Keeping Your Dog Safe in Snow & Freezing Weather

Keeping Your Dog Safe in Snow and Freezing Weather

Coat Care & Health Hazards the Winter Weather can hold.

It’s important to consider the weather especially the temperature when exercising your dog.
Many dogs love playing in the snow and a re invigorated by the chilly weather but be sensible about what you ask or allow your dog to do when the temperatures drop One dog’s beautiful day playing in the snow is another dog’s nightmare wishing it was tucked up in the warm. Consider your dog’s size, the thickness and length of their coat, and how accustomed they are to the cold or for how long when deciding whether they should be out on cold days. No matter what their breed, it’s very important to protect them from extremes of weather as well as from other hazards that accompany our winter weather we are experiencing at the moment.

Let’s look at Coat Care and some of the hazards, how to manage them, so both you and your dog can stay safe and enjoy the cold weather and snow.

Daily Coat Care. And why it’s even more important during the Winter months. There is the choice of having your dog’s hair clipped or not, during the winter, you may think they will catch cold, or that it’s better to leave their hair as long as possible. Let’s look at a few breeds and also the way ALL dogs keep warm during cold weather. Parsons Jack Russell’s, Boxers, Staffies, Rotties, Beagles, Fox Hounds, all the short haired breeds adore being out in the cold weather and never seem to feel the cold some of the working breeds like spaniels and fox hounds even sleep in unheated kennels quite happily with no ill effects.
How?
Well it’s not the length of the coat but the thickness and the health of the coat that counts. A short thick coat acts like a duvet.
We have all experienced our hair standing up on end and shivering when we first go out in the cold air. This is a primal reaction, the shivering causes more blood to be pumped to the surface of the skin to protect it and the hair standing on end if we had more of it on our skin would cause pockets of warm air to be trapped in this hair and forming a thermal layer. This is what happens with ALL dogs, the difference is in the length of that hair. The right length of hair to trim back to, must be chosen for the type of dog you have because if you remove too much hair from your dog's coat, you are removing its heating system.
The short haired breeds like the Jack Russell terriers, Labradors, retrievers etc have developed the right length and thickness of protection, as have the northern breeds like German Shepherds, Huskies etc. The problems developed when very long haired breeds began to be bred by man purely for their looks not function. Instead of their working heritage. Even the Lhasa Apso and Shih Tzu kept by the Monks of Tibet INSIDE the temples and treated as God’s though they experience those low temperatures, had no need to venture out into the snow to hunt for food. They were not meant to be allowed to act and play as dogs but then as now were breed purely for their looks. These and other long haired breeds now have hair that due to its length and weight is either too heavy or too fine to hold the duvet effect. To do so needs the length of coat to be shortened to the right length and weight to allow the duvet affect to be performed by the dog. So in all with long haired breeds its best during winter months to have the hair kept at the length required for each individual breed to allow this to happen. This can be anything from around an inch or 2cms, or up to 3inches or 8cms.

One thing you will notice when looking around you is that most dogs don’t have long hair on he front of their legs in fact its really short in these areas. This has been designed this way for function, it allows the dog to move through any obstruction, be it water, snow, long grass or the undergrowth without too much hinder. The longer hair at the back of the legs, ie the feathers, has been designed to allow the flow and pull off of any objects caught or tugging on the coat, like burrs or brambles, ice balls etc. These can be easily removed by the dog when it cleans itself or even better when you brush them out for the dog.
Now look at long haired breeds, I have 2, a Yorkshire terrier, bred by Miners to take down the mines to kill the rats there. There certainly couldn’t do that work with a full to the floor length coat, So it was kept at a length that protects the dog from excesses of temperature ie both hot and cold. So I keep Jessica in a length that allows her to “Be a dog” and have fun, without her having to worry or spend too much time cleaning. She’d far rather be out in the undergrowth hunting Rats, than to worry about how she looks! My Maltese cross Chihuahua Fred would spend all day out in the snow if he could he loves it! Again the Chihuahua was originally bred as a working dog catching mice and rats it needed a short but thick coat to allow this. So I keep Fred in a length that allows the Maltese type coat which is rather fine to protect him but still have fun in the snow. When the weather is very cold I put on jumpers that give extra protection over their vital organs, ie heart and lungs. My other dog Gracie being a German shepherd thinks this weather is heaven! I had the problem with her trying to get her to come in! All she wants to do is lie down in the snow and sleep! She’s in her element! Because of this wet cold weather I ensure their coat care is increased to ensure they stay happy and healthy throughout the winter months.

