Dog Care Tip - Snow

Hello all,With winter coming on strong already (at least in Pennsylvania), it's a good idea to be ready for exercising your dog in the snow. Some dogs are perfectly fine and prepared for ice, snow, and cold winds - but others even if they may like snow, aren't really properly equipped. Dogs with long fur, or double coats like Shepherds, should be content outside without outer protection. For these dogs I recommend trimming the hair between the toes, otherwise ice will build up and the dog will lose traction. Also, keep the nails trimmed short. It's easy for a dog to catch a nail and rip it in the hard crust of snow, if they are kept worn down or trimmed down it is less likely for this to happen.

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For the paw pads themselves I recommend a salve or lotion for hunting dogs to smooth rough pads. I use "Protecta Pad" it helps keep rough surfaces like dog elbows and paw pads pliable and comfortable for the dog. This is a great product, I put it on Ember and Sheba after any outdoor adventures. This has worked especially well for Ember, who has extremely delicate paw pads. She used to tear them up regularly, but now if I use the Protecta Pad, her pads don't crack or tear near as often during play or hiking.

Dogs with short coats and little body fat, like pit bulls, should have dog jackets/blankets. I'm not talking about frou-frou sweaters, I mean actual insulated dog jackets. I prefer jackets that fit like a horse blanket, a closure around the front, and under the rib-cage or belly area. The other style (more like a human jacket with sleeves) seems to restrict dogs, and is harder to find the correct fit - a blanket is much more forgiving with fit. An example here: http://www.horses4minithings.com/store-products-267-High-Spirit-Waterproof-Insulated-Dog-Blanket_40790969.html

Ember's jacket here has a strap across the front, and under the belly, held shut with velcro. This jacket lasted about half a year until she tore the velcro off. A good jacket, but not sturdy enough for a dog like her (heavy chewer).

If your dog is a heavy chewer or squirms with the jacket, I recommend a style that has something other than velcro as closures. I recently purchased one with buckles that even my Ember doesn't get off, where as her velcro blanket doesn't last long on her now that she's figured out how to get it off.

Remember when playing outdoors in snow, dogs can get frostbite! Just be cautious, and watch your dog, they may not realize it's time to go in when they're having so much fun.