Cold Weather Tips For Your Chilly Dog

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As winter approaches, the dark nights are drawing in, and the weather is turning cold. There might even be a chance of snow where you are.

You will be doing all you can to protect yourself and your family from the winter chill, of course, and hopefully, you will be doing your bit to look after your four-legged friend as well. Your dog is as susceptible to the cold as you are, no matter how long his fur, so his care needs to be your priority. With that in mind then, here are some tips that are worth following in the days and weeks ahead.

#1: Continue to exercise your dog

When the weather is cold outside, both you and your dog might be resistant to your usual exercise routine. This will be detrimental to you both, as for continued good health, those walks are paramount. Still, you don't need to go far. Take shorter walks throughout the day, and consider giving your dog the opportunity to have a quick run around in the garden. You might want to affix doggy doors to your property too, as if your dog feels the need to stretch his legs (or go to the loo), he can then do so at his leisure without you having to pull yourself away from the fire.

#2: Buy protective clothing for your dog

Especially for shorthair breeds, it is important to wrap them in something warm when they spend time outside of the home. Dogs are as susceptible to hypothermia as you are, so as you would do for yourself, buy something that will protect your dog from the cold. Check out these winter coats, for example, which will not only shield your dog from the bad weather but which will also make him the envy of the other dogs in the street! It's important to protect your dog's feet too. When walking on snowy and icy surfaces, there is the danger of frostbite on his paws, so doggy boots or socks are a must!

#3: Keep your dog warm when in your home

The cold temperatures aren't confined to the outdoors, of course. Remember the needs of your dog when your home is cold at night, or when the heating is off when you're at work during the day. Prepare an area of your home where your dog can snuggle up warm, with plenty of blankets to wrap himself up in, and with a rug to lie on if he prefers to sleep on the floor. You might also consider leaving your heating on at a low temperature if you aren't away from the house for very long.

#4: Towel dry your dog after being outdoors

You probably do this anyway as, in an effort to keep a clean house, you wouldn't want your dog bounding through your home with wet and muddy paws. Still, it's doubly important that you dry your dog in the wintertime, as he might catch a nasty infection if his coat is left wet, and if his feet are still cold. So, prepare a cleaning station at your dog's entry point, and give him a good towel dry on his return.



We hope these tips were useful, but let us know your thoughts. What do you do to protect your four-legged friend when the cold weather arrives? Leave us a comment in the section below.




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