5 Winter Pet Safety Tips For The Responsible Pet Parent

Much of the country recently experienced an unprecedented “deep freeze.” Even areas of the country that don’t normally get snow or ice or sub zero temperatures were impacted.

Pet parents who live in those areas or even those accustomed to winter were faced with the need to take their pets out of doors, but also needed to know how to keep them safe in the frigid temperatures and snow.

How To Keep Your Pet Safe And Warm

Here are our best tips in case Mother Nature hasn’t dealt the final hand of an overly-cold winter:

Be Sure To Use A Paw Protectant

This is important if you put ice melt on your steps or sidewalk; even pet-friendly ice melt can cause discomfort to your pet and his paws.

Some pets will allow you to put boots on them, if they will, use that to protect their paws. When you bring your pet back in, wipe their paws and remove any snow or ice that may have built up between their pads.

Put Your Pet In A Warm Cozy Coat

If you have a short-haired dog or one who truly isn’t suited to the cold weather, putting her in a coat will keep her core warm. If it’s raining, a coat will also keep your pet warmer and obviously dryer while outdoors doing her business.

Don’t Leave Your Pet Outdoors

This is a controversial topic as there are dogs who thrive in the frigid weather. You need to know your dog, the breed and its ability to stay warm and healthy in the frigid, snowy temps.

Even if your dog loves to be outside in the wintery days, make certain you check on him frequently and that you have provided shelter from the storm.

Take Shorter More Frequent Walks

If your pet thrives on exercise but you’re in sub-zero temperatures plan shorter, more frequent walks rather than a long walk all at one time.

If you have to take shorter walks and your pet isn’t getting the exercise he is accustomed to, you may want to cut back on the amount of food he gets during the limited exercise times. Don’t forget, there are many fun ways to exercise with your dog indoors.

Don’t Forget To Keep Things Safe For Your Cat

If you have “outdoor cats” or feral cats, provide a space for them to get out of the snow and cold. Before you start your engine, beep your car horn; cats will sometimes crawl up into the engine to keep warm.

Make sure there is fresh water available for the outside cats; you may want to invest in a heated bowl to keep the water from freezing.

Stay warm. Stay safe. Enjoy the winter with your pets!

CLAWGUARD builds shields that help protect homes from damage caused by pets. Products include door shields, couch guards, and universal protective tape that protects commonly scratched areas like windowsills, furniture, banisters, weatherstripping and more. In fun colors too!

CLAWGUARD is easily customizable, whether you get the clear, frosted clear or Grape or Blueberry. We have had one customer tell us they decorated their CLAWGUARD with stickers and designs to match their favorite basketball teams’ colors.