As the temperature drops and it begins to get colder, it is important to adjust your dog’s routine to make sure that it is happy and healthy until the first buds of spring begin to bloom. Caring for your puppy in the winter does not have to be complicated, but it does require some thought and preparation. Read on to find out more.
Keep Them Warm on Walks
It might be nice and cozy indoors, but your dog still needs to be walked regardless of the weather. Your dog might have its own fur coat, but if they have shorter hair, you might want to consider putting a dog coat on them. In addition, you might need to adjust how you walk your dog. For example, if you use a harness on your dog, it might not be compatible with a coat you are better off using collars and leashes for your dog in the winter. Monro Pets have a range of unique dog collars and leashes which will work for your dogs, and you could even find ones that match your dog’s coat.
Check Their Paws
After you have been outside, you need to check your dogs’ feet to make sure that they are clean and dry. Long-haired dogs are especially prone to having snow compact between their toes. The snow can turn into little balls of ice which be painful for your puppy. If your dog suffers from this, you can also trim the hair between their toes to try and prevent further issues. During the winter, the ground gets covered in grit and salt to make it slip-proof for humans, but this can also get lodged in your dogs’ paws and cause issues. You should always clean your dogs’ feet after you get home from a walk.
Keep Them Entertained Inside
Some dogs are extremely reluctant to venture outside in the cold and the wet – and who could blame them for that. If this is the case for your dog or dogs, as the case may be, then you should not source them to go outside if they don’t want to. Instead, what you should do is to look for other ways to keep them entertained and to burn their energy off indoors. You can do this by playing with them or trying out lick mats, or by trying to train them and teach them new tricks.
Plan Your Route
When walking your dog in the winter months, you should always plan your route ahead of time. For example, your favorite summer walks might not be possible in the winter; the terrain might be harder to traverse in the snow and the ice. You should also always avoid frozen bodies of water, this might sound obvious, but some people don’t think about it. If you can’t or don’t want to, keep them on a leash so they can’t jump in.
Summing Up
Most dogs love nothing more than to run free and play outside, but in the winter months, it can be dangerous. Just like humans, dogs are also affected by the cold weather and all of the things that accompany it, like the snow, ice and grit. It isn’t hard to keep your dogs happy and healthy this winter; you just need to prepare properly.
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