A dog’s need for food, shelter and loving care increases during the cold winter months. Keep your dog safe and warm by following these guidelines.
• Don’t leave your dog outside in the
cold for long
periods of time. Wind chill makes days colder than actual temperature
readings. Be attentive to your dog’s
body
temperature, and limit its time
outdoors.
• Adequate shelter is a necessity.
Keep your dog
warm, dry and away from drafts.
Tiles and uncarpeted areas may become
extremely cold, so make sure to place
blankets and pads on floors in these
areas.
• Be extra careful when walking or
playing with
your dog near frozen lakes, rivers or
ponds. Your dog could slip or jump in
and get seriously injured.
• Groom your dog regularly. Your dog
needs a
well-groomed coat to keep properly
insulated. Short- or coarse-haired dogs
may get extra cold, so consider a
sweater
or coat. Long-haired dogs should have
excess hair around the toes and foot
pads trimmed
to ease snow removal and
cleaning. If you do the trimming, take care
not to cut the pads or other delicate areas of the foot.
• Feed your dog additional calories
if it spends
a lot of time outdoors or is a
working animal. It takes more energy in
the winter to keep body temperature
regulated, so additional calories are
necessary.
• Towel or blow-dry your dog if it
gets wet from
rain or snow. It is important to dry
and clean its paws, too. This helps avoid
tiny cuts and cracked pads. A little
petroleum jelly may soften the pads
and prevent
further cracking.
• Don’t leave your dog alone in a
car. If the
car engine is left on, the carbon monoxide
could endanger your dog’s life. If the
engine is off, the temperature in the
car
could get too cold.
• Antifreeze, which often collects on
driveways and
roadways, is highly poisonous. Although it smells and tastes good to your
dog, it can be lethal.
• Rock salt, used to melt ice on
sidewalks and
roads, may irritate footpads. Be sure
to rinse and dry your dog’s feet after a walk.
• Provide plenty of fresh water at
all times.
Your dog is just as likely to get dehydrated
in the winter as in the summer. Snow
is not a
satisfactory substitute for water.
• To prevent hypothermia and
frostbite on
your dog’s ears, tail and feet, don’t leave
your dog outdoors for too long.
• Be very careful of supplemental
heat sources.
Fireplaces and portable heaters
can severely burn your dog. Make sure all
fireplaces have screens, and keep
portable
heaters out of reach.
• Like people, dogs seem to be more
susceptible
to illness in the winter. Take your dog to a
veterinarian if you notice any signs of
illness.
You can find this information and more at
www.akc.org.