So you can see leaving your dogs coat too long can be the worst thing to do. Long hair acts like a magnet and suction drawing up water, ice and snow that then form huge balls of ice crystals weighing the dog’s legs down. The water is drawn up into the coat and if knots and tangles are present in the coat these hold onto the water, if you then rub the dog with a towel to dry it, these knots become even bigger. Whilst you may think the dog looks dry, underneath there will be these balls of knotted hair full of water that means the dog can never truly warm up, but stays cold and uncomfortable for hours, even days. As the knots slowly dry out, they shrink pulling on the surrounding skin making it sore and painful, the friction caused by the dog moving or walking causes even more pain, and the friction from these knots can cause burns on the skin if any of these knots are close to the skin there is also a risk of bacteria building up and feeding on this sore skin in that tight enclosed damp environment, these painful conditions may carry on developing unseen for weeks even months until revealed by grooming and clipping of the coat, and the treatment required to heal these conditions could take months to work and end up with a very costly Vet bill.
Always pat your dog down with a towel when you get in, never rub unless it’s a very short breed, as rubbing causes backcombing of the hair and forms knots that cannot be brushed out. If you need to bath your dog, make sure you can get a comb right through it coat from the surface of the skin to the end of its length of hair and so is knot and tangle free. If not then those knots and tangles will get even tighter as the coat dries afterwards. And the only option is to clip those knots out. Its too painful for the dog to try and brush or comb them out no Groomer should be asked to cause a dog pain trying to de matt and remove knots and tangles through brushing and combing. This is why some dogs hate being groomed because they associate it with pain. Also The Animal Welfare Act now states no-one must cause distress to ANY animal. So de-matting by brushing and combing can be looked on as an offence under this Act. Far better is to ask your Groomer to remove the coat the best and quickest way for the comfort and protection of your dog.

Setting up a regular bathing and grooming session through the winter months where the coat is kept at a manageable length, not too short for the dogs own best interest, and not too long for you to easily keep brushed and combed weekly at home is the best option for your dog during the winter months. And don’t forget we can show you just how to brush and comb your dog easily and quickly so you can do this at home to prevent those knots and tangles from forming. In doing so, this will mean you won’t need to have them professionally clipped or groomed as often, and thus save you money!Our dogs do care about what they look like, just look at how they behave after a Grooming session!
Pleased as Punch!!!! And so Happy!

Snow can be such fun for you and your dog, enjoy the fresh bracing air, the exercise, think of those extra Xmas pounds you’ll both loose and the feel good factor too, all those “Happy Hormones” you’ll both produce, but remember to be careful too. Too much of a good thing can be dangerous too!

Let’s look at some Heath hazards the snowy weather can hold.

1. Jagged ice and snow hidden frozen plant stems or forgotten toys are sharp and can cut your dog’s paws or nag their legs, so be careful letting them run around in the snow in areas you don’t know, even in your garden a covering of snow can hide dangers.

2. Your dog’s feet, ears and depending on their size, coat and other body parts are susceptible to frostbite. Frostbite occurs when a part of the body freezes. If not treated immediately, frostbitten areas die and may fall off or have to be amputated. Frostbitten skin is pale and cool to the touch. It may look burned after thawing. If you think your dog has frostbite, warm the affected body parts VERY slowly and get your dog to a Vet as quickly as possible.

3. Some chemicals used in de icers to melt ice on your car windscreens and windows are toxic either by getting into your dog’s eyes via wind spray or ingested through their moths or taken into their lungs through their nose. Remember their sense of smell is million times more sensitive than ours so maybe consider using a non toxic de-icer on your own car, like a scraper to lessen the risk to your pet.

4. Antifreeze is another VERY toxic chemical to your pet, so make sure you don’t leave any around where your dog can drink it, clean up spillages as dogs are attracted to it, and will lick it up. If you suspect your dog has ingested antifreeze get them to a Vet as soon as possible, as the affects can be fatal!

