Excess Food, cold temperatures outside, and central heating inside call all lead to problems with our health, and it’s no different for our canine friends either. That is why you need to know how to keep your pooch as a healthy as possible during the colder months. Luckily, below you will find some Winter wonder tips to help you do just that, so read on to find out more.

No outside living

Keeping your dogs outside can be something of a controversial topic as dogster.com states, but in the winter it can be a real issue of contention. After all, dogs will feel the cold, even if they have thick coats and keeping them outside where the temperature can drop below zero really is not on.

That means it’s vital that you bring your pooches inside for the winter season. To do this, it can be useful to create a bedding area for them in a section of the house that is a little quieter. A place like the utility room can work well, as then they will be at relaxed and home even if they aren’t used to being around people all the time.

Image here

You will also need to provide some warm and conformable winter bedding to keep them at the right temperature, as well as freshwater too. If you don’t want them roaming the rest of the house all the time you can use a baby gate in the doorway so they can still see what everyone is doing and yet be limited to their special space.

Use vitamins and supplements to keep them healthy

Next, it’s a good idea to up your dog’s vitamins and supplements to keep them healthy during the colder weather, just like you do with the rest of the family. Luckily, you can go to sites like topdogvitamins.com now and get the lowdown on which types of supplements are best for you dog. There you can find advice about what more senior dogs need, as well as some info on the advantage of probiotics and fish oil supplements. The latter being something that can really help with itchy skin that is often the result of going from the warm indoors to the cold outdoors and back again, during the winter months.

Avoid Christmas tidbits

Anyone that has seen their dogs long, sad face when their owner is eating a delicious Christmas treat will know how hard it is to resists giving them just a bite. However, it can actually be in their interest to not give them a tidbit, even if they are desperately begging for it.

Even if they make this face, don’t feed them Christmas human treats. Picture source

This is because many items of human food are delicious to dogs but can cause them serious health problems. Unfortunately, these types of food seem to be around in abundance over the Christmas period, making it harder to keep them away from Fido.

To help you stand firm in this, it can help to know what awful reaction common Holiday foods can cause in your pet. Chocolate, for example, is toxic to dogs and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. While cheese, another Christmas favorite is known to contain high levels of lactose, something that many canines cannot stomach. Nuts also popular during the holidays can also be dangerous, with some dogs having allergies similar to humans, so are best avoided. Find out more about this at mom.me. Although there are some items such as cooked and deboned turkey with a little gravy that they can eat in small amounts.

It can also be helpful to remember to get your pup some specially made dog treats for the Christmas period. Then when they are after what you are snacking on you can give them one of those instead of caving in and feeding them something you know they shouldn’t have.

Extra precautions when walking

Taking extra precautions while walking your dog in the winter. Picture source

Even though it’s cold outside Fido still needs to be walked twice a day, and that means taking some extra precautions when you do take them outside. In particular, be careful about the weather when you take them out. Try and walk them when it’s sunny so the ice and frost is melted from the paths and it doesn’t hurt their pads. Although dog shoes can also help create a protective barrier for this issue.

Also, watch out for deep snow, although your dog will probably love it, it can be dangerous as it covers things over and you have no idea what hazards lay underneath. Be very careful of exposing your dog to long walks in very low temperatures as well, as they are just as susceptible to frostbite as us humans are. That means keep outings short and sweet if the thermometer reads low and educate yourself in the subtle sign of frostbite, just in case the worse does happen.

Increase meals

Something that can help your pup cope with the colder temperature in the winter is as petmd.com suggests to increase their food allowance. This is because dogs gain their energy to move about and stay warm from their food, and by giving them more you make it easier for them to keep their body at a constant temperature, no matter what the weather outside.

Picture link

Of course, it is a delicate balance between increasing what they have on a normal day and overfeeding. That means it is a good idea to check the packets of dog food for advice on portions or even ask your vet if you have a dog with a medical issue that could be affected by increasing their meals.

It’s also a good idea to offer your dog more meals through the day rather than just making their two normal feeding times bigger. This is because it can help them to digest their food better and ensure their energy levels stay constantly topped up. Something that will make it easier for them to keep warm no matter what time of day it is.

Doggy clothes

Lastly, whatever your feelings on doggy fashions, providing a jumper or jacket for your pooch, as barkpost.com suggests can make a massive difference in keeping them warm. Something especially relevant if they are a short-haired breed.

There are even dog goggles on the market now that you can buy too, that act as sunglasses. Something that can be very useful if you are taking them out in the snow to prevent the glare getting in their eyes.