With winter truly here now, there are some aspects of dog care that are different due to the weather. We’ve put together some key points and advice to be aware of when caring for your dog in winter.
Winter Dog Care at home
We all know what it feels like when the temperature drops outside. Indoors we either have to turn the heating up, put more layers on or suffer the cold. Our four legged friends are no different. But they can’t tell us what they’re feeling. So we have to be more vigilant in winter to their needs.
- It is important to make sure they are warm. Make sure their bed is away from draughts. Avoid cold tile floors. If neccessary provide extra blankets at night if it is very cold.
- Older dogs with joint pain can feel this more in winter. Keep an eye on your dog to make sure they are comfortable and not in pain. Speak with your vet if necessary.
Winter Dog Walking
It is tempting in winter to look out the window and think no thanks. I don’t want to go outside. Depending on the breed, some dogs feel the same.
- Dogs still need exercise in the winter. Try to get your dog out for their daily walk. If you can’t, try indoor play and stimulation for your dog with games and toys.
- Be aware of salt and grit on the roads. This may end up on the pavement for your dog to walk on. It can cause irritation to dogs paws so rinse your dog’s paws in warm soapy water after their walk.
- If you have been out on a walk in the snow or ice, check your dog’s paws when you get home. Sometimes snow can compact between their paws and become painful. And be aware of icy paths which can be harsh on dogs paws. You could use paw butter to protect their paws before their walk or even use doggy bootees to protect their paws.
- If temperatures are particulary low, perhaps try to walk your dog during daylight hours when you get the warmest part of the day. Quite often temperarures can plummet after sunset.
- If you can’t walk during the day, make sure to be seen. A flashing collar or light attached to their harness, will make them more visible. Also consider making yourself more visible with reflective clothing.Â
- If you are out with your dog when it is dark, try to keep them on the lead as much as possible for their own safety. Our training leads can be used at different lengths to allow a longer lead for winter walking. This is an important aspect of caring for your dog in winter.
- Depending what breed of dog you have, you might find your dog will benefit from a coat in winter. Labradors are made for winter and seem oblivious to cold – Oscar and Hooch would quite happily jump in frozen puddles and the very cold sea! However, thinner coated breeds like greyhounds, whippets, pointers and staffies would benefit from a coat in the cold. Also some older dogs will beneift from a coat to help keep their joints warm.
- If you’ve been out and your dog gets wet, make sure to give them a good towel dry when they get home.
The tricky bit about winter is we know what to do for ourselves when we feel cold. If only our dogs could talk! We need to think about how the cold could be impacting them and adjust accordingly. We hope you’ve found this blog useful.
