THE COLD: HOW TO SPEND FALL AND WINTER WITH YOUR DOG ?
Is my dog cold?
Some dogs are cold, which ones and under what conditions?
The cold comes and like us, not all dogs are equal in the face of it. It is therefore necessary to know the needs of the dog but also and above all the needs of YOUR dog!
Generally speaking, and as you will certainly have noticed, dogs tolerate the cold better than humans.
However, beware of "general" ideas, there are significant differences according to the size, age, health, weight, living conditions and hair of different breeds of dogs.
The dogs that suffer the most from changes and drops in temperature are therefore :
- young dogs
- old dogs
- small dogs
- sick or weakened dogs
- those with short or bare hair
- when they are very thin and fine
- dogs that are not used to the cold weather
- finally, dogs living in a very heated house (big temperature difference with the outside)
Beware, if you have a big and strong teddy bear with lots of hair it doesn't mean that it won't suffer from the cold. Think that in extreme conditions they are like us in a ski suit, it will be fine for a while but not for too long.
Be careful with your dog, some will shiver with cold while others will never. It's up to you to know how to recognize the signs. Often, the dog that is bothered by too much cold does not move fast or stops frequently. Some seem stressed and sniff around when they don't usually do so.
What are the risks of cold weather for my dog?
Keep in mind that the hardest thing for dogs to tolerate is not so much the cold as the changes in temperature, especially if it's humid. Thus, cold when mishandled by humans tends to weaken a dog's health. Dogs that are already fragile become a little more so. What can happen?
- Health problems such as osteoarthritis will come out (as they do for us).
- Respiratory problems may be accentuated
- just like the hot flash, the cold flash exists. The dog becomes hypothermic. The dog's body temperature has dropped too low and this can be very serious.
- Dogs can get sick in winter when they eat too much snow (vomiting, diarrhea...).
- Be careful with antifreeze, which can be ingested by the dog and is very toxic.
- Salt on the ground during frost attacks the pads.
- during very cold weather, some parts of the dog's body start to freeze, fade or become greyish and hard (ears, paw pads and tail).
How do I protect my dog from the cold?
Fur, the gift that dogs have to preserve
First of all, don't cut your dog's hair (too much). At this time, style is less important than health!
The dog's fur keeps him warm in the winter, while in the summer it insulates him from the heat.
If you have to wash your dog's coat, use a dry shampoo. In general, avoid getting your dog wet in cold weather.
Changing your dog's activities
When it's cold, it's better to shorten the duration of the walks (but they are still essential to his well-being!!!) and on the other hand, spend a little more time playing with your dog once at home to compensate.
Playing doesn't mean excitement. I recommend 3 types of games.
The chewing games that allow to secrete the hormone of well-being and destress the dog : calf's hooves, buffalo horn or deer antlers
The intelligence games to be adapted according to the level of your dog. They will allow him to develop his cognitive abilities and his independence.
Olfactory games that tire the dog mentally and channel his energy by appealing to his main sense of smell:
- hiding in and out of the woods / on walks,
- hide toys,
- hide kibbles,
- give a meal in a digging mat
- throwing kibble in the garden