Winter Safety Tips For Your Dog

Here are some tips to help make sure that your dog stays healthy and comfortable during the winter months.

• Keep pets away from antifreeze solution, and promptly clean up any antifreeze spills. Antifreeze is highly toxic! Antifreeze tastes good to pets, but even a small amount can kill your dog. Though exposure to antifreeze is a risk all year, the risk is especially high during the colder months. Keep your eyes on your dog at all times - and keep antifreeze out of reach. If you suspect your dog has had ANY exposure to antifreeze, get to a vet right away.

• Doggie coats keep your dog warm when it’s cold out. This is important for dogs with short coats, who are not naturally built for the cold. They need an extra layer to keep warm outdoors, and a coat will provide that protection. Some dogs may be built for the cold, but most aren't. Doggie coats provide protection against the cold and much more. They're really useful throughout the winter months.

• Do not leave your dog outside unsupervised without a heated shelter. Just because your dog has fur, it does not mean he can withstand the cold. Though some dog breeds (like Huskies and Malamutes) are better suited to cold weather, all dogs should have access to a warm shelter at all times. Duncan is a Husky and loves the cold weather, but even he has a time limit for being outside, before having to come in. Most dogs do best living indoors. While I don't agree with dogs being kept outside, if your dog must live outdoors, provide a heated shelter. Pets that get too cold can develop hypothermia or even frostbite. Ear tips are especially susceptible to frostbite. Short-coated dogs (Greyhounds, Dobermans, Boxers, Pointers, Boston Terriers, Pit Bulls) should not go outside without a coat or sweater in very cold weather, except to relieve themselves. Small dogs or those with little to no hair should have sweaters or jackets for protection against the cold. Some of the most common breeds that will benefit from protective clothing are Chihuahuas, Miniature Pinschers, Whippets, and Greyhounds. Remember, not all dogs will tolerate clothing, so don’t push it – just make an extra effort to keep them out of the cold.
  
  
• If your dog will tolerate it, consider foot protection booties. This can keep your dog’s feet safe from harm, such as dangerous objects hidden by the snow or salt on roads and walk ways. Additionally, booties can help give your dog a better grip and prevent slipping on ice. If your dog frequently lifts up its paws, whines or stops during its walks, it is demonstrating that its feet are uncomfortable cold.
  
  
• Dogs with long fur on the bottom of their paws often develop ice balls between the pads and toes of the feet. To prevent ice balls from forming, trim the hair around your dogs feet. Apply a small amount of Vaseline, cooking oil, or PAM spray to your dog's feet before taking him for a walk in the snow. The oil helps prevent ice balls from sticking. Make sure you use edible oil; most dogs will lick their paws after you apply the oil.
  
  
• If your pet walks on salted sidewalks or streets, be sure to wash his paws off after your walk. Salt is very irritating to footpads. Gently rub the bottom of the feet to remove the salt as soon as your dog is off the road.
  
  
• Many animals are less active during the winter, and don't burn as many calories as in the warmer months. Reduce your pet's diet during the winter, to avoid excessive weight gain. You may wish to consult with your veterinarian about the right winter food portions for your pet.

• When walking your dog near ice, use extra caution to avoid slipping. Always keep a close watch your dog and be sure he says nearby. Do not allow your dog to run across frozen bodies of water - he could fall into icy water if the ice is too thin!
  
  
• If you use an indoor or outdoor fireplace, always keep a safety guard around it in order to protect your dog away from the flames and soot. Do not leave a fire unattended.
  
  
• If your dog is in the cold and begins excessively shaking or shivering, get him back to warm shelter as soon as possible. If you suspect your dog is developing hypothermia, bring him to a vet immediately.
  
  

• Avoid letting your dog eat snow or anything else on the ground. Dangerous objects or chemicals may be hidden in the snow. Also, eating snow this can cause stomach upset and even hypothermia. Always keep fresh room temperature water available at all times.

Since your dog's normal temperature is a few degrees higher than yours? Winter is the perfect time of year to snuggle up – so have fun and stay warm!

Please Don't Give Puppies As Christmas Presents

Are you considering getting a dog for Christmas or thinking about giving someone else a puppy as a present? Do pets make good Christmas gifts?

Puppies just don't make good presents because they need so much attention and care. Puppies require constant attention and supervision when you first bring them home. They must be fed three to four times daily. House-training must start immediately and is a time-consuming process. Puppies usually need to go out every time they eat, drink, play or wake up from a nap, including the sleepiest hours of these cold, winter nights.

During the holiday season people are so busy that they don't have the time it takes to fulfill a new pup's 'round the clock demands. It's unfair to bring a young dog into the chaos of holiday celebrations and ignore their needs.

Christmas is not a good time to introduce a new animal into a household. It is best done later, when things are calmer and there's more time to help the puppy adjust to their new surroundings.

With all the activity during this season, it's possible that the puppy may be frightened or distressed. A new pet may also be upset by the stressful emotions of the humans around them. A stressed pet, particularly an energetic and playful pup who is left unsupervised, is more likely to get into trouble.

The food served during the holidays can irresistibly tempt a constantly-hungry pup to steal and devour these goodies from the table or garbage. Another temptation is to hand feed a new puppy tidbits as a special meal. Having access to spicy, fatty or excessively-sweet Christmas foods is a recipe for having a very sick puppy or worse.

Other Christmas dangers for new pets include their investigations of shiny decorations with wonderfully strange odors. Most puppies explore by mouthing objects that interest them. If a pup chews on decorative lights, extension cords, glass ornaments, tinsel or leaves from seasonal plants, they could become injured, seriously ill or even die. A dead puppy is not a good Christmas present.
Puppies advertised as Christmas presents have most often been bred to bring their owner extra cash for the holidays. Since breeding a healthy litter costs more than can be recovered in sales, these so-called breeders may have cut corners by withholding important veterinary and nutritional care to the pups.

Most puppies that are given as presents seldom remain in their first home. Many of these puppies end up at animal shelters, where parents may bring their children in at the last minute to pick a pet as a Christmas present. They don't need or really want a dog when it gets that close. It's a last minute thing then. Getting a pet should never be a spur of the moment decision.

Prospective owners need time to prepare for the family's new addition. The purchase of a puppy should be part of a well-researched, thorough and forward-looking plan.

A puppy is not something that looks cute and is taken on a whim, then after a short time is returned to the shelter. They are living creatures that deserve a huge commitment. To do that someone must be ready to take on this big responsibility.

After the excitement is over, many kids get tired of taking care of a puppy and the parents won't do it because they're too busy. So, about half of the puppies that are adopted during the holiday season end up being brought to a shelter. Pets aren't like toys. When you get bored with them you can't throw them away and get a different 'toy.' If you do that with a dog, it hurts them.

There are more reasons for never giving an animal as a present. Selecting a pet is a personal choice, not something one individual can do for another. What if the receiver doesn't want the puppy? Do the kids and the new dog get along? This should be determined in advance of permanently acquiring a pet.

If  a person you know wants a dog, they should go to the local shelter and choose the pet themselves so that it is compatible with their lifestyle. They must want it, agree to accept responsibility for it and be willing to provide care for the animal.


The commitment to a new pet must last the lifetime of that animal, not just on Christmas Day. So before deciding to give a puppy as a gift remember:

Pets Are Forever.