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Cold Weather Care for Your Dog
How do you protect your dog during the winter? Add your cold weather dog care tips to our list.
‘Tis the season to be cold and freezing… When the temperature drops, make sure your dog is healthy, warm and dry. Take extra care to protect Fido from ice, snow and cold weather, especially when in the great outdoors.
- If your dog stays inside a lot of times, be sure to place his/her bed near a heater vent or unit to help keep your dog warm. Just be sure that your dog is not too close to the source, but situate them so that they will still absorb enough heat.
- It’s always best to bring your pet indoors when it gets cold outside, but if it’s not possible, then provide a suitable shelter for your dog to protect him from the cold and rain. The enclosed shelter should be raised off the ground, with a door to keep the cold air out. The size should be large enough for the dog to turn around in, but still should be small enough to provide warmth from body heat. Blankets and other warm insulation should be provided.
- If your dog is outside, make sure that fresh water is available. Water bowls can freeze in cold temps, which may leave your dog dehydrated.
- Feed your dog more in cold weather. Dogs burn more calories when outdoors in the cold weather.
- When coming indoors from cold, icy weather, make sure to wipe the snow, ice and moisture off your dog’s paws. Also wipe of the belly and leg area also to catch any clinging ice or snow. Not only does this keep your dog comfortable, but it will remove any traces of antifreeze, salt or other chemicals which may be harmful to your dog.
- Keep hair around feet and paw pads trimmed. Ice and snow balls can cling to long hair, so keeping this fur trimmed will keep doggy comfy.
- Never let your dog off leash in a snowstorm. Dogs can lose their scent in snow or ice and lose their way home.
- Do not leave your pet in the car in cold weather. Your car intensifies the outdoor temperature, hot or cold, so to avoid freezing to death, do not leave pets in the car.
Chiweenershnitzel |
Latest page update: made by Chiweenershnitzel
, Nov 16 2008, 5:22 PM EST
(about this update
About This Update
heater vents, warmth, dogs
- Chiweenershnitzel
51 words added view changes - complete history) |
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cold weather tips
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderman | misinformation | 0 | Feb 23 2008, 12:04 PM EST by Anderman | |
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Thread started: Feb 23 2008, 12:04 PM EST
Watch
Your dog uses LESS energy in the winter. Their bodies slow down to conserve energy and heat. All mammals do. The time to feed extra is late fall to pack on a little extra fat IF your dog is outdoors. Don't increase the volume of food in the winter, but maybe increase the fat ratio. Fat is a good water source for dogs outside.
DON'T trim the hair between their pads and around their feet in the winter! This is their coat/weather protection, it is there for a reason! That hair keeps moisture away from unfurred skin and prevents snow and ice from packing up inbetween the toes. Trimming this is like making you go without gloves. That snow clinging to the hair you see is what DIDN'T get inside, the dog will lick that off.
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Keyword tags:
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