How To Keep Your Dog Warm on Winter Walks

Welcome back to our January series on keeping your pet safe on cold weather walks!  In this post, we will be looking at warmth!  While your dog does come with a built in coat, of varying warmth levels depending on the breed, you can’t assume this is enough in our cold climates!

​Listen to your dog. When walking your dog this winter, don’t forget to watch for signs that your dog may be too cold such as whining, shivering, and lifting its paws or holding one up as they walk. If you notice these signs, get them somewhere to warm up as quickly as possible.

Cut back on walks on very cold days. On colder days limit the duration and the number of walks to protect your dog from frostbite and hypothermia.  If you must go out for longer times, consider getting or making them a jacket or sweater for extra warmth.
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Protect their paws. Make sure your dog’s toe hair is trimmed so that ice and salt don’t get caught in it. An alternative to doing this (is you pup a drama queen/king about you touching their paws?) is to buy your dog winter water-resistant boots.

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Don’t allow your dog to eat snow.  Eating snow dangerously lowers your dog’s body temperature which makes them more susceptible to cold related injury.  Additionally, there could be chemicals or hidden objects buried in the snow that could be very harmful to them.
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With these simple shifts, you and your dog can continue to enjoy the benefits of your daily walks even in cold months!  Happy walking!

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