October 19th, 2020 by Becky Calvert

With winter fast approaching, you may be looking through your winter wardrobe for your big winter coat, and wondering if your beloved pooch is feeling the cold the same as we do. While some dogs have coats that were made for the winter, others have thin coats that could probably do with an extra layer to keep them warm at times! Here’s our handy guide to keeping your dog warm this autumn.

How can I tell if my dog is cold?

The most obvious way your dog will show they are cold is by shivering, which is the body’s natural way to generate heat. Your dog may also be unwilling to go outside, may sit closer to the radiator or fire than normal, or may even nuzzle their way under a blanket!

There are a number of factors that could help indicate whether or not your dog is likely to feel the cold. Size, age, coat type, body fat, and the general health of your dog will dictate how much or little your dog will feel the cold – smaller dogs will feel colder than larger dogs, young puppies and old dogs will feel the cold more than adult dogs, dogs with thick double coats will be able to keep much warmer than dogs with thin coats, and dogs with health conditions will be more at risk of catching a chill than perfectly healthy dogs.

Exercise

Exercising our pooches is an essential part of their lives, however, you may want to make some changes to your exercise routine during autumn and winter. You may find your dog prefers to go for a walk in the middle of the day as opposed to early in the morning or late at night – this could be because the temperature is likely to be warmer in the daylight hours.

When the coldest weather sets in you may want to limit their outdoor exercise to keep them from being outside for too long. Dogs can suffer from hypothermia and frostbite if they stay outdoors for too long – and these can be life-threatening illnesses! Symptoms of hypothermia include intense shivering, listlessness and frostbite. Frostbite typically affects exposed areas of dogs, such as the tail, tips of the ears and paw pads. If your dog has frostbite the affected skin will be very pale with a bluish hue due to a lack of blood flow. You should contact your veterinarian immediately if you think your dog may be suffering from hypothermia or frostbite.

Keep them dry

This is probably easier said than done with British weather, but keeping your dog as dry as possible when out on a walk – so not letting them go swimming – should help to keep them warmer. If your pooch gets really wet outside, they will feel the cold a lot more. My dog loves to swim, so when the weather gets cooler, I tend to keep her on the lead a lot more around water, so she can’t dash off and go for a cheeky paddle when she thinks I’m not looking!

You should always dry your dog off as soon as you get home from a walk too. Giving them a good rub down with a towel to remove as much moisture as possible will help them to feel warm. Consider purchasing a drying coat for your pooch too – we have them and they are INCREDIBLE! Simply rub your dog’s legs with a towel and pop their drying coat on and they are warm and dry out in about an hour! Lifesaver!

Consider a coat

Depending on the type of fur your dog has, you may want to buy them a coat to help keep them warm in the winter. Hairless breeds, dogs with short, fine hair, and small breeds should wear coats when outdoors in cold weather – they will need extra insulation to protect them from catching a chill. If your dog is a young pup, elderly, have health problems or has a compromised immune system, they will also benefit from wearing a jumper or a coat, harsh winter weather can prove fatal for these dogs if proper care is not taken to keep them warm.

If you decide that your dog does need a coat, you will want to first start with a thin one, to first ensure your dog does not overheat! If they are still cold and shivering, then you will want to look for one with more padding, a fleece lining, or consider a doggy jumper underneath a thin coat. Waterproof coats are usually the better option for dogs, as even when it isn’t raining, they are still likely to get a bit muddy during our British wintertime!

Protect your dog’s paws

Your dog’s paws take a beating in the colder weather too – did you know your dog’s pads are at risk of chilblains? It’s important that you clean off your dog’s paws after every walk, especially if the roads or footpaths have been recently gritted or have salt on them. Paws can be irritated by the salt and/or any chemicals that are on paths and roads, and if your dog licks their paws when they get home the chemicals may be ingested. This could even prove fatal for your dog.

Winter boots are useful for some dogs, if you chose to use these you should ensure they are waterproof, have a non-slip sole and be properly fitted. Alternatively, you could use a protective paw balm to help keep your pooch’s paws moisturised to prevent them from drying out and cracking. Most paw balms are also suitable for use on your dog’s nose, so you can keep their nose healthy too.

Keep your dog away from draughts

Draughts can bring chills and even cause your dog to catch a cold! You should make sure your dog isn’t left for a long period in a room or area of the house that is prone to draughts, especially overnight. Take note of where your dog’s bed is, and move it if it is near a door with a large gap underneath it or anywhere else that could be draughty. Having a raised bed for your pooch can also eliminate draughts around them, and mean your dog isn’t sleeping on the cold floor.

Snuggle up!

Give your dog more blankets to snuggle up in when they are in bed, or if they appear cold – most dogs love having blankets as it gives them the option to burrow under and cover themselves up to stay warm if they want to. You could always let your dog sleep in bed with you if you aren’t opposed to the idea! They will appreciate it and studies have shown that sleeping with your dog in the bed lowers stress levels, reduces anxiety and increases the release of serotonin! Allowing them to snuggle up to you on the sofa too will help you to both share body warmth keeping you both warm, and who doesn’t love snuggling with their furry best friend?!