Before heading out into that winter wonderland you call home, always make sure you have a heavy coat, gloves, hat, scarf, and warm shoes. This may seem obvious to you, but…what about your dog?
Just because your dog has fur doesn’t mean that it can weather the cold. If you’re cold, it’s most likely that your dog is too. Exposure to the winter’s dry, cold air, chilly rain, sleet, and snow can cause chapped paws and itchy skin. You can prevent the cold weather from affecting your dog’s health by following this advice:
- Keep your home humidified and towel dry your dog when you bring it indoors
- Never shave your dog down to its skin in the winter
- Bring a towel on long walks to clean off stinging, irritated paws
- Bathe your dog as little as possible during the winter
- Massage petroleum jelly or other paw protectants into the paw pads of your dog before going outside. This can help protect your dog’s paws from salt and other chemical agents used to melt snow.
