by Bill Frrest

Created on: January 20, 2009   Last Updated: June 21, 2010

Cold Weather Tips for Dogs

To keep man's best friend your healthy best friend during the winter months, there are just a couple of things to monitor more closely. This will ensure that your canine companion will enjoy the winter months and enter springtime as a energetic, vibrant pal for ALL seasons.

There are three "needs" that need to be met for a canine. Of course, this is in addition to their "wants" and "desires"! They are food, water and a climate in which they can survive. These are explained in further detail in order of least to most important.

Food: Food is required to support life and depending on the amount of time that a dog is exposed to colder temperatures, there is an increased need for food. A dog can burn up to many times his normal intake of food depending on the temperature and the amount of exercise. While food is vital, a dog can survive longer without food than it can without water. Wild dogs had to hunt for their food and most hunts were unsuccessful.

Water: About 70% of a dog's body is composed of water, so drinking is a constant requirement regardless of temperature. As with dog's best friend, humans, feel less of a need to drink fluids when the temperature drops. There is less perspiration, which in a dog is panting. There MUST ALWAYS be a source of fresh water for a dog. If outdoors, you must ensure that the water source is not frozen or it is useless. A dog cannot survive for very long without a source of water.

Warmth: Generally speaking, as descendants of the wolf, canines were genetically designed to live in the outdoors. After many years and much domestication, certain breeds are not only adverse to cold temperatures, but extreme cold could also be life threatening in a short period of time. Dogs typically have a core temperature between 99.5F and 102.5F. This core temperature will be affected by cold temperatures more than for a human. Dogs do not have a closet full of sweaters to layer at least not most dogs! A dog can suffer irreversible damage from extreme cold temperatures faster than from lack of food or water.

Feed your dog, give them plenty of fresh water and monitor the environment that they are in and you will both enter springtime with a fresh, renewed energy.

Learn more about this author, Bill Frrest.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.