Winter Pet Safety Tips To Make Your Furry Companion More Comfortable

Although most of us will remember not to leave our pet in the car during cold temperatures, there are many other helpful things you can do to make your pet more comfortable during the winter.

First thing to remember is that animals need a little more food just like humans do to stay warm especially if your dog stays outside year round.

Second, you need to protect their paws from the cold concrete. Our miniature schnauzer, Einstein, loves to take a walk everyday. Sometimes due to the temperature it isn't feasible. So I decided to research dog boots and Musher's dog paw wax after I saw an ad for them. At first I was a little skeptical as I thought, but realized that the pads of their feet can crack with the colder weather. I had no idea that this could happen but it seemed reasonable as their feet are always in contact with the ground.

After a little research, I found that PetSmart and Walmart carry different styles as well as sizes of dog boots with some being made from all natural materials. The other option open to you is buying dog paw wax either online or from Walmart. The wax naturally coats their paws to insulate them from the cold without being harmful to your pet.

Third, place your pet's bed or crate in a warm place away from a draft and give them a blanket. Einstein has a blanket but I needed to move his bed away from the sliding doors in our apartment and close to an inner wall so he wouldn't be in a drafty place. When all is said and done, I hope Einstein adapts to the new changes that are in his future.