Just how cool is your dog?

 

 

 

 

As we notice the daylight getting shorter and that familiar evening snap in the air, let’s spare a thought for our pooches and have a fresh dry coat for ready for them. A coat needs to fit correctly so it is not restricting movement and your dog may need one for sleeping time or even an outside walk. Keep a close eye if your dog is wearing a coat whilst outdoors that it won’t overheat with activity. Likewise, once you are back indoors the coat should come off if you are in a heated environment. Our short-coated dog sleeps comfortably with a coat on through a winter night.

Some states in America have made it an official law that you cannot leave your dogs outside in the cold. These locations experience snow at their coldest time of year but even a Queensland winter can pose a problem if a dog is very young or old, unwell, or a short-coated breed. However if any dog, even with a thick coat, sustains low body temperature for long enough it can lead to hypothermia and having a wet coat increases that risk.

Dogs need to be able to successfully shelter from sun, heat, rain, wind and cold. This winter, make sure the place your dog sleeps is out of draughts if indoors and out of the wind if outdoors. In both locations bedding either needs to be elevated off a cold surface or dense enough to protect from cold underneath. If your dog is travelling in the back of an open vehicle he will also need adequate protection from the elements.

Leah & Angela O’Meara

Hound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Cares Brisbane)