Winter Safety: Things to do for your dog to keep him protected

Dogs might seem to be doing all right in winters because of the protective fur that they have. But the fur has a tendency of gathering ice or snow flakes that can make the dogs irritable. Make sure that you clip the fur area near the paws to avoid this from occurring. It is common knowledge that dogs with short hair are not able to keep themselves as warm as dogs that have long hair. So invest in a sweater or vest for your dog to keep him safe in winters.

Building a doghouse for your pet is a good thought but leaving them outside is not a good idea in winters. Chilly air can easily cause frostbite because the doghouse in open might not be able to protect him from that. So it is better to bring him inside and roll him up in a blanket. It would also be advisable to put a mattress on the floor so that he does not catch a chill from the icy tiled floor.

A common practise in winters is to sprinkle salt on the icy roads to create a footing. But this salt can get into the small cracks underneath your dog’s paws and blister them. So to avoid this, you can dab a little petroleum jelly under his paws to moisturise the cracks and clog them. This way his paws will not accumulate the salt in the cracks. But do remember to wipe the jelly off otherwise your dog might have trouble walking on a smooth floor.

If you happen to get caught in the winter rain or a snowfall, the first thing you should do when you return home, it to dry off your dog’s fur. Use a blow dryer if need be.

These tips will be really helpful to ensure that your dog stays safe and warm in the chilly winter weather.