How To Keep Your Pets Warm In The Winter Months
It's the very start of Autumn, and it will soon be getting cooler...hopefully.
Winter weather is not too far off then. Here in Pennsylvania, we had a lot of snow last winter and it's predicted that we are going to get a lot this winter, as well.
Many people love the snow, especially children. But, what about our animal friends. Do they?
They have no choice really. Where they live, how we feed them, where they sleep in our homes and most importantly, whether they spend a lot of time outside or not. Snow, depends on where you and your pets live.
1-- Let's start with keeping you pets warm. Dog and cats do get chilly, even though they have fur. As a matter of fact, the smaller the dog, and thinner their coats are, they faster they will begin to get cold.
So, small dogs definitely need to wear a coat when outside. If they go for a walk, small dogs will need booties as well. The ground can get so cold that a dog will stop walking, and hold up his poor little paws! This is to let you know that he needs to get warm,,,and fast!
I had a dog, named Daegan, who was a German Shephard/ Terrier mix. She was a medium sized dog, with think medium length thick fur. She wore a coat when we walked in the cold, and when she showed me one day, that her feet were freezing, I no longer walked her in the frigid cold...just went out to go potty and then back inside. I know she was grateful for this.
If this ever happens to your pup, get him/her onto grass (or pick her up) and then inside as quickly as possible. There is something about the black top of a road or driveway that is much, much colder then the other outside ground surfaces.
Coats, sweaters, and booties, are a real necessity for our pets in the winter months. It's a misconception that dogs don't need coats because they have a fur coat. Imagine you, going out on a freezing cold day, with ONLY a coat on...nothing else. That coat is not going to keep you warm for long...maybe a few minutes, at best. And what about the rest of your body?
Putting booties on your dog can not only keep their paws warm, but can protect them from the road salt that can get into the grooves between their paw pads. Always wipe their feet with organic baby wipes when you bring your pets back inside.
2-- Never keep a pet outside for longer then a few minutes. Okay, I think this is something all pet lovers know. But, many humans have pets who are less than loving "pet people".
The rule "If you see something, say something" always applies when an animal is in distress, but in the winter a situation can go from bad to worse very quickly. So knock on a door, call for help, do something to help that pet left outside. You will save the life of that animal!
Your dogs may love the snow, but he's not thinking about the cold and the effects on his body. That's your job as a pet parent.
3-- Cats need warmth too. Cats especially, need extra love and comfort in the long, cold winter months. It goes without saying, that cats should never, ever live outside. But, if you have a cat that does his business outside, not in an indoor litterbox, then maybe this is the time to begin to train him to be an indoor cat.
Too many horrible things can happen to a cat who is left outdoors. I won't go into detail, you can imagine, I'm sure. But, I will say that a poor cat can easily freeze to death overnight in the depths of winter. That is horrific and totally unnecessary for any animal, and especially so, for one who is loved by a human and has a home.
Be a protector and a compassionate pet parent and think about how your actions will effect your pet.
Like children, they need us to make decisions for them and to make their lives as happy and warm as possible.
Note: Blankets, sheets, towels, coats and toys are always needed at your local shelters and rescues.
Think about the homeless dogs and cats in shelters, the next time you clean out your closets.
They are in real need of warmth and compassion and the touch of a human heart.
And remember,Adopt Don't Shop.
It's the very start of Autumn, and it will soon be getting cooler...hopefully.
Winter weather is not too far off then. Here in Pennsylvania, we had a lot of snow last winter and it's predicted that we are going to get a lot this winter, as well.
Many people love the snow, especially children. But, what about our animal friends. Do they?
They have no choice really. Where they live, how we feed them, where they sleep in our homes and most importantly, whether they spend a lot of time outside or not. Snow, depends on where you and your pets live.
1-- Let's start with keeping you pets warm. Dog and cats do get chilly, even though they have fur. As a matter of fact, the smaller the dog, and thinner their coats are, they faster they will begin to get cold.
So, small dogs definitely need to wear a coat when outside. If they go for a walk, small dogs will need booties as well. The ground can get so cold that a dog will stop walking, and hold up his poor little paws! This is to let you know that he needs to get warm,,,and fast!
I had a dog, named Daegan, who was a German Shephard/ Terrier mix. She was a medium sized dog, with think medium length thick fur. She wore a coat when we walked in the cold, and when she showed me one day, that her feet were freezing, I no longer walked her in the frigid cold...just went out to go potty and then back inside. I know she was grateful for this.
If this ever happens to your pup, get him/her onto grass (or pick her up) and then inside as quickly as possible. There is something about the black top of a road or driveway that is much, much colder then the other outside ground surfaces.
Coats, sweaters, and booties, are a real necessity for our pets in the winter months. It's a misconception that dogs don't need coats because they have a fur coat. Imagine you, going out on a freezing cold day, with ONLY a coat on...nothing else. That coat is not going to keep you warm for long...maybe a few minutes, at best. And what about the rest of your body?
Putting booties on your dog can not only keep their paws warm, but can protect them from the road salt that can get into the grooves between their paw pads. Always wipe their feet with organic baby wipes when you bring your pets back inside.
2-- Never keep a pet outside for longer then a few minutes. Okay, I think this is something all pet lovers know. But, many humans have pets who are less than loving "pet people".
The rule "If you see something, say something" always applies when an animal is in distress, but in the winter a situation can go from bad to worse very quickly. So knock on a door, call for help, do something to help that pet left outside. You will save the life of that animal!
Your dogs may love the snow, but he's not thinking about the cold and the effects on his body. That's your job as a pet parent.
3-- Cats need warmth too. Cats especially, need extra love and comfort in the long, cold winter months. It goes without saying, that cats should never, ever live outside. But, if you have a cat that does his business outside, not in an indoor litterbox, then maybe this is the time to begin to train him to be an indoor cat.
Too many horrible things can happen to a cat who is left outdoors. I won't go into detail, you can imagine, I'm sure. But, I will say that a poor cat can easily freeze to death overnight in the depths of winter. That is horrific and totally unnecessary for any animal, and especially so, for one who is loved by a human and has a home.
Be a protector and a compassionate pet parent and think about how your actions will effect your pet.
Like children, they need us to make decisions for them and to make their lives as happy and warm as possible.
Think about the homeless dogs and cats in shelters, the next time you clean out your closets.
They are in real need of warmth and compassion and the touch of a human heart.
And remember,Adopt Don't Shop.
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