Winter Weather

This week, much of the UK is experiencing a cold snap with both ice & snow forecasted in some parts of the country. While the snow is a rare pleasure for many of our four-legged friends - we, as owners need to make sure to take extra special care to avoid any unnecessary illness or injury to our precious pups.

Top tips for cold weather

• Make sure your dog is dressed for the occassion. If you have a smaller dog, you may want to make sure they are wrapped up and avoid them spending too much time out in the cold (even if they are having a wonderful time!)
• Keep your dog on a lead if it is snowing heavily, as the snow can be disorientating for some dogs and they could become easily lost
• Make sure your dog is wearing a collar/harness & ID tag so that they can be quickly identified and returned to you should they become separated from you
• It goes without saying that you should never leave your dog unattended in any vehicle during extreme weather - including when it's very cold
• Don't let your dog walk on any frozen ponds, rivers or lakes. The ice may not be thick enough to hold their weight, and, well, it's just not worth the risk!
• Thoroughly check and clean your dogs feet and tummy area after winter walks, to avoid them ingesting any nasty chemicals from grit as this can make them very poorly and irritate their skin, as well as being rather uncomfortable if stuck between their toes
• Check your dog’s paws and dry them thoroughly after they've been outside. This is especially important with long-haired dogs as they are prone to snow compacting between their toes and turning into ice balls which can prove very painful. You can consider, carefully trimming the long hair between your dog’s toes to help prevent this happening
• Make sure to dry your dog well, and that they have a warm cosy area to relax in after their walk
• Anti-freeze is highly poisonous, but tasty for dogs - so make sure to clean up any accidental spillages