Dogs in winter: 5 tips for the cold season
Breed-specific differences prove that dogs can also freeze in winter
Snowy, icy, and cold; the right care makes all the difference!
Thanks to their thick fur, most dog breeds have significantly fewer problems with ice, snow, or cold in winter than we humans do. With the exception of a few breeds, the low temperatures hardly bother our four-legged friends. Nevertheless, the cold season demands our full attention. Checking their fur and paws after every walk in snow, ice, or wet cold is a must. In today's blog post, we'll explain how you can best protect your pet from the effects of ice, snow, or wet cold.
Keep moving and defy the cold!
Not every dog can tolerate the cold temperatures of winter. Whether there's snow or not, dogs can still get cold despite their thick fur and undercoat. Smaller breeds can feel cold in winter as low as 6 degrees Celsius. Especially when they're not moving, our four-legged friends get cold more quickly. On the other hand, breeds like:
- Siberian Husky
- Newfoundland
- Pyrenean Mountain Dog
- American Akita
- St. Bernard
- or Malamute
They only feel truly comfortable at temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius.
To help you make the cold winter days more pleasant for your dog, we have compiled 7 tips below that will help you relax through the winter and the cold.
emmi®-pet Winter Tip 1: Keep moving!
Exercise boosts your metabolism and warms you from the inside!
While you can wrap yourself up warmly, your dog has to rely on its fur. Smaller breeds, in particular, that don't develop an undercoat, start to get cold particularly quickly. The only thing that helps here is exercise. A brisk walking pace not only gets your circulation going but also warms your dog from the inside. Even if he has to walk on his paws through snow and ice, he won't get cold. Longer breaks, for example, to have a chat with other dog owners, encourage your dog to cool down quickly. You should also make sure your dog doesn't sit on the cold ground.
emmi®-pet Winter Tip 2: Be sure to dry wet fur!
When it’s wet, make sure you dry your dog after a walk!
If you were able to enjoy winter in all its glory and walked through crunchy snow, be sure to dry your dog off after the walk. Especially during the cold season, the coat stays damp for a long time. For this reason, always dry your dog thoroughly after a walk and avoid leaving him lying on cold surfaces with wet fur.
emmi®-pet Winter Tip 3: Paw protection against road salt
Road salt is even more dangerous than cold!
Road salt is significantly more dangerous than the cold. Despite numerous bans, its use is still illegal. This special de-icing salt can cause serious paw injuries in dogs. Cracked, painful, and dry pads caused by road salt are not uncommon. Excessive paw licking can be a sign of road salt on the paws. In this case, road salt can also lead to serious stomach problems. To effectively protect your dog's paws, you can apply olive oil, Vaseline, or a special balm before every winter walk. If your dog already has cracked or inflamed paws, you can also treat and clean them with our emmi®-pet skin care set .
emmi®-pet Winter Tip 4: Regular pedicure and coat care
Fur and paw care in winter!
Especially in winter, you should be especially active in grooming your dog's paws and coat . Make sure the claws are at their ideal length and remove matted fur, especially on the pads. If the hair between the pads is too long, ice clumps can quickly form. Claws that are too long and fur that is too long between the pads will cause your dog to limp. Long-haired dog breeds are particularly affected. To prevent foot infections , we recommend regularly disinfecting all grooming utensils with our emmi®-steri UVC-LED sterilizer. By the way: Regular brushing makes your dog's coat more resilient and denser.
emmi®-pet winter tip 5: Goodbye winter blues!
Ideas to combat the typical winter blues!
Cold temperatures, wind, and rain don't exactly invite you to spend long periods outdoors. However, don't let that stop you from getting outside regularly . Dogs generally love playing and romping in the snow . With the right attitude and the right clothing, even bad weather can be a problem. Provide variety with:
- Search games
- Fetch games
- ball games
- Brain games
And challenge your four-legged friend regularly, even during the colder season. The right reward at the end of the game will even make up for the cold.
