Winter can be harsh on your skin, and it can be harsh on your dog's skin as well. Here are three things that you can do to help take care of your dog and keep their coat and skin in great shape during the winter time.
#1 Refrain From Shaving Your Dog
The first thing that you need to do is refrain from shaving your dog during the winter time or cutting their coat really short. Your dog grows a long coat for the winter time for a reason. That nice, thick coat helps your dog stay warm when they are outside. It helps protect your dog from serious winter health conditions such as hypothermia.
If your dog has really long hair, you can trim their hair a bit during the winter time so that ice and salt doesn't cling to the hair on the underbelly too much; however, make sure that you leave enough hair to keep your dog warm.
If your dog doesn't have a very thick coat of fur, you may want to invest in a doggy sweater for your dog to wear when they go outside.
#2 Cut Back On The Baths
During the winter time you should cut back on how frequently you bathe your dog. Bathing your dog too frequently during the winter time will strip away essential oils that your dog needs in order to prevent their hair and skin from getting too dry and flaky. Wash your dog about half as frequently as you do during the summertime.
When you do bathe your dog, make sure that you use a shampoo that has extra moisturizing properties. You may also want to invest in a moisturizer to apply to your dog's skin when you are done washing them to help keep their skin moist.
Also, be sure to completely dry your dog off with a towel and allow them enough time inside of your house to air dry completely before you let your dog outside again.
#3 Keep Your Dog's Feet Clean
Finally, during the winter, you need to pay a little extra attention to your dog's feet. Every time your dog comes in from the outside, use a damp towel to wash off your dog's feet, then dry them off with a clean, dry towel. This will help remove any salt, ice, and dirt that may have gotten into your dog's paws that could cause your dog pain.
For more advice, contact a vet at a location like the Marquette Animal Hospital.
