November 8th, 2018 by Chris Chapman

We all need to take a bit of extra care in winter – and that includes your dogs, too! Dogs love playing in the snow just as much as anyone, but, just like you need to wrap up warm and stay safe in winter, so does your pooch! Read on for our simple guide to caring for your best friend all through the winter.

Wrap Up on Winter Walks

Even though it’s cold outside, you still need to take your dog out for regular walks. Making sure your dog is warm enough on a winter walk should be your top priority, especially if your hound has short fur. If they have a long coat, you should be able to keep them warm enough by letting them off the leash and encouraging them to run around, but short-haired dogs may benefit from a dog jacket.

Feed Them More (or Less)

Dogs will need a little more energy to stay active in winter, so you should feed your dog a little more when it’s cold – they won’t complain! This will help them stay active when they’re outside. Note that if your dog stays indoors more through the winter, it’ll be exercising less, so it might need a bit less food. Try and keep them as active as you can indoors to avoid too much weight gain. Use your better judgment when feeding your dog through the winter and don’t overfeed or underfeed them!

Stay Away from Frozen Water

Temperatures rarely drop cold enough to freeze ponds or lakes in this country, but if they do, try not to go anywhere near them. If you do have to go near a frozen body of water, keep your dog on a lead until you’re well away from danger.

Brush and Wash Them Regularly

As you’ll know after cleaning up endless amounts of dog fur around your house, dogs moult just before winter. Their coats get slightly thicker and longer to keep them warm over the winter, but for dogs that naturally have long fur anyway, this can lead to your dog’s coat becoming tangled and matted. This can lead to your dog feeling the cold as their fur won’t be evenly covering their skin. To avoid this, brush your dog regularly and give them a few baths over the course of the winter. Use a shampoo that leaves their fur silky and soft, such as Pretty Pooch’s Gentle Touch shampoo, to get rid of any matting in their coat.

Watch Out for Freezing Water Bowls

If your dog has an outdoor water bowl, make sure you replace it regularly so your dog always has something to drink when it’s outside. Ice doesn’t directly harm dogs, but if they bite down on it the ice can break into shards which could hurt the inside of your dog’s mouth. Chewing on ice can also damage your dog’s teeth, so while licking ice and snow isn’t a problem, you should try and stop them from eating too much of it.

Check Their Paws After a Walk

After your dog has been playing outside, check its paws when you’re back indoors. Salt and grit from the roads outside can get lodged in between your dog’s toes which can rub on your dog’s paws and cause discomfort. If it’s been snowing outside, you should also check for compacted snow and ice that’s stuck between your dog’s toes. It will melt after a while, but it can be quite uncomfortable for your dog in the meantime.

Make Them Hi-Vis

Invest in a hi-vis dog harness – preferably one with some sort of flashing light on it – to make sure everyone can see them on those dark winter evenings. The nights draw in early through winter, and bad weather often makes visibility even worse, so this is really important for winter walks.

Don’t Leave Them in the Car Unattended

You probably know not to leave your dogs in the car in summer, but the same applies in winter, too! Cars can get very cold in winter, so don’t leave your pooch in a freezing car – take them with you!

Keep Their Beds Warm

If you feel cold in bed through the winter, you’re not alone – your dog will feel the same way! Give them some extra-snuggly blankets for their bed in winter to keep them warm through the night. You can also use a special veterinary heat pad to keep their baskets cosy but bear in mind that you shouldn’t use regular heat pads or electric blankets to keep animals warm.

Watch for Antifreeze

If you find yourself using anything with antifreeze in, make sure you keep it well away from your dog. You may not know that antifreeze has a strangely sweet taste that can be attractive to dogs. It goes without saying that antifreeze is highly dangerous when ingested, so make sure you don’t leave open containers of antifreeze lying around.