Winter Brings Many Dangers for Dogs, Not Just Colder Temperatures. Are You Taking Precautions to Protect Your Fur Baby This Winter?
Although winter weather can be tough for us, it’s just as hard on our dogs. The colder the temperatures get in the winter, the more care and attention a pooch requires to stay safe. Low temperatures are not the only problem. Dogs need protection from a whole host of winter risks other than just cold weather.
Winter can be fun though – people and dogs alike love to play in the snow, and there’s nothing quite like a walk on a crisp, cold day with piercing blue skies. There’s no reason why we can’t all enjoy the best of the winter weather if we take the necessary precautions.
I have a dobermann, a breed with very short, fine hair. I need to take special care of my girl in the winter so she doesn’t end up shivering all the time. My personal rule of thumb is if I’m cold, she’s likely to be cold too.
Below are a few simple steps you can take to ensure that your pup stays warm and healthy too, whatever the winter weather.
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WHAT INDOOR ACTIVITIES CAN I DO WITH MY DOG IN THE WINTER?
You can play indoor games to help your dog stay mentally and physically fit, rather than spend long periods outside. For indoor game ideas, try easy scent games, general indoor games, or games to help keep your pup calm.
As well as games, make sure your pup has access to toys that will be fun and stimulating. These are some of the canine enrichment toys that my dog enjoys at home.
You can combine the use of many of these things in a session of Free Work. It’s a fantastic way to give your dog choice, mental stimulation and physical exercise all at once. See how to set up Free Work in this article.
WHICH DOGS ARE AT GREATEST RISK OF SUFFERING IN THE COLD?
Small dogs, shorthaired dogs, puppies, and senior dogs are at the biggest risk of suffering from the consequences of low temperatures.
Young and old dogs have a harder time regulating their body temperatures, so they can be more easily affected by the extremes of weather. Take special care if your dog is a puppy or is elderly as they will be more vulnerable.
Smaller breeds and shorthaired breeds will also feel the cold more quickly so keep them inside the house during particularly cold spells.
My beautiful 13-year-old felt the cold easily.
His fleece PJs kept him cosy and warm.
WRAP YOUR DOG UP
I think my dober-daughter has more winter coats than I do. She also has light raincoats, onesie fleece PJs, sweaters and snoods. Once the cooler days set in, she’s rarely without a cosy fleece or sweater to keep her warm.
To keep your dog warm and cosy, I highly recommend you invest in a couple of fleece dog sweaters or onesies like the ones my dog has.
Fleece PJs are my dog’s main indoor clothes in the winter.
As well as fleece PJs, my girl also has towelling coats that double up as drying coats after a wet walk (or both) and cosy PJs.
When she goes for her walk, I usually leave her onesie on and I put an outer coat over the top of it. Because the onesie has long legs, they often get mud splattered when we’re out, so I just pop a clean one on her when we get back home – it’s best to have at least two indoor sweaters for this reason.
It’s well worth investing in thick dog coats for colder days. If you can stretch to it, get two of these as well so you’re not putting a wet coat on your dog the next time you go out for a walk.
There are many, fantastic dog coats on the market. Personally, I like coats with a wide belly band that you do up with a velcro strap over your dog’s back. They are easy to put on and protect your dog’s tummy too.
This 2in1 raincoat from Danish Designs has a removable fleece lining and an outer raincoat. The velcro band is reflective, great for nighttime walks. It also has rear leg straps to stop the coat from flying up.
The Danish 2in1 coat was really simple to put over my dog in his wheelchair and kept him cosy and protected.
PROTECT YOUR DOG’S PAWS: USE DOG BOOTS
My beautiful boy also used to wear doggy boots to protect his paws. In his case, it was because his feet scraped on the ground because of his neurological illness. However, boots are necessary for healthy dogs too in certain environmental conditions.
Back in the days when I had my first dobermann, I used to go mountaineering a lot. We’d brave the snow and ice of the Scottish winters every weekend. The views were beautiful but it was hell for my dog’s paws. Without boots, his paws would end up cracked and even bleed.
Boots also protect against rough, rocky terrain that might easily cut the pads on your dog’s paws.
Which are the best dog boots? There are lots of affordable dog boots on the market and we got through dozens of them. They wear down quickly when your dog’s paws graze the ground all the time.
Some were more hardwearing and fitted better. I would advise against any boot that has an elasticated opening. Elasticated openings are horrible to get over your dog’s paws and you can’t tighten them.
Instead, look for an adjustable velcro strap.
Which are the best dog boots?
Of all the dog boots we tried, the Truelove Dog Boots gave us the best fit and for the price, the best value. They lasted just as well as some more expensive dog boots. They come in different colours.
They have double velcro straps which mean it’s much less likely the boots will slip off.
If you’re interested in dog wheelchairs, see this article.
CLEAN YOUR DOG’S PAWS
Many countries spray sidewalks and roads with grit and salt in winter months to improve walking and driving conditions. This might make our lives easier, but it can play hell with your dog’s paws.
