Winter Seasonal Tips:
Tips for the winter months
Be Prepared
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Winter brings extreme weather that can cause power outages. Have an emergency plan and make sure they include your pets! Have an emergency kit with enough food, water, and medication to last your pets at least five days. Most likely you will never need it, but if you do, you will be thankful you planned ahead.
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Bedding
Make sure your dog's sleeping area, bedding and crate is kept in a warm, draft free area, preferably raised or elevated off the floor. Tile and uncarpeted floors can be cold. Consider making blankets or rugs available for an area to get your dog off the cold floor. |
Heaters
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Dogs will often seek heat during cold winter weather by snuggling too close to heating sources. Avoid space heaters and install baseboard radiator covers to avoid your pet getting burned. Fireplaces also pose a major threat so please make sure you have a pet proof system to keep your heat-seeking pal out of harm’s way.
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Paws
Be mindful of your dog's coat length and the length of hair your dog has around and on the bottoms of its paws. Remove snow and ice from your dog's paws and coat as soon as possible as it can wedge between paw pads and toes and is very painful. Limit Time OutsideDogs can suffer from frostbite, especially on delicate earflaps and tail tips. In extreme cold, it's a good idea to keep dogs inside, with the exception of the heavy-coated northern breeds that thrive in low temps. If it's not possible to keep the dogs indoors, be aware of the major signs of frostbite, which include skin that appears white or blue.
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Area Conditions
Be mindful of safety conditions when exercising your dog in outdoor locations. Lakes, rivers, streams or ponds may appear to be frozen enough to support the weight of your dog - but your dog could break through the ice and become injured or drown.
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Melting Products
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Snow and ice melting products can contain toxins and chemicals that can be harmful to your dog. Read all labels and take caution when using such products. Store them in a safe location not accessible to your dog. Be sure to wipe and dry your dog's paws when coming indoors to remove such toxins and chemicals. Better yet - use sand and gravel or dog safe products!
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Antifreeze
Dogs are attracted to antifreeze because it is very sweet to taste, but it is extremely poisonous and can cause serious illness or death when ingested. Be sure to clean up any antifreeze that spills in your garage or driveway, and keep the bottle somewhere your pets cannot access.
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Be Seen!
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Due to Daylight Savings, many of us are relegated to walking our dogs in the dark. Keep yourself and your dog safe by wearing reflective gear (clothing, leash, collar, etc) and keeping your dog close when walking on the street.
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Have a safe and enjoyable winter season!
