A lot of dogs love to play in the snow. Especially when your dog is an Akita or an Alaskan Malamute. Then there are some tiny dogs that would rather reap the repercussions of wetting the basement floor rather than go into the arctic air to relieve themselves. I had a Boston Terrier famous for this one and I hear Chihuahuas are similar. Ahh, but we love them so we try our best to make the little ones at least tolerate the winter conditions.
Sweaters
Sweaters are a big thing these days for the minis. They are also quite fashionable at the dog park. Make sure a dog sweater is properly fitted to get the full affect. Think of it as an extra layer of skin and fur for your little friend that fits tight enough to keep out drafts, yet loose enough to play freely. It’s probably best to try a few on before you purchase.
Boots
Your dog’s feet are a whole other matter altogether. Even large furry dogs can have trouble with icy conditions. There was one poor fellow named Chuck who had lots of overgrown fur between his paws. Well, as he often liked to do, he escaped from his yard to go exploring on a freezing cold and snowy day. When he returned home a couple hours later, he had a painful problem.
Remember when you wore knitted mittens as a child for the neighborhood snowball fight? Remember how grandma’s lovingly constructed, chevron patterned yarn accumulated lots of little ice balls? Remember how quickly they became heavy and soaked through? And you had to go in the house because your hands were freezing? Now you know how Chuck’s paws were probably feeling.
The icicles loading onto Chuck’s paw hair also caused a few cracks and cuts on his paws. Add rock salt and it’s literally like pouring salt on an open wound. Yowza! Good thing Chuck and pretty much all dogs have a nose to find their way home! The moral of this tale? Trim your dog’s paw hair and also keep him on a leash!
Today dogs can live the good life in wintertime. Not only can they sleep on a cozy dog bed, but they can play outside in cold weather with extra layers and also boots. Yes, you read that correctly, there are waterproof dog boots on the market which will prevent all the issues poor old Chuck had to go through. There are also waterproof and indestructible collars too! No dog I know likes to play in the cold and snow only to come lay inside with a soggy, wet, cracked collar.
We love our pets so let’s care for them with the proper elements to keep them safe and healthy this winter. Buy waterproof dog collars made from BioThane Coated Webbing to keep your dog dry this winter.