Small bits of grit and salt can get lodged in between the paw pads which can cause pain and irritation. If you don’t use dog boots out on a walk, be sure to clean your dog’s feet straight after the walk. I keep small towels (flannels) and Earth pet wipes by the door for this purpose.
If your dog has sensitive skin, or very dirty paws, you might want to go a step further. Dip your dog’s paws in a bucket of warm water after your walk, to rinse away any residue picked up off the street. Alternatively, invest in a paw cleaner like this one I have for my girl. They’re not expensive and they’re great at getting paws clean without making lots of mess.
USE PAW BALM
Another thing you can do to help protect your dog’s paws is to apply some paw balm. A good, natural paw balm will help stop paw pads from cracking. Be sure to check the ingredients on whatever you buy, because you can be sure your pup will end up licking it. Alternatively, make your own so you can be sure it’s safe. This paw balm recipe is also good for small scratches and scrapes.
CAN DOGS GET FROSTBITE? YES THEY CAN: LIMIT YOUR DOG’S TIME OUTDOORS
A fellow pet parent once told me he believed that dogs can regulate their temperature and don’t die of cold, but he was sadly very wrong. Dogs can indeed die of cold, and they can also suffer from frostbite.
Some breeds, such as Saint Bernards, Siberian Huskies, and Malamutes, are well suited to low temperatures. Most others are not though. Dogs can suffer frostbite just as we can, so extended periods in sub-zero temperatures could lead to tissue damage in extremities such as the ears, tail, nose and paws.
For some dogs, just 30 minutes, unprotected, in the freezing cold, can be enough for frostbite to start. If your dog spends too much time in sub-zero temperatures, there’s also a risk of hypothermia.
Avoid leaving your dog outdoors alone or unprotected and reduce time spent outside in extremely cold weather. If necessary, keep walks short in sub-zero temperatures and do more indoor games and enrichment activities at home to keep your dog stimulated.
GET A HEATED DOG BED
Heated dog beds or pads are a great idea for dogs that feel the cold. Look out for functions like safety shutoff, timers, chew-resistant cords and heat indicators like this one.
If you can’t stretch to a heated dog bed, make sure your dog’s bed is not in a drafty position in your home.
TRIM YOUR DOG’S PAW FUR
If you have a long-haired dog, you might have noticed little ice balls sticking to the fur on their paws on snowy, icy walks. To avoid this, trim their fur and keep it even with the pads on the paw.
TAKE CARE ON THE ICE
It is easy to forget how dangerous ice can be. Dogs can easily get injured slipping on the ice – especially elderly dogs.
Avoid walking near rivers and ponds, or keep your dog on a leash if you are out walking near frozen waterways – the ice on top might look solid but apart from the risk of your dog slipping and falling over on it, there’s an even greater danger of the ice breaking. Tragically, dogs are lost every year in winter because they fell in icy water and couldn’t get out.
ANTIFREEZE
Anti-freeze, de-icer and screenwash products tend to contain ethylene glycol which is toxic to dogs (and cats). Symptoms of ethylene glycol poisoning include
If you use these products yourself, keep them well out of the way of your pets. Make sure you wipe up any spillage so your fur-kids don’t end up licking it or cleaning their paws after walking in it.
If your dog ingests any of these products, get them to the vet immediately. It doesn’t matter if they’re not showing any of the symptoms yet – it’s always better to get ahead of a problem, before it’s too late.
There are alternatives to using these products. You could try covering your vehicle at night, using ice-scrapers to remove the ice, and starting the engine up 10 minutes before you leave, to get the engine warmed up and turn on the screen de-misters.
DON’T LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR DOG
Winter days are much shorter, which means most of us are walking our dogs in the dark. It’s easy to lose sight of your pup if they’re off the lead at night.
To get around this, I have used various flashing collars for my dogs. These days, my dog no longer wears a collar, but she does wear a 3 point harness which I attach a flashing bike light to. She also has high-vis, reflective strips on her coats.
Having a flashing collar, harness light and high-vis clothing will make you more visible to passing traffic too.
It’s worth keeping up the training and working on your recall too – when it’s hard to see where your fur-baby is, at least you need to be confident they’ll come back to you when you call them. If you can’t count on your pup coming back when you call, invest some time (and money if necessary) to improve your recall – it might be the difference between having your dog safe at home with you or spending all night desperately trying to find them.
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AVOID LEAVING YOUR DOG IN A VEHICLE
In much the same way as leaving your dog in a car can be fatal to dogs in the summer, it can be dangerous in the winter too.
Vehicles heat up and cool down very quickly, having no insulation. If you leave your dog in the car for a long period of time when there are sub-zero temperatures, your pup is likely to suffer.
CONCLUSION
Winter can be fun for everyone – especially your dog. Follow our winter dog care tips and take some extra steps to keep your dog safe this winter.