How to Help Your Dog Stay Comfortable Now That Winter Is Here!

The weather seems a little bit colder now the festivities are over! While we all start to look forward to summer, there are still a few important cold-weather tips to keep your pet safe and warm.

The PDSA’s seasonal advice for dog owners provides some useful guidelines, which are especially helpful for dogs that are more prone to being uncomfortable in the cold, such as slimmer shorthaired breeds and senior dogs.

Walking your dog in winter

Walkies are always a dog’s favourite part of the day! With the shorter daylight hours in winter, the PDSA recommend walking your dog while it is still light (when possible). If you can’t walk your dog while it’s light, they recommend the following:

• Keep your dog on a lead unless in a totally traffic-free area
• Wear reflective clothing and carry a torch
• Get your dog some reflective clothing too with a glowing/flashing lead and collar

We have some great examples of these on PurrfectlyYappy.com, such as Cycle Dog’s reflective collars and leads – which are available in either pink or green.
You can also add lights to your dog’s harness or collar as an extra safety precaution to make sure they are seen. The Ruffwear beacon attaches to collars, harnesses and some of the Ruffwear jackets – so dogs can be warm and visible.

In addition to advice on walking your dog, the PDSA also advises the following tips as the weather gets colder:

• Towel dry your dog as soon as you get home or use a hairdryer on a low setting held some distance away. Keep the hairdryer moving as you would for yourself to make sure you don’t create any spots of heat

• Consider getting a winter coat for dogs with thin, fine hair, or those that are getting older, or those suffering with joint problems. We have a range of coats available in varying thicknesses with different levels of coverage – if you need advice on picking a coat, just call or message us!

• Prevent snowballs from forming on your dog’s feet by trimming the hair between your dog’s toes or training him or her to wear doggie boots – the Ruffwear boots we stock at PurrfectlyYappy have been designed to work for active dogs on the go – so you know they will be designed with comfort and durability in mind
Of course it goes without saying that the best place for your dog while it’s cold is snuggled up with you indoors! Make sure you don’t leave your dog outside for too long in freezing temperatures and also be careful leaving your dog in the car – even a few minutes in the cold can cause hypothermia.