Pet Care: Caring for Dogs in Cooler Weather

Enduring the cold weather is hard for many of us, and dogs are no exception! Even though dogs have fur that helps them to stay warm, they still require your intervention to comfortably brave the cooler months. Apart from preparing a warm shelter for your furry friend, you need to take other essential steps to keep him safe and at ease. Here are some pet care tips that will help you protect your dog when the mercury dips.

Pet Care: Caring for Dogs in Cooler Weather

Find furniture that you and your pets will love

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Provide a heated shelter

Make sure that your dog has access to a warm shelter at all times; especially if he spends a lot of time outdoors. Give him a plush bed inside the shelter to keep him off the cold ground. Fresh straw can also make a nice bed in the doghouse. It’s comfortable and will help to keep your dog warm and cozy.

Dress up your dog

Dogs greatly benefit from a coat or a sweater.

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Short haired and small breed dogs lose body heat very easily and benefit greatly from a coat or a sweater. Consider the one with a high collar or a turtleneck that provides coverage from the tail to the belly. Also, strap booties on your pet’s paws to prevent frostbite when you go on walks or runs.

Groom your dog

While grooming your dog is equally important throughout the year, extra care is required during cooler months. Brush your friend often to lessen the drying effects of chilly air. Moreover, don’t ever shave your dog during fall or winter months as his coat is a good protection against the cold. Try to keep it thick and long. If you bathe him, it’s advised to dry him completely before going for a walk.

Give him more food

During cooler weather, dogs use more calories to regulate their body heat and keep themselves warm. Therefore, make sure that your pet gets more food than usual.

Prevent paw snowballs

Check your dog for snowballs between his toes and legs

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After coming back from a walk, check if your dog has snowballs stuck between his toes. If yes, wipe it off immediately to remove antifreeze, salt, and other toxic chemicals.  Make the clean up easier by keeping the hair between his toes trimmed during cooler months.

Do you know that your dog’s normal body temperature is a few degrees higher than yours? That’s why cooler months are the perfect time of the year to snuggle up. So, take these few sensible precautions and make it a fun time for both- you and your furry friend.

Let us know through comments if you have more pet care tips.