The New Year is upon us, and here in the Northern Hemisphere, that means the Fahrenheit has dropped. While we all know how to stay warm, we sometimes forget about our furry friends and the discomfort they might be feeling. In this week’s article, we detail a few key ways you can ensure your dog is not feeling any discomfort.
Check for snowy toes
If you live in a part of the US where snow falls, those wintry walks take on a new dimension. Dogs with lots of hair can often get snow between their toes, and it can be tricky to identify. To offset this, trim the hair between their toes so that snow doesn’t get caught in these gaps. Left untreated, the snow can become an ice ball that’s painful for the animal.
Invest in a dog coat
For wintry walks, it’s a good idea to wrap your dog up warmly. One thing that fits the bill? A dog coat. You can get them in different sizes, depending on the breed you’re dealing with, but no matter what, don’t neglect your animal’s warmth. Though they’ve got warm coats naturally, they’re not always able to deal with severely cold weather. A dog coat will do the additional heavy lifting when the Fahrenheit is really low.
Always dry your dog when indoors
When dogs come indoors, they’re often damp and wet from the chill outside. In these moments, it’s important you towel them off and properly dry their coat. The alternative? A dog will simply get colder and colder as the damp gets to him. The best coat in the world is scant protection against wet fur that’s cooling by the minute.
Give them more food
Food helps the engine to run, and more food during winter is often a good way of keeping a dog warm. All animals heat up while they’re eating, and our furry friends are no exception. Monitor their intake and up portions slightly. So long as they’re not getting overweight, this is a completely viable strategy.
Never leave dogs alone in a car
Whether it’s hot or cold outside, you should never leave a dog in a car unattended. In hot summer months, they can overheat quickly. But in cold winter months, they can catch a chill – one that severely impacts their health. If you’re running errands with the dog, make sure they’re with you at your side; the exercise and toing and froing will do their bodies wonders and help them warm up.
Find games to play indoors
When the Fahrenheit has dropped and the backyard is less desirable, keep your dog entertained with things to do inside the house. Toys, tug of war and a good bone can all do the trick.
