If you want to make your dog more comfortable this winter, you need to change the way that you groom your dog. Winter presents different grooming challenges for your dog, and you can make them more comfortable by responding to these challenges.
1. Pamper Your Dog's Feet
In the winter time, every time your dog goes outside, they have to feel the winter weather conditions with their feet. If it is cold outside, their feet will get cold. If it is wet, their feet will get wet. If it is icy or snowy, both of these substances can get stuck in your dog's feet and cause them discomfort.
You can help your dog battle back against the harsh conditions that winter presents by pampering their feet. When your dog comes inside, wipe down their feet with a towel. If possible, run their feet under warm water once a day to clean everything that sticks to them in the winter time.
Keep your dog's nails short, so they don't break on the brittle ground outside. Trim the hair around their feet so that ice and snow don't clump up around their paws. Doing these things will make your dog's feet more comfortable in the winter time.
2. Pay Attention To Your Dog's Coat
Next, you need to pay more attention to your dog's coat. Brush your dog's coat more often. If possible, spend ten minutes a each day bonding with your dog and brushing their coat. This will help spread the oils that natural occur in your dog's fur throughout their coat, and help keep their coat and skin from getting dry, which is common in the winter time with the lower humidity levels that are prevalent.
Your dog will also a lot during the winter time, which can cause their fur to clump up together. When your dog's fur clumps together, it can be really painful for your dog. Brushing regularly can prevent your dog's fur from experiencing winter clumping. If your dog is experiencing hair loss or a mangy coat, you may want to consider contacting a dog care specialist.
3. Protect Your Dog
When your dog goes outside, be sure to protect them. Put booties on your dog so that their feet don't have to deal with the harsh conditions outside. Remove the booties when your dog comes inside. When you take your dog for a walk or let them play outside for extended periods of time, put a doggie sweater on them. This will help keep your dog's core warm and help ward off hypothermia and frost bite. Just remember to take your dog's sweater off when you get back inside and give your dog a quick brushing. Sweaters can cause your dog's hair to tangle and mat together, which is why its best to brush them after removing the sweater and to only use sweaters for outside use.
