chance to explore the great outdoors with her two Dalmatians, Falco and Vienna. There was just one thing standing in the way of those plans: snow, and lots of it.

"We received so much snow which kind of buried us inside," Cerny told Newsweek.

There are a multitude of reasons why dogs are drawn to snow. While the opportunity to play in something exciting and new is a big reason, animal behaviorist Amelia Wieber says there's a sensory element to snow that also makes it especially appealing to dogs.

"Snow likely has its own scent to dogs, and it may cover or enhance different scents whether they were laid before, during, or after the snow," Wieber told Daily Paws. "Snow also gives dogs a new layer to dig through to find hiding critters and covered goodies, and any tracks left behind are easier to see and therefore follow."

Cerny had concerns about the idea of her dogs frolicking in the snow, though. "My Dalmatians are Florida so they get cold really easily with their short fur and thin coats," she said.

A proud dog lover with dreams of one day opening her own animal shelter, Cerny's love of Dalmatians can be traced back to an early moment of childhood trauma.

"I had a Dalmatian called Diggs when I was around four years old," she said. "Unfortunately, my parents returned Diggs to the family we got him from shortly after due to us needing to move for my dad's new job."

That experience galvanized Cerny to one day have a Dalmatian of her own and "give them the time, energy and love they need to live the happiest life possible and become a true member of my family."

Part of that involves keeping them busy. "They are high-energy puppies," she admits.

So, when faced with snowy conditions, she hit upon a unique solution.

"Instead of them hopping in the snow banks in their snowsuit onesies and doggy booties with no boundaries to separate them from the busy road, I decided to dig a snow maze so they can go crazy and get out their Dalmatian energy without the need to dress up for it every time," Cerny said.

Cerny shared the results in a video posted to TikTok that has been watched 4.7 million times.

"They go out for a solid 15-minute zoomie session and back in for some homemade dog food while warming up by the fireplace," Cerny said. "I think this is going to be a core memory for not only them but my family and apparently the internet, now, as well."

Cerney said Falco and Vienna went "insane" when they first saw the maze she had built for them. "It was like a kid on Christmas morning," she said. "They could have played in it forever but I called it quits after 20 min because temperatures were a bit too cold for them to play for too long without their gear on."

It's not just the Dalmatians who have made the most of having the maze either.

"My mom's Pomeranian, Meadow, just had surgery on her hip and knee and it has been a great way for her to exercise and move around safely as well," Cerny said. "When the Dalmatians are off the track, of course."

Cerny said putting it together was relatively straightforward, though slightly time-consuming.

"Shoveling the fresh powder was pretty easy, but there was a lot of it. I just saw it as a great workout with an incredible reward at the end," she said. "Although I'm certain I have a form of OCD where I can't stop until the project is finished. It took a few hours to shovel the first track."

Since building the initial maze, Cerny has extended it further with "dead ends, tunnels and additional loops" that took her around two hours to create.

Though it might be a touch labor-intensive, Cerny would encourage anyone with enough of the white stuff to do the same.

"If you have snow, bundle up, grab a shovel, get some fresh air, and build a maze that will make your pup the happiest pupper in the world," she said. "It is so worth it."

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