5. Rock salt used to clear ice and snow on roads pavements, paths, yards, can irritate and burn your dogs skin between their toes and paws, putting a small amount of Vaseline or paw wax in between their paws before you go out, will help protect them.
But even with protection, when you get in, its VERY important to always wash you dogs paws in water to rinse off any remaining salt
(an old mug is an easy way of doing this) Make sure you pat dry well with a towel, don’t rub the hair as this causes tangles and knots to form, and as they dry they become tight, and pull on the dog’s skin making it very sore and painful. Do check their nails too, as it easy to break one in the cold weather when they become brittle, and again could cause pain or discomfort, and could be the reason for their limping.
Keep an eye on them worrying their feet in-case you have missed an area or injury. Aloe cream is a good soother on chapped skin.

6. Snow can also collect on the hair between the pads and paws, sometimes forming icy balls that can cause pain and injury to the foot. Trimming the hair from the bottom of the feet can help prevent problems with this. Always check your dog’s feet after they have been out in the snow. If you go for walks in the snow, check your dog’s feet frequently. Or even consider getting show boots if your dog has soft pads that cut easily so they can enjoy their walks without pain or discomfort. You might feel dog coats are a no-no for your big breed, but they can form a cosy barrier and prevent a lot of that snow getting onto your dog and thus stop it from getting too icy or wet, or matted and knotted by the friction between the snow and hair. We can offer a “Snow trim” special that baths and trims the toes, paws and the legs to a suitable easily managed but still warm length, so both you and your dog can enjoy paying in the snow without having big icy balls attached to their coat to worry about. Please call in for details.

7. Icy surfaces especially stairs steps and pavements are as dangerous for your dog as they are for you. Dogs with arthritis or other joint problems or elderly dogs with stiffened joints are particularly in danger of falling on slippery surfaces. Try to provide an ice free path from your door to your dog’s toilet area in your garden to prevent injury. Don’t walk them first thing in the morning or when it’s dark, wait if you can until the temperature has risen after daylight or the sun have warmed the surface a bit.

8. Pools, ponds and other areas of water present special risks in cold weather. Swimming in very cold water on cold days can cause hypothermia or dangerous chilling of the body that can occur within in minutes as we’ve seen in the news this winter, when sadly people have lost their lives falling into water sources. Only VERY fit dogs that are built for and conditioned to cold weather swimming should be in the water.
Once the water freezes over, the ice can be extremely hazardous. DO NOT allow your dog (or anyone else) to run on the icy surface of frozen water. If your dog falls through, they may not be able to find the hole again, or if they do, may not be able to climb out and could drown.

9. If you walk near where people are sledging, do remember to keep your dog on a lead, whilst chasing those sledges may look like fun, they can easily knock you or your dog over, possibly breaking a limb, or causing a nasty gash, or worse.

10. Portable heaters, Paraffin stoves, Electric fires. Hot water bottles, or Microwaveable heat pads.
Make sure if you use portable gas heaters, or Paraffin stoves, that you have enough ventilation, Carbon monoxide can kill both you and your dog. NEVER have these on in a room with all the windows and doors shut, and do watch your dog for signs that he is experiencing danger from this form of heating, remember his nose is far more aware of dangers than yours. Lso ensure your dog or cat cannot move it or bump it, causing it to come into contact with something and start a fire.
With electric fires, make sure the leads are up out of the way form your dog or cat chewing it, or tripping over it causing it to fall over and catch fires ensure they don’t lie too close to them and get burnt, the same goes for them knocking over clothing placed near the fire.
Hot water bottles and heat pads, remember that microwavable heatpads continue to warm up for some minutes after you remove them from the microwave, so always leave them away from your pets for a while, and hot water bottles should never be filled with boiling water, and placed in your pets basket, both could burst and burn your pet.
If you or your dog gets burnt, place cling film loosely over the burn and then wrap a cold wet towel over the burn and seek medical advice ASAP.

Please stay safe and well through all this cold weather. And if you need help but are unsure were to get it,
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or queries you may have. I’m only too happy to try and help both you and your dog’s happiness is my main concern.