Keep walking your dog in winter
In winter, it's cold, it's raining, it's windy and it's snowing these unfavorable weather conditions can make walking your dog much less pleasant for you. However, it is important not to deprive your dog of this moment in winter in order to preserve your comfort. The walk is indeed an essential moment for the well-being and balance of your dog. In dogs, activity is an incompressible biological need in the same way as eating, drinking and sleeping! Depriving him of it would make him unhappy and could be the cause of the occurrence of various behavioral problems.So offer your dog a daily walk (in addition to his hygienic outings) of at least 30 minutes and during which he will have the opportunity to run, sniff smells and meet other dogs.
Be (always) careful of parasites
In winter, most dog handlers tend to slack off on preventing parasites like ticks and fleas. While it is true that these parasites are rarer in the cold season, they can experience a resurgence of activity at the slightest thaw. So continue to treat your animals against parasites and inspect their coat after a walk in a risk area, even in winter.
Make your dog more visible
In winter, night falls earlier and if you walk your dog after dark, consider equipping your dog with a fluorescent collar or a flashing light that you can attach directly to his collar.You can also choose clothes for him equipped with fluorescent headbands. By equipping your dog in this way, you will make it much more visible for you but also for possible vehicles and bicycles, will prevent accidents and avoid surprising other walkers. This equipment will be all the more necessary if you are used to walking your dog without a leash.
Protect him from the cold
Also keep in mind that your dog may be sensitive to low temperatures. To protect him from this, you can opt for a slightly longer cut during his winter grooming and equip him with a coat or sweater for his walks. There is a wide range of clothing in store and online pet store. Be especially careful with very small dogs, very young or very old dogs, thin dogs, short-haired dogs and sick dogs.
If your dog seems very sensitive to the cold and/or the temperatures are polar, do not hesitate to reduce the time spent outside and offer him several short walks during the day rather than a long one.
To help him warm up during walks, you can also walk at a faster pace than usual or encourage your dog to run. Muscle activity is indeed the best way to warm up your body.
Finally, when you get home, don't forget to carefully dry your dog's paws, belly and back if the weather is humid.
Protect his pads
In winter, frost and the use of road s alt on the streets can damage the integrity of your dog's pads. Don't forget to protect them by rinsing and then drying your dog's paws carefully each time you return from a walk. You can also strengthen the horn of its pads by applying a tanning solution to it. For the snow, you can also equip your dog with small boots that will prevent him from chapping.