Ronan unrecognizable

Well, we’ve now had the first official snowfall with a little accumulation.  The dogs (well, most of them, anyway) are just delighted.  They love to frolic, chase snowballs and enjoy the brisk temperatures.  Here are  few things to keep in mind to ensure the safety of your dogs:

• Give your dog frequent breaks to dry off and warm up LONG BEFORE they appear to be chilled.
  

  Snow Dog!

• Be careful exercising your dogs in this chilly weather, especially older dogs whose lungs may have more difficulty with the shock of the cold air.  Even if your dog likes the crisp air, YOU need to determine when they’ve had enough.
• Constantly check in between the pads on the bottom of your dog’s feet.  Snowballs can form (ouch!) leading to pain and difficulty walking, even sometimes to the point of laying down.
• If your dog is prone to lots of hair on the bottom of his feet it may be wise to have someone trim or shave it out.  Not only does this help prevent the snowballs (mentioned above), but also helps them to maintain traction on slippery surfaces.
• Check all areas of the feet for cuts from the ice.
• Don’t let your dogs ingest too much snow!  This can lead to a trip to the vet’s office for a variety of reasons.
• Wash off your dog’s feet after walking on sidewalks or on the street.  Various melting chemicals can be dangerous to your dogs.  Often the chemicals irritate the feet which can cause them to lick and INGEST the toxins.  Simply washing them in a clean bucket of water with a quick dry off should do the trick!

Hope this helps!  We wish you both a wonderful and SAFE rest-of-the winter!

Stacie & Ronan