Rudder and Dulse are in their element in the cold of the Northwoods
One great thing about social media is that you can often see up to the minute experiences of friends that don’t live in your community. It was while reading an east coast friend’s comment about the cold temperatures (it was 23° - sounds balmy to me!) when I thought people aren’t used to these temperatures, what about their pets? Many people who aren’t used to it are being hit hard by the cold recently. They may not be used to caring for their pets during the cold or in the snow.
Even up here in the Northwoods, where we should know better, sometimes we don’t think logically. My Newfs, for instance, don’t need coats (their breed descended from dogs who helped fisherman haul in boats in the icy waters of Newfoundland), but their furry feet could use some help. If I don’t prevent it, ice builds up in the fur between their toes and it becomes painful for them to walk. I have found that boots are helpful, or, when I remember, Musher’s Secret, slathered (and I mean slathered) on the undersides of their feet and between the toes. When you a walk with your dog in the snow, watch if he stops in his tracks, picks his feet up or whines. You can help him by removing the icy “snowballs” until he can get into the warm house.
Here Rudder plops himself down and tries to get the ice out from between his toes
Constantly going out into the cold and coming back into the drying heat of the house is also hard on their tender pads, causing them to become cracked and dry. Again, Musher’s Secret or Tender Foot can help with this.
If you walk your dog on streets or sidewalks where people put out de-icer, always make sure to wipe down your dog’s feet when you get back home. Wipe down his underside as well. Not only are salt and de-icer caustic to a dog’s feet, but a dog will try to lick off the de-icer, which may upset his stomach or be potentially toxic. If you de-ice your own sidewalks, always use a pet-friendly de-icer.
Dogs can be affected in many other ways by the cold. Always be mindful of your pets in the cold weather, especially if they are not used to it.
- Consider a coat or sweater, especially helpful for older dogs, dogs with shorter hair, and smaller dogs.
- Never leave your dog outside for a long period of time without adequate shelter. Ears, feet, and tips of tails are epecially susceptible to frostbite.
- Make sure your dog has access to fresh, unfrozen water.
- If you have an older dog, be careful that he does not slip on the ice. Again, boots may help with this.
- If your dog is active in the cold, make sure he gets adequate nutrition as he is using up more calories keeping himself warm.
If you have any cold-weather suggestions for pet care, please feel free to comment on this post. I know I would appreciate others’ winter tips and my fellow “pet parents” would as well.
Products Mentioned In This Post:
Tender Foot Paw Care |
Muttluks Dog Boots |
Ice Melt |
Check out all Drs. Foster and Smith Cold Weather Essentials!
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Great reminder and suggestions Barb. I also tend to keep the hair clipped out from between the toes more regularly in the winter to help with the “snow-balling”. It also draws my attention to the fact that toenails generally have to be clipped more often when snow blankets the ground. The nails don’t get filed down through natural outdoor activities because of the softer snowy surfaces.
Yes Jeff- good points about clipping the hair and the toenails!