Oliver thinks the snow is awesome, but puppies don’t always realize how much time is too much in the cold. Photo by Claudia Holwill
It’s cold out and I have no interest in spending more time in it than necessary, but my dog has other ideas. The frigid temperatures don’t seem to bother him a bit. But seeing other dogs in the park with coats on reminded me that while all dogs want their park time, not all can handle the weather the same way. Some conditions pose risks to even the toughest of dogs.
The first thing to remember, especially as we head into another week of freezing temperatures, is that ice melt can burn your dog’s paws. Dr. Chris Miller at Atlas Vet cautioned, “Avoid walking dogs through areas that have been treated with deicing salts and other ice melt products as they can cause irritation to the dogs feet.” He suggested using booties and examining your dog’s feet before and after walks.
A few other tips from Atlas Vet include:
- First and foremost bring pets in from the cold!
- When the temperature is below freezing dogs can wear protective gear like coats and booties to keep them warm. Walks should be shortened to minimize exposure
- Dogs that spend more time outside burn more calories than pets that aren’t exposed to the cold. Make sure they get plenty of food and have access to a water source that isn’t frozen.
- Make sure dogs aren’t exposed to anti-freeze that is used in cars. These products can taste sweet but are extremely toxic.
Bonus cat tip:
- If there is an outdoor cat that cannot come inside, purchasing or building a shelter for them to take refuge into can help prevent hypothermia.
If your dog shows signs of needing extra layers in the cold weather, you have a lot of options at local shops, Metro Mutts and Howl to the Chief.
Metro Mutts sells Chilly Dog sweaters “which are really very warm, cute and well made. You can layer the sweater underneath a fleece lined weatherproof jacket (we sell RC Pet’s ZIPLINE jacket which has adjustable zippers on the back for dogs who wear harnesses) for dogs who have shorter fur or get colder easily,” they tell me. They also have a selection of puffy and stylish coats and sweaters for the fancy pups.
Howl to the Chief recommends the Trilogy coat “because it’s a 3 in 1 coat so you get the most bang for your buck – it can be worn as a fleece, a fleece and the jacket or just the jacket for cool spring days and nights.” And to protect your pup’s paws from the salt, they recommend disposable PAWZ Rubber Boots.
At Metro Mutts, you get paw pad protectors for the salt, and to soothe paws that have already had a rough time with ice melt, try their Fou-Stick paw balm made with Shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax. They also sell Snout Stick for dogs who get chapped noses.
“We’ve also encountered quite a few dogs whose skin becomes very dry in the winter,” explained store manager Meagan Coleman. “For that we usually recommend massaging coconut oil into the skin. We sell this in store, just look for CocoTherapy, or K9 Granola Factory. We also highly recommend adding supplements containing Omega 3s to the diet. We usually recommend Ultra Oil because it contains Omega 3s, 6s and 9s without the fishy odor of Salmon Oil. In addition to the skin protection, these omegas help to strengthen the immune system and hip and joints. It’s a great product for all year round too!”
What are your favorite products to keep your dog safe and warm in the cold weather? And how about tips to keep yourself warm on those cold walks?