We have to take care of our pets every day of their life and pay special attention to the seasonal changes. In the cold, the defenses of our furry come down and we must take certain precautions. These are the cares we must give our dogs in winter!
Attentions that dogs deserve in winter
Here are some precautions to take during the winter if you have a dog.
Protect your body from the cold
You'll know that one of the ways to protect dogs from the cold in winter is by putting special coats on them. However, you should know that they are not always essential (for example, if the dog is inside the house near a radiator) and not all dogs need them.
Dog coats are important especially during street walks. You can also protect your pet's legs with boots their size if you're pulling it out of the snow to avoid cracks and cold burns on their pads.
Also, during this time, avoid cutting your pet's hair to make it a natural coat.
Taking care of your diet
As always, we must offer our can quality food. However, in the cold you have to pay special attention to the amount you ingest.
Dogs in winter should take all the necessary food so that they can maintain their energy and that this helps them to preserve body heat, you can even consult with your veterinarian if the dose needs to be increased or given some type of supplement or vitamin.
However, if they take more than the account they can end up with an overweight problem, so keep an eye on the amounts. You'd better ask a professional first.
Vaccines a day throughout the year
This isn't just during the winter: your dog's vaccinations should ALWAYS keep up. This will prevent it from becoming infected with diseases that are characteristic of this era or anyone.
Warm resting place
This is one of the most important cares we should take with dogs in winter.
You can place your dog's bed near a radiator, but without sticking it to it. Besides, it'll always do you good to have a blanket to snuggle up to.
And remember to wash both your mattress and your blanket frequently to avoid odors!
On the other hand, if your dog is on a terrace or garden, you should have a shelter with roof to protect yourself from the cold, as well as mattresses and blankets.
However, if the temperature is too low, you should let him sleep at home. Nights are very hard in winter and your dog could die of cold. It's better to enable a space inside the home so he can spend those hours than lose it, don't you think?
Watch your water
It is always important that your dog has his bowl close to him with clean water. This should be fresh, so don't place your bowl next to the radiators and also don't leave it near drafts because it can freeze.
Take precautions on the ride
The cold can't be an excuse not to take your dog out on the street. They need to exercise daily and, for your sake, do their needs outside. However, you should take some precautions.
One of them has already mentioned it: the coat. You can put a coat on your dog to take him out on the street or a raincoat if it's raining. In addition, special dog boots will come in handy if it has snowed and also to protect your pads from the defrosting products that are thrown into the streets.
These products are usually highly toxic and could cause serious damage to your pet if they then lick their paws. So if you don't take it out with boots, when you get home, clean the pads thoroughly.
In addition to this, we recommend that the rides are not excessively long. You can always start exercising and play with it inside the house and spend less time on the street.
And remember that if it rains or gets wet for some reason, the first thing you have to do when you get home is dry it well.
Christmas precautions
During the winter Christmas comes and you have to take certain precautions during these dates.
To begin with, you have to watch what he eats. Our tables are filled with food at Christmas, but many of those foods are toxic to dogs: seafood, grapes, sweets, nuts and alcohol should be out of reach.
In the same way, you should not give the leftover bones of the meat if they have been cooked or roasted, since biting them can chip and cause tears in your dog when swallowing.
You also have to be careful with the Christmas decoration. Leaving small ornaments near them can cause them to be carried into your mouth, causing intoxication and choking. Likewise, the Easter flower is very toxic to our pets, so it's better to keep it away.
And finally we found the problem of pyrotechnics. Dogs fear the loud sound of firecrackers and fireworks, so it is advisable to protect them from them away from windows, playing with them to entertain them or putting them in proper music.
For the same reason, we recommend that you take out your dog on a leash during the most marked days of the festivities. This way you'll keep him from running away if he hears a firecracker very close to him during the ride.