Although many people think that since dog’s have fur coats they are not affected by the cold. That is not the case, winter can be just as hard for your dog to handle as it is for you. Here are some tips to help your dog during those long winter days.

First off pay special attention to puppies and senior dogs. They do not tolerate the cold as well as younger and mature dogs. Puppies may be harder to house train as they may not tolerate being out in the cold. Older dogs may not want to spend long times outside. Keep walks shorter. It might be easier to use training pads during the winter.

Pay close attention to wind chills. Wind chills can be just as uncomfortable to your dog as they are to you.

Keep your dog welled groomed. A well groomed coat will keep your dog’s coat in top shape which will help protect against the cold. Make sure to pay attention to keeping the fur between your dog’s pads well groomed and trimmed, this will keep with easily removing snow.

You might want to invest in a set of dog boots for your dog. This will help protect against frost bite and rock salt.

Make sure to clean your dog’s paws of any rock salt or ice melt. If you do need to use rock salt of ice melt use the pet friendly variety.

If your pet gets wet from rain or snow be sure to towel dry them or blow dry them.

Keep a close eye on how much food your dog is eating, Breeds that are active outside in the winter would need more calories, as they burn more to keep themselves warm, less active dogs might need less calories to avoid putting on extra weight.

Pay special attention if your dog is around frozen ponds or lakes. They could slip and injure themselves or possibly fall in.

If you have a breed that does spend time outside make sure to provide a dog house and also make sure that it faces away from the wind. The doorway should also be covered by a waterproof flap. It should have enough space for your dog to turn around and lay down comfortably and small enough to keep your dog’s body heat in.

There are many types of Jackets and Sweaters available for dogs. Investing in either one of these will help keep your dog warm on those cold winter walks.

If you have a heavy accumulation of snow you will need to create paths in the snow so your dog can have a place to walk and a place to potty.

If you need to supply a water source outside during cold weather invest in a heated bowl.

For extra warmth you might want to invest in a heated kennel.

Do not leave your pet in the car. Temperature can drop very fast in automobiles when the heat is not running. Also if you do leave the car running there is the possibility of carbon monoxide build up, which is very dangerous.

Pay close attention to fireplaces (make sure to have a screen in place) and portable heaters. These items can cause serve burns.

Keep hot drinks out of reach. Coffee, teas, etc. all these can cause a serve burn.

Never let your dog off the leash during a snow storm. Dogs can lose their scent and become lost. Make sure your dog’s ID tags and microchip information is up to date.

Provide a warm and draft free place for your dog to sleep. Many beds are designed to help keep your pet warm.

With these tips in mind you can help to make sure your dog will have a safe and warm winter. As always consult your Vet when you feel the need. Keeping all this in mind will go along way of keeping you and your dog happy and healthy.