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dogs outdoors in the winter

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Here’s a quick winter checklist for your canine companions.

outdoor dogs
Certain breeds of dogs are better suited to life outdoors in cold climates, but regardless of the breed, you still need adequate shelter. Just because he’s a Husky or a Malamute doesn’t mean he’s okay in the icy elements. A properly insulated dog house is needed for any outdoor dog, even then they should not be left outside in the freezing cold for long periods of time. Like their human owners, dogs are capable of hypothermia and frostbite.

Heat lamps and space heaters are not recommended to keep your friend warm, as both are burn and fire hazards. If you are so concerned, your local pet supply store should sell pet heating mats.

Don’t forget to get a bowl of hot water while you get your heat mat; dogs cannot get enough water by eating snow and licking ice. If you can’t get a bowl of hot water, be sure to replace the water often.

Be sure to keep your dog’s walkways clear of snow and ice, as ice can easily cut their paws, and again, just like their owners, dogs easily slip on ice. So salting your dog walkways will benefit both you and your dogs. Be sure to check their paws often for cuts and paws that are dry and chafed by de-icer and salt. Also, licking your paws with the salt and de-icer can cause stomach irritation. Perhaps your dog would benefit from some dog boots.

Dogs don’t realize thin ice, so if you have a pond or river nearby, be sure to teach them to stay away. Also, following their humans on the ice, dogs can easily tear muscles and ligaments, this is the cause of many pet accidents in winter.

Be careful when starting your car, dogs are heat seekers and may crawl under a vehicle to capture any remaining heat from your engine. Not just dogs, especially cats. I’ve heard countless stories of cats getting into the engine compartment and the car turning on just to kill the family cat.

And last but not least, dogs with arthritis. Arthritis hurts a lot more in the cold, so your older dogs will have very limited time outside. My old chocolate lab, Brody, who passed away a year ago, was seventeen when he left, and in the summer you would have no idea the dog had arthritis, but in the winter he could barely walk up the stairs and sometimes had to be carried.

So follow these simple steps to prevent any illness or injury and you will have a happy and healthy dog. Thank you for reading.

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