Your Dogs And Cold Weather
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It's time to think of your dogs and cold weather if you live in the northern hemisphere. Winter is well and truly upon you, and winter brings with it cold weather, and some responsibility on your part to ensure that your dogs do not suffer from the cold. |
While dogs that are used to living outside with little protection fare well enough as long as they can get out of the wind and rain, they don't handle sub-zero conditions so well. When the temperature drops, make provision for your dog to be inside, if not the house, then in a kennel in the shed. Even if the kennel or bed is inside, it should have soft bedding and a bag or curtain of some sort over the door. This helps keep the body heat of the dog in the kennel, and minimizes any draughts.
When walking your dog in cold weather, consider fitting a rug or coat, especially if you have a short haired dog breed. For example, Greyhounds and Whippets are particularly prone to losing weight in cold weather, due to their fine short coats and lack of body fat.
How to feed dogs in cold weather
You should increase the fat content of your dogs meals if you are preparing them yourself. If feeding dry prepared food, increase the amount fed by at least 10% if your dog is living in unheated conditions during winter. Check daily to ensure that their water bowls are not frozen.
If your dog lives in the shed, be extra careful you don't leave open containers of poisonous liqids around, like garden chemicals or anti-freeze for instance. Use antifreeze-coolant made with propylene glycola as it is safe if swallowed in small amounts... like spills on the garage floor. Dogs will lick anything that tastes OK, and anti-freeze tastes OK to a dog.
The safest and warmest place for your dog in winter is inside with the family. If you have house trained your dog properly, there's no reason he can't spend the winter inside, regardless of his size. Give him a nice warm bed, take him outside regularly during the day, and he will love you for life.
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