Winter Problems

By Mary Jane Anderson

Did you ever realize that a dog’s winter problems are humanmade? Dogs were originally meant to live outdoors. Nature provided them with a thick coat of hair to protect them from winter’s icy winds and subzero temperatures. Man, taking his dog into the house to provide him warmth and comfort, thought he was helping his companion, but was he?

The outside dog has two coats of hair. The first coat has many tiny, wooly hairs, which make up his undercoat, and the second coat has thicker, longer outer hairs called guard hair; together they help insulate the dog from extreme temperature. In fact, a kennel dog would be very uncomfortable if he was brought into a heated house.

Unfortunately, a dog’s body reacts negatively to indoor living. For the indoor dog, the heat has been turned on in the house, and the dog begins to shed along with dry itchy skin, which continues through the winter months.

To relieve your dog’s itchy problem, you must frequently groom your dog. Daily brushing will increase the blood circulation to the skin for a healthy coat rather than a dull, dry coat with flaky dandruff. Another way to help your dog stop scratching is to add corn oil to your dog’s food each day. The amount of oil depends on the size of the dog since if too much is given at one feeding, the dog can get loose bowels. So begin with a small amount at a time until you find the correct amount for your dog.

Indoor dogs should not be left outdoors for a long period of time; in fact, dogs, particularly small, short-haired breeds, suffer from cold despite their fur coats. Your dog should enjoy a warm sweater, fitted snugly around his body and especially his vulnerable belly, while he is outside for exercise.

Your dog’s sleeping quarters should be kept away from drafts. Keep your dog away from close contact with the heaters in the house. Too much heat will increase the dryness of his coat and he will feel the cold more when he goes outdoors.

Dog’s feet need special attention during the winter months. Your dog’s paws and feet pads pick up salt and chemicals mixed with sand on the road sand walks. This could harm him if he licks his feet when he comes inside. Take time to wipe and wash his feet when he comes into the house. Clipping the hair around the pads prevents accumulation between the dog’s toes and pads. Believe it or not, you can buy rubber boots for your four-legged friend. They are made of molded rubber and reinforced with nylon; they provide your dog with the ultimate protection. There are also spiked boots for dogs.

Beware of the danger of letting your dog outdoors without a leash in the ice and snow. Dogs can lose their scent and easily become disoriented, get hurt by falling, or even die under the wheels of a skidding car.

During this time of the year, you will hear on the television of a rescue of an animal, usually a dog that walked on ice and fell in and was not able to get out of the water. This is a fairly common problem during the winter.

Antifreeze might be good for stopping water from freezing, but it is deadly for animals. It is colorless, odorless, and sweet tasting and dogs and cats like to drink it. One time two guard dogs were assigned to protect a large empty building. They were brought there for the night. The next morning the owner of the dogs went to the building and found his dogs dead. It turned out the owner of the building had put antifreeze into the toilets so that the water would not freeze. The dogs drank the antifreeze and died. Even a very small amount of antifreeze can be fatal to a dog or cat. Make sure that antifreeze is not dripping from your car in the garage and any antifreeze containers are put in safe storage.

Winter can be a good time for dogs — no fleas, ticks, grass allergies, or heat stroke. But, be mindful of winter problems to keep him safe and comfortable during the old weather.