With the winter fast approaching, do you know how you should be caring for your dog during this bleak time?
In this article, we're going to give you our top 10 winter care tips for your furry friend during the long winter months.
1. Don't Leave Your Dog In The Car
We discuss this subject a lot during the summer, but why shouldn't you leave your dog in the car during winter?
Temperatures drop rapidly during the winter so ensure you take your dog with you, rather than leave them unattended for any length of time. Better still, leave them in the comfort of their own home whilst you're running errands.
2. Keep Them Warm And Cosy
Well this goes without saying! But make sure they have a clean warm bed to return to after their walk.
Also, check the bed is not placed in a draughty area, and change their bedding regularly.
If it's particularly cold in your home, turning up the heating will also help.
3. Keep Your Dog Active
Your dog may not be as willing to go out into the cold. If this is the case, don't force them to go out.
Instead, provide them with plenty of toys and activities to keep them occupied.
4. Towel Dry Your Dog
When coming in from a walk in the cold, towel dry your dog as soon as they come inside.
It's important to pay special attention to their paws to wipe off any salt, ice or chemicals.
5. Pay Special Attention To Paws
Talking of paws, putting them in booties is a good idea to help avoid contact with chemicals such as anti-freeze, and ice melting agents.
If you don't want to put your furry friends in booties, you can help protect their paws by massaging petroleum jelly into them before their walk, and give them a good towel-dry and moisturise on their return inside. Also check for ice, salt and grit in between their toes which can become painful if left.
During the winter months, dogs can also suffer from cracked paws, so again, booties or using petroleum jelly, and then a good moisturise when they return inside is key to help keep this at bay.
6. Groom Your Dog Regularly
For your dog to be properly insulated, they need a well-groomed coat, so make sure you groom them regularly.
Not only is dog grooming used to keep them clean and keep their coat in good condition, but it will keep them cosy too!
7. Ensure Your Dog Is Hydrated
A lot of times, dogs eat snow, however, this should not be a replacement for water.
Not only should your dog be well hydrated through the summer months, but it's as equally important during the winter months too to avoid dehydration.
Also keep in mind, if your dog has a bowl outside, check it is not frozen and replace it regularly.
8. Keep Away From Frozen Water
It's imperative you keep your dog away from frozen water, such as lakes and rivers.
If you're unsure of whether the surface of the water is frozen, don't take any risks, make sure your dog is kept on a lead at all times.
9. Put A Coat Or Sweater On Your Dog
By wearing a coat or sweater, your dog will retain their body heat better.
This will also help prevent skin from getting too dry.
10. Keep Your Dog Healthy
During the winter months, it's imperative you keep your dog healthy, if they are not as active during this time, consider adjusting their food to avoid weight gain.
You may want to consider giving your dog supplements. Althоugh mоѕt hіgh ԛuаlіtу ѕtоrе bоught dоg fооd аrе nutrіtіоnаllу bаlаnсеd аnd соntаіn аll еѕѕеntіаl nutrіеntѕ nесеѕѕаrу fоr оur реtѕ, ѕоmеtіmеѕ wе ѕhоuld соnѕіdеr ѕuррlеmеntіng their dіеt wіth ѕоmе аddіtіоnаl vіtаmіnѕ аnd minerals.
Fish oils for example can benefit your dog during the cold months and helps avoid potential irritations to their skin and paws during this time.
Finest For Pets Supplements
After many years as a pharmacist, I decided to dedicate my knowledge to helping pets. I named my company Finest For Pets because I use my insider knowledge to source the best ingredients for our supplements – we have one quality – the Finest! You get 30 years of pharmacy expertise in every bottle.
Our goal at Finest For Pets is to naturally treat the underlying cause of joint pain with healthy supplements, rather than hide the symptoms with long-term pain medication. We’ve helped thousands of pets to live healthier and happier lives – imagine how good that feels!
Check out my professional advice and recommendations in the following article ‘How Healthy is Your Dog’s Diet?'.
So how can we help with your rescue pet? Well our range of supplements can help with the most common issues as we’ve discussed herein, let’s have a look at them here.
