For Professional Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters throughout Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha Counties, the winter season is no joke! Keeping the pets we care for warm inside and outside is a responsibility.
Here are the 6 best tips when facing the cold weather with your precious ones at home:
· Does your dog or cat like to spend time outdoors? During the colder and freezing months of winter, keeping your pets primarily inside is the safest and best idea. Hypothermia can happen quickly, as well as frostbite.
· Indoor animals like to conserve energy by sleeping more in the winter and also exercising less when they do go outside. Something to consider is feeding about 25% less food, as exercise and frequency of outdoor excursions is cut down dramatically during winter.
· Frostbite can be dangerous for the paws, tips of the tails, and their ears. By getting special booties, coats, or even hats for your pets will help eliminate any blisters or waxy skin that can lead to frostbite in those sensitive areas.
· Salty sidewalks and streets are typical in the wintertime to help melt ice and snow and to keep from refreezing. Salt contains calcium or sodium chloride which can harm delicate pet paws. By using booties for your pet or other sealants like Musher’s Secret, you can eliminate many problems and also keep your furry loved ones paws safe and warm.
· Make sure, upon re-entering your home that you thoroughly wipe your dogs paws off, especially looking for salt rocks of cracks in the paw pads.
· Start working on mind games and puzzles indoors to decrease boredom with your pets. If you live in a condo or apartment building, you can walk indoors and up and down stairs for exercise.
Caring for your pet during the cold and freezing months can be difficult at times. By using these 6 tips as a guide can really make a difference when trying to stay warm. Remember when you’re cold, your pets are most likely cold too.
