Walking Your Dog In The Snow

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Many owners neglect walking their dogs during the brutally cold winter months, but there are a few loyal owners who are willing to trudge out in the snow to ensure that both they and their dogs get their exercise in. If you’re an owner who still walks your dog in the winter, it’s important that you do it safely.

Considerations

Buying your dog a doggie sweater or a doggie coat is a great idea. Doggie sweaters and coats come in a variety of sizes, colors, fabrics, and styles. Take a trip down to your local pet store and find a properly fitting doggie sweater or coat that you like. Most dogs can go without a sweater or coat if they don’t enjoy wearing one, but you should try extra hard to find one if your dog’s fur is thinning or is bare in patches.

Keep your first winter walk of each year short to see how your dog reacts. You don’t want to be too far from home if your dog starts begging to go back. If you usually walk your dog without a leash, make sure your dog stays on a leash because of the harsh conditions. Try not to let your dog lick the ground; antifreeze and rock salt can harm your dog if he or she ingests too much. As soon as you arrive home, wipe all of the snow and water off your dog’s paws.

You’ll probably notice that your dog walks slower or with more caution in the snow; be patient and slow your pace down to match your dog’s pace. Keep in mind that your dog may not enjoy being walked in the snow at all and might beg to go back home. If it’s too much of a hassle to walk your dog in the heavy snow and cold, exercise your dog inside. You can walk/run around your home with your dog, play with your dog’s toys with your dog, and so on. All that matters is that your dog gets some exercise and stays healthy.