Winter is already upon us and with it comes the time to protect yourself when going outside, because you also feel the cold just like we do, especially if you are very old, are a puppy or have very short hair.
In this way, and in order to prevent him from getting sick, we must follow a series of guidelines that will help us avoid more than one visit to the vet in these months.
We avoid taking it out during the coldest hours
One of the pieces of advice that veterinarians usually give is that we avoid taking our dogs out early in the day and late at night, as that is just when it is coldest.
In much of our country, at that time the temperatures are below zero, so dogs often suffer from throat problems related to that very intense cold.
For this reason, and whenever possible, we will choose other times to take the walks, such as when the sun has already risen and the temperatures have begun to rise or before the night progresses and the thermometers plummet.
We can wear dog clothes
Some pet owners think that clothing for their dogs is a stupid trend, but the truth is that in many cases it helps keep the animals from getting cold and, therefore, from getting sick.
This clothing is indicated, above all, in those cases in which the dog does not regulate its temperature well , such as elderly dogs, very young puppies or smooth-haired, small-sized dogs such as short-haired Chihuahuas and the like. , although you can put these clothes on any dog.
We find them in many types and with different closures, so we only have to try a few models until we find the one that our dog is comfortable with, something that we will notice because there is no attempt to remove the garment that we have put on him.
We must prevent it from getting wet and we will dry it well if this happens
During winter it is not advisable for a dog to get wet, as this will make the dog feel even more cold, which almost always leads to a cold or even skin problems.
Here we can help ourselves with dog clothing, since they sell raincoats or coats that have an external layer in which water does not penetrate, so that most of the animal's body will arrive home dry .
When we enter the house it is advisable to dry the head, ears and paws well. This will ensure that it does not stain the house, but above all that it does not stay cold for a long time.
When it comes to drying your pet, pet towels made of microfiber work very well, as they have enormous absorption power, although any can be used.
If we bathe him we have to use the dryer
Winter is not the best time if we want to bathe our dog, since we cannot take him for a walk in the sun in order for him to dry, but there are times when it is inevitable to give him a bath.
We will always do it with hot water and in a warm room , turning on the heating or placing a radiator away from the water if we do not have heating at home.
The idea is that it does not get cold at any time, so that right when we finish we dry it well with a towel, finishing the work with a hand dryer until the hair is dry.
In the event that after a while the animal gets bored and is still wet, we can place its bed in front of a heat source so that the moisture remaining in its hair disappears.
We must provide him with his bed and a blanket
If you are at home, one way to prevent your dog from getting cold is to have a good bed, better if it is quite soft in order to insulate it well from the ground, something that can help by placing a rug under it.
In addition, we will leave a good-sized blanket on the bed, better if it is polar , since that also makes it less cold, some animals even covering themselves, something that we can also do when we go to sleep.
Choosing the place to put it is very important, and we will always place it where there are no drafts, trying several locations until we find the one where our dog is most comfortable.
Another option is to place this bed in a warm place, such as next to a radiator, in front of the fire, near a pellet stove, where it will not be cold all day and the animal itself will tell us if it is comfortable. , something we will notice in that he does not move from there and spends a lot of time sleeping.
Other articles on care that may interest you:
