As your pet’s favorite season is fast approaching, it’s important to have them prepared for the winter weather conditions, whether going outside for a walk or being indoors for a nap.

Some animals are born ready for the cold weather with their full coat of luscious fur, while others are not so fortunate. Every animal is different when it comes to their needs in care, which is the pet owner’s responsibility to provide that support.

To keep your animal safe and warm during this time, I wanted to provide you with some winter weather tips that your fur babies would appreciate you knowing.

Sometimes it’s necessary to pick up a winter coat at your nearest local pet store for your pooch. If you have a short-haired breed, you have to keep in mind that their thin fur has a difficult time retaining body heat, especially during cold times. So, make sure to provide your pet with a comfortable and warm coat/sweater for their outside and/or inside activities.

A fun winter outdoor activity that most pets look forward to every year is playing in the snow. As they run around the snow and feel cold enough to come back inside, it’s important to have them completely dried off. If not dried off properly, it’s common for moisture to be trapped in certain areas of their body, which can be a common cause of hot spots and/or ear infections.

Also, keeping your furry baby’s paws warm is important too. It’s so easy for ice balls and salt to get stuck on your pet’s legs and paws. It’s recommended that you keep the fur around your pet’s paws shortly trimmed before going in the snow. This will allow for less snow to get stuck on their paws. Plus, it will be easier and quicker for you to dry them off, which can bring them great relief after spending their time outside in the snow.

If the snow stays on for too long on your pet’s paws it can increase the risk of them developing frostbite. To prevent this problem from happening it’s recommended to have some sort of covering for their paws during the cold times, such as dog boots.

Some pets like to wear their winter booties outside, while others refuse to keep them on. If your pet is the type to kick them right off, then there are other ways that you can protect their paws from the cold snow.

One way is by applying a pet-friendly balm product on the surface of their paws. The balm contains moisturizing elements that create a safe barrier between their paws, salt, and snow/ice. After good outside use of the product, it’s important to clean off the balm residue. You can do this by using a washcloth or wet wipe directly on the paws. Don’t forget to dry them off right after!

In general, washing your pet’s paws is crucial after their time being outside, especially when they walk on road salt. We all know that road salt is almost everywhere on the streets and even on the sidewalks, which can be dangerous for your pet to walk on. Your fur baby’s paws are more prone to the risk of chemical burn and/or becoming severely dry from the harsh substances in the salt. This can lead to their paw pads becoming either irritated, cracked, or even bleed.

You must keep in mind that your pet can possibly ingest the toxic chemicals by licking their paws after they walk on the salted streets, which they can become severely ill from. To prevent all of this from happening it is vital that you wash your pet’s paws as soon as you get home. You can even moisturize their paws right after if you really want your pooch to be comfortable. Yes, it can be a process, but your pet will greatly appreciate you taking care of their paws during these upcoming cold times.

I hope that you and your pet will benefit from these winter care tips. These are some of my personal tips that I learned and used with my own pet. If you think other pet owners can benefit from these helpful tips, then make sure to share this article with them.