Wondering about the best winter safety tips for pets? We’ve got you covered! Keep reading for everything you need to know to keep your furry friends safe when the temperatures drop this winter season.
Top Tips For Winter Pet Safety
You love your pets and want to keep them safe — no matter what the weather is doing outside! However, during colder months, it’s essential to take extra precautions so they are happy and healthy. The following list outlines some of the best winter pet safety suggestions so you can be prepared every step of the way.
1. Be Cautious Of Grooming Habits
If you have an extra fluffy friend, you may keep them groomed a certain way for the summer (i.e., shaved down to the skin). But when winter rolls around, shaving their long coat can hurt them.
When you remove their naturally thicker coat during cold temps, you take away their way to regulate their body temperature. This can lead to dry skin and cause them to be colder when they go outside.
2. Protect Their Feet
Snow is beautiful, but it’s also cold! If your pets are going in and out of the house to use the bathroom or to take walks, consider training them to wear booties, so the pads of their feet don’t touch the cold sidewalks or the ice and snow.
In addition, chemicals like ice melt can cause intense irritation and be dangerous if ingested.
Having them wear booties and immediately wiping their feet down when they go back inside helps eliminate irritation and keeps them from ingesting toxic chemicals.
3. Keep The Temperature In Mind
As a rule of thumb, if it’s too cold for you to be outside, it’s likely too cold for your pets.
Whenever possible, please bring your pets into a heated area during cold snaps so you can keep their bodies at a comfortable temperature.
If you absolutely must leave your pets outside, you’ll want to provide them with a warm enclosure (e.g., a dog house or insulated cooler).
Be cautious of using a towel to keep them warm since these can freeze instead of doing what you want them to do. We recommend using straws or self-heating pads to keep them comfy. Also, keep an eye on food and water to ensure they don’t freeze as well.
4. Beware Of Chemicals
We’ve already discussed the potential harm of ice melt, but other toxic chemicals are also prevalent during the winter. For example, antifreeze can be deadly to pets, and the rock salt used on sidewalks and roads can be dangerous when ingested — especially by dogs.
Always keep your chemicals locked away and check your vehicles for any leaks. The last thing you want is something to get swallowed and end up accidentally in an emergency.
5. Keep Winter Pet Safety In Mind
By utilizing these winter pet safety tips, you can keep your furry friends safe while allowing them to exercise and do things they enjoy. Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you have to stop living — it just means you have to be prepared.
It may take some extra planning, but having the tools you need before cold weather strikes are one of the best ways to ensure everything’s at your fingertips in a pinch. It also gives you time to practice with booties, so it’s much less stressful for you and your pet when you need them.
No matter what type of cold snaps you get where you live, you’ll be more prepared to take on winter when safety is front of mind!
