|
|
|
 Email to Friend |
|
 Home :: Dog Articles and Information :: Winter Care for Your Dogs
Winter Care for Your Dogs
Anti-freeze is extremely poisonous to dogs. Although it smells and tastes good to your dogs, it can be lethal. Keep them out of the reach of your dog and flush the area with water after you use it.
Like us, dogs can become lazy in the winter time, they pretend that they don't need to go out to the bathroom, then they do their business somewhere inside of house.
Instead of getting frustrated with them, make a regular potty schedule and also make outside environment a little more comfortable for them
like shoveling snow from the area where they will use. Buying them a coat or sweater might be a good idea too.
Make sure that you keep the hair between your dog's toes and pads short, so snow is not sticking to it
which will form ice balls. Washing her footpads with warm water and dry throughly after a walk will help to prevent
her pawpads from cracking from rock salt on sidewalks.
A little petroleum jelly may soften the pads and prevent further cracking.
If you dog lives outside, you need to check often if her house is the right size,
if her bed is dry and warm enough, and if her water is not frozen. The dog house should be just large enough
to stand up, turn around and lie down in comfortably to keep dog's body heat. New insulated plastic houses
are also considerable. For water dishes, dark color, plastic made and a deeper dish will freeze less quickly than a metal, wide, shallow one.
Always provide fresh, clean water for your dogs. Check their water for ice formation and remove the ice. Snow is not a satisfactory substitute for water.
If your dog is still puppy or thin-coated dogs, you may have to keep them inside during periods of extreme cold or very bad weather.
Feed your dog additional calories if it spends a lot of time outdoors. It takes more energy and calories in the winter to keep body temperature regulated, so more food and a change in diet will be necessary.
More Information:
AKC.ORG
Dog Owner's Guide
|
|
|
|
