With the arrival of the cold, when we have to get dressed to go outside, many times we wrap ourselves up too much and other times not so much. We spend cold days, others dead from heat because we wrap ourselves up too much and so the days go by until we adapt to the new climate.
The same thing happens with animals, we believe that when they go out for a walk they will be cold and we put a coat or cape on them to avoid it or many times, in the case of cats that do not leave their home, there are prisoners that puts blankets on their bed to sleep or electric blankets, believing that our animals cannot thermoregulate themselves.
In this article on our site we want to try to clarify whether Is it good to keep dogs warm in winter? What are the advantages and disadvantages with each decision.
Not all dogs have the same needs
When talking about dog care, we must take into account many different circumstances A dog that lives in the city is not the same, than someone who lives in the countryside, who lives with a 90-year-old man or with a family with small children. They are all different situations and each of them will require a different approach.
We also have that dogs are definitely different: in their anatomy, behavior, long, short or shaved hair by their owners, old or young, etc. We have millions of combinations with millions of circumstances which will give us a result of millions of variables. For this reason, we will not answer yes or no to the question of the title, but rather, we will help you find the best option for each pet
Winter care
In animals that live where there is snow, the situation can be different. We have to use common sense, the most difficult according to a professor at my university, since sudden changes in temperature can lead to he alth problems. For colder areas or more rugged climates we have some tips that can be useful to determine if it is good to keep dogs warm in winter or not:
- When going for a walk, the dog should not go from the mattress where he sleeps warm to the cold one because this is too much a change sudden temperature. For that reason we should try to play with him a little before going out or go with him to an area without so much heating.
- Small dogs are more sensitive to cold so it's fine to get them used to a coat, but only to go outside, not in the House. The breeds most likely to get cold are usually the chihuahua, the prague mouse or the M altese bichon, among others.
- Be careful with the paws or pads as they are very sensitive. Animals used to being inside the apartment or the house are especially susceptible to suffering if we decide to take them running through the snow. It can cause plantar lacerations that we will avoid by putting on a specific protector for dogs.
- Outings in the rain can be very harmful to their he alth if we don't dry them thoroughly when we return, as we can cause injuries ranging from the skin to more serious pathologies due to colds. A raincoat is essential.
- Avoid eating snow or frosty grass or frozen as it can cause serious digestive disturbances.
Remember that sudden changes in temperature can cause a cold in the dog, so it is convenient to consider on certain occasions, especially if it is very cold, to keep our dog warm or protect him from the cold.
Feeding
We considered that the topic of food should have a section for itself since it is not a topic just to name and ignore. We all know that in winter we crave more caloric, hot and not always light foods, so taking care of our weight in these times is somewhat complicated.
In dogs it is no different. We must consider that the caloric expenditure is greater in order to obtain its energy and this must be reflected in the food ration. We will always consult the veterinarian when making changes to avoid being overweight or losing weight or other more serious pathologies such as diabetes, diarrhea, vomiting, among others.
In the animals that live outside this is a very important topic unlike the one who lives in a house with heating. We repeat again to have common sense and consider that if we are cold, surely they will have some cold too. Also remember that the dog is a social animal that suffers terribly when it is outside. It is not advisable to leave the dog outside the house, especially if it is cold and apart from extra feeding.
