Winter is here! So how do you keep your dog warm during this cold season? There is a high chance your dog might not be too comfortable with this freezing weather. While some breeds have coats thick enough to keep their bodies warm, others might not be so lucky. Find out how to keep your dog warm with these essential tips!
Keep Your Dog Warm In Winter With These Tips
1. Blankets, Blankets, Blankets!
First off, warm blankets or layers of it can help keep your dog warm during winter days. Indoor dogs especially need to be kept warm because their fur and body aren’t naturally built for the cold. Old sacks can be used as blankets, but wool can retain a lot of heat.
2. Limit Outdoor Activities
Although it’s good for your dog to exercise every day, you may have to limit your dog’s playtime outside. Even with doggy coats and boots, this face, ears, and paws are still exposed. If you usually spend a lot of time outdoors during warmer weather, try playing with them at home during winter after a short vacation outside. They’ll still get the exercise they need, but the risk of catching hypothermia would be decreased.
3. Invest In Doggy Sweaters
Aside from looking super cute on your pups, doggy sweaters will help keep their bodies warm from the elements. Or, you can even knit one as a Christmas present. Tacky Christmas sweaters are always welcome during the holiday! You can also add in doggy boots to complete the look.
4. Wipe Down Their Paws
After the Big Dig, stop in Dr. Marc’s Animal Crackers for more Safe Paws Ice Melter @SafePawIceMelt pic.twitter.com/eiE9c7YISY
— Animal Crackers (@VoorheesVet) January 24, 2016
Since dogs’ feet are bare, walking around on a cold pavement can be torturous for them. If you take your dog outside without booties on, wipe down the ice from their paws when they come back in. This is so they won’t freeze over and cause hypothermia. You can also use a pet-safe de-icer on their paws. You can try using Safe Paw Ice Melter which is safe for pets and children.
5. Don’t Leave Them In The Car
You already know not to leave your dog in a hot car during summer, right? The same goes for winter. Car temperatures drop down as quickly as they heat up during warm weather, so it’s not advisable to lock your poor dog in the car. If you can’t bring them to the establishment, it would be better to keep them at home wrapped up in thick, warm blankets.
6. Winter Grooming
Continue to brush your dog’s hair during the winter season. Letting their coat grow and tangle will pull on other hair, which in turn, leaves some part of the dog’s skin exposed to cold weather. Continuing to brush their hair will help keep them looking pleasant and warm during winter.
7. Stock Up On Hay
If you have an outdoor dog that just can’t get in the house for various reasons, make sure they aren’t sleeping on the cold ground. Stuff the dog house with blankets to keep them warm. If you don’t have any spare sheets for your pet, use hay instead. It will keep you warm and get their paws off the cold ground during winter.
That’s how you keep your dog warm during the Holidays! Do you want to make a friendly dog house for the cold months? Check out this video from Tyler G:
To keep your dog warm during winter, you’ll have to put in some effort. Just like you, some dogs can’t stand the cold, so it’s best to know how to warm them up this holiday season.
Do you have any tips on how to keep your dog warm during winter? Feel free to share what you think in the comments section below!
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