(photo courtesy of EVA)
Many of you here at Redwood Creek have shared that your cold weather adventures often involve your dogs or other four-legged companions. We wanted to share with you some of our favorite tips from the ASPCA to protect your pets in the cold weather.
1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed.
2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.
3. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm—dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.
4. Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.
5. Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck
6. Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him—and his fur—in tip-top shape.
Is there a good tip that you have found that’s not here? Let us know in the comments below!
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The handsome canine in the picture is Travis Sanchez, a 12 year old golden retriever that roams the mountains of West Virginia. He loves to scratch on the door to get out in the cold, nineteen degree weather to roll around in the snow. He misses his mom in Puerto Rico.