Safety Measures While Keeping Your Pooch Active In Winter

Keeping active in winter is tricky for everyone. For new pet owners, however, keeping their dogs active and fit during the cold season can feel like an impossible challenge if you lack experience. Indeed, despite their natural coat, dogs can feel the cold too. If you’re planning on enjoying the great outdoors, you need to make sure that you can play safely with your dog during wintertime without putting your pet at risk of hypothermia or other cold-related issues. 

What are the precautions you need to take to keep your dog healthy? 

You need to understand that there is a variety of different cold weathers and a variety of dogs, all different in size, coat, strength, and health. Your role as an owner is to find the right balance to keep your pooch active in winter.

Should your let your pooch play in the snow?

Your dog needs exercise no matter what

First of all, dogs need to stay exercised to maintain both their mood and their health. Thankfully, your dog’s needs are simple so that going for a walk can act as an exciting exercise for your pet. 

Regardless of the season, you should walk your dog at least twice a day, morning and evening. You can alternate routes and pace to entertain your dog and keep the walk enjoyable. Ultimately, even if you can’t do anything else in winter, going for a walk can be plenty of fun and exercise even in winter.

Be mindful of rain and deep puddles

However, the winter weather can force you to consider safer and more accessible paths to avoid puddles and cold water. Indeed, your dog can suffer from hypothermia if they jump in freezing water. 

You want to make sure that you keep young and excited pooches on a tight leash in winter to stop them from jumping into cold lakes and rivers during your daily walks. It’s a good idea to invest in a waterproof leash to maintain your grip even under the rain! If your dog jumps and swims into the water despite your best efforts, always try to dry her coat as soon as possible.

Protect your pooch

While some dogs have a thick coat such as Siberian Huskies, others tend to have a thin coat and suffer more in the cold, such as Greyhounds. Dogs who are used to cold temperatures and have double-layered coats handle the winter weather much better than others. You can help your dog make the most of your daily walks by investing in a pet-jacket or coat to protect her. You can also prep the paws using balms and sticking to proper grooming techniques. Cleanse your dog’s paws after a walk to remove all the toxic salt and de-icer. You can also use little boots to keep her feet healthy.

Should you adjust the diet?

Last, but not least, there’s no denying that body fat is designed to keep us warm. That being said, it doesn’t mean you can allow your pooch to put on weight in winter. However, you can focus on a vitamin-rich and nutritious diet that provides all the elements your dog needs to maintain her weight during the cold months. Be careful not to overfeed her!

Keeping your dog active in winter is not about the amount of exercise you prepare for her, but how you ensure that the outdoors time remains safe and healthy. From keeping your dog away from cold bodies of water to protecting her paws, beware of the risks of winter!