So cold you wouldn’t send the dog out

It’s like a rollercoaster ride with outside temperatures this winter, once you’re up and then back down. All the more attention should we pay to the care for our dogs. Since it’s not only us, people, who don’t take well to the changing temperatures. A thick dog’s fur can confuse many to think, that the dog is well-protected outside, even when big frost strikes. It’s not always true, it also depends, for example, on the health or physical fitness of the dog. And above all, dogs who live in city flats are more prone to catching a cold in winter. How should the special winter care, as I call it in layman’s terms, particularly in frosty weather, look like? Let's take a look at it.

When the temperature falls below the freezing point...

When the thermometer that you have outside your window shows temperatures deep below zero, I try to follow several principles at once. The goal is, for the dogs to make the most out of winter, because they like it, but for them to stay protected from pitfalls that this season brings at the same time.

To keep moving

The first and the main principle is, for the dogs to be moving for the whole time of the walk. If you, like me, love to build snowmen, you’d better leave your dog at home for a bit. That’s how I do it. Since it’s important for the dog to move when it’s outside and warm up like that. Our dogs are all excited about running  and they are capable of chasing with other dogs almost until they drop. This brings along a certain risk, namely short-time naps, for them to gather strength for another round. A short refresh is welcomed in the summer months and I usually use a free moment to learn, what’s new in other dog owners. During winter, however, I always take care, that they rather not lied on cold ground. As with fatigue, it’s also necessary to quench your thirst in the form of eating frozen snow or drinking from cold puddles isn’t ideal. This icy shock can even cause an inflammation of the stomach for the dog’s digestion. Therefore, the veterinarians advise to carry along a thermal flask with lukewarm water, for instance, for longer walks. If you have a dog senior or a dog who isn’t exactly a winter enthusiast, then don’t drag out the walks too much, even if the dog was moving the whole time. After all, older dogs don’t tolerate winter as easily same as older people and they’re more prone to falling ill.

Functional clothes as a necessity?

Puppies are at risk as well. Such experience in the form of a cold and dog cough led me to the purchasing of a winter outfit for our youngest dog. Since I didn’t immediately realise, that in contrast to its older sisters, it doesn’t boast the mentioned fur coat, but it belongs to the representatives of short-haired and smooth-haired breeds. And, furthermore, it doesn’t have such immunity, but it’s still growing. And last but not least, due to its small height, it’s much closer to the cold ground. So, it can get cold not only from its back, where the kidneys are at risk or he could get inflammation of the back muscles, but also from its belly, which can affect the urinary tract. And so, when it freezes, another important principle is: even for a short walk, you should get a functional jacket for a small dog and for a longer walk, even the rest of the pack should have at least a waterproof vest. And although I’m not a big fan of fashion fads, I’ve realised, that I mustn’t be selfish and I should indulge even my partners in outdoor outfits. And very soon, I got a new principle: when buying functional clothes for dogs, then only at a reasonable price. Since it didn’t take long and we took home also several fancy holes. Increased concentration of do jackets and sweaters in the park suddenly led most of the dogs to the idea, that it’s necessary to mutually free each other from the new accessories :-).

I’m sure I haven’t mentioned everything today, so in the next article, we’ll focus on how the care should look like when you get home from a winter walk or when you’re planning to travel.