Glucosamine Supplements
Veterinarians strongly recommend these supplements because they naturally heal the underlying cause of arthritis and joint pain. They are very popular with pet owners because of their overwhelming success in improving their pet's health and happiness.
Glucosamine is the essential building block for healthy cartilage. Glucosamine supplements enable dogs struggling with joint pain, to naturally make more cartilage. This rebuilds and repairs the cartilage cushion between the bones in a joint. The bones stop grinding painfully together, producing wonderful improvements in mobility and happiness.
The best glucosamine supplements have additional ingredients like Chondroitin Sulfate, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and Hyaluronic Acid. These multiply the benefits of glucosamine.
Rejenease
Fix your dog's joints with Rejenease! Rejenease is our highest rated supplement because of it's overwhelming success in naturally healing the cause of joint pain.
So what are the health benefits of using Rejenease?
- Restores energy, mobility and joy
- Reduces swelling and tenderness
- Repairs stiff, worn joints
- Powerful natural pain relief
- Protects younger dogs & AT risk breeds
More information about Rejenease can be found from the following link:
https://finest-for-pets.myshopify.com/collections/joint-support/products/rejenease?variant=6125174587424
Probiotics
There are mаnу bеnеfitѕ tо uѕing рrоbiоtiсѕ fоr dоgѕ, juѕt as they dо fоr humаnѕ, рrоbiоtiсѕ hеlр dоgѕ рrеvеnt and rеliеvе iѕѕuеѕ with digestion.
Many mау dесidе tо start thеir реtѕ on рrоbiоtiсѕ when thеir dogs are ѕtill рuррiеѕ to tаkе advantage оf thе bеnеfitѕ of рrоbiоtiсѕ. A puppy аlrеаdу hаѕ a сlеаn and sterile digеѕtivе tract, ѕо thе tract can actually bе fоrtifiеd during thiѕ timе.
TummyWorks
Tummyworks is the best probiotics powder for allergy relief, hot spot treatment, diarrhea, yeast infection, itching and a breath freshener, plus added digestive enzymes improve digestion.
TummyWorks will make your dog healthier within days, it gives them all the good bacteria they need and quickly restores their gut health, and alleviates the following problems:
- Gas problems
- Diarrhea
- Digestion problems
- Allergies
- Yeast infections
- Skin problems especially itching
TummyWorks also works wonders in cats too!
More information about TummyWorks can be found from the following link:
https://finest-for-pets.myshopify.com/collections/probiotics/products/tummyworks?variant=5157971656736
Also check out the new addition to our TummyWorks range, TummyWorks chews!
https://finest-for-pets.myshopify.com/collections/probiotics/products/tummyworks-chews?variant=6146144895008
Fish Oils
Fiѕh oil саn hеlр with your dogs аrthritiѕ раin аnd аllеrgiеѕ.
A 2008 Bауlоr Univеrѕitу and Hаrvаrd Medical Sсhооl ѕtudу showed fiѕh оil rеduсеѕ bоdу inflammation inside and оut. Thiѕ makes уоur dog healthier bесаuѕе lеѕѕ inflаmmаtiоn mеаnѕ a ѕtrоngеr immunе ѕуѕtеm.
For further benefits of using fish oils, check out the following link:
Arthritis and Joint Pain Treatment For Dogs: The Benefits of Using Fish Oil
Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil
Treat your pet to all of the benefits of omega fatty acids. Finest For Pets offers the best fish oil, made from the finest wild caught Alaskan Salmon and produced to the highest possible quality standards.
Please find more information about our wild Alaskan salmon oil from the following link:
Finest For Pets Alaskan Salmon Oil
Omegease
Treat your pet to all of the benefits of omega 3, 6 & 9 fatty acids. Give them the best fish oil, made from the finest wild caught non-predatory fish and produced to the highest possible quality standards.
Please find more information about our wild Alaskan salmon oil from the following link:
Remember, if it's too cold for you to go outside, it's probably too cold for your furry friend too, so don't force them to go out.
Instead keep them warm and cosy, and make sure they're occupied with lots of toys and activities.