Can Dogs Withstand Cold Weather? | Cold Weather Care For Dogs
When the winter months come, it is our mind whether the dogs we see on the street are cold or not. According to experts of the dogs life forms cold air s the resistance opposite affect . If they feed well on a dry surface and in the wind they do not get cold easily in a place that does not. Because dogs live in the home environment under the same temperature values as humans. Therefore, they become sensitive to cold. Most dog owners think that their dogs do not get cold in the winter because of their thick coat. However , many factors affect the cold resistance of dogs . Moreover, stray dogs can easily be affected by cold if they do not live under the conditions mentioned above.
What are the Factors Affecting Cold Resistance of Dogs?
There are more than 400 dog breeds in the world today. The strength of these dog breeds to resist the cold is different. For example, the tolerance of races living in places where hot climate is dominant , such as Africa, cannot be expected to be the same as those living in areas where the cold climate is dominant . Again, there are several factors that affect dogs’ cold resistance. We can explain these factors as follows:
Dog’s Feather Structure
One of the factors affecting dogs’ resistance to cold weather is their hair structures. Dog resistant breeds are generally breeds with double layer fur. An important part of these dogs are breeds such as Newoundland, Samoyed, Golden, Pomeranian and Husky , which are bred in northern countries . On the other hand, dogs with thin and sparse hairs such as Maltese Terrier, Boxer, English Bulldog and Poodle are resistant to cold weather. In addition, dogs with light colored hairs are more affected by cold than others. Therefore , it is necessary to be more careful to protect the dogs with thin or light hairs from the cold .
Dogs Size and Weight
Chihuahua, p Insch is and as jack russell small dog breeds , according to race against the cold medium and large volume due to the impairment of the body is more susceptible s . Therefore, they are not recommended to be fed in the garden environment. Also, it will be beneficial to wear a sweater to protect such dogs from cold . Not only their size, but also the weights of dogs have an impact on their cold resistance. Like most creatures, the fats in the body of dogs help protect against cold. However, it should not be understood that overweight dogs are healthier. Because overweight in dogs is the basis for many diseases. Also resist the cold taking the weight of three more to increase dog food to consume is not true.
Dogs’ Age and Health Status
Age factors are among the factors affecting the cold resistance of dogs . Accordingly, especially puppies and old dogs are more resistant to cold than adult dogs. For this reason, it is beneficial to wear dog clothes for puppies and old dogs in winter to protect them from cold . Again, the metabolism of sick dogs does not work well and they are much colder than healthy dogs. For this reason, much more attention should be paid to protect them from the cold.
How to Understand Dogs Chill
We have mentioned briefly above the factors affecting the cold resistance of dogs . Another important issue is to understand that dogs are cold. Otherwise, they may face serious illnesses. Cold bite is at the top of these diseases. This disease, which is first manifested by the cold of the dog’s body, directs the flow of blood towards the middle of the body . As a consequence of a dog’s tail, paws and ears feel cold and even around the ice crystals can be seen that in the formation. The most dangerous aspect of this disease is that it does not manifest itself at first .
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Another disease that can be encountered in dogs due to cold weather is the decrease in body temperatures, that is, hypothermia. Hypothermia , which usually occurs when they stay in the cold for a long time or stay wet in cold weather , causes them to shiver. When it progresses, it affects the dog’s heart and lung. In order not to encounter these and similar problems, it is necessary to know the signs of chills in dogs. Different kinds of symptoms can be seen when dogs feel cold. Some of the most known of these symptoms are as follows:
Trembling: During the winter walks, the dog is shaking after a while and if he is looking for a place to hide even his favorite game , he is probably cold. In this case, it is necessary to stop walking.
Slow Breathing: If a dog breathes slower than usual, it may be cold.
Moving Slowly: If he is lethargic and his body looks solid, it is necessary to consider the possibility of a cold.
Sleeping Mode : When dogs are cold, they usually sleep in a round shape.
Dry skin: It can be understood that dogs feel cold especially if their nose looks dry. But this can also be a symptom of a disease.
What precautions should be taken to protect the dogs from cold?
Dogs differentiate their metabolism and try to adapt to cold weather in order to avoid cold . However, there are still some things to do to protect dogs from cold . It is possible to list the things to be done for dogs in cold weather as follows:
Dress Outfits to Protect from Cold!
It is useful to wear sweaters, vests or coats that cover the entire body to protect the cold, old and weak dogs from cold. It is very important for older dogs with painful joint diseases such as arthritis to wear clothes to keep them warm.
Restrict the Time You Spend Out in Winter!
Your dog may love to spend time outside. For this reason , it can cold unintentionally in the winter . Especially if it is a race with a fine hair structure, it will be enough to make 15-minute walks once a day.
Avoid Excessive Food Consumption!
Dogs take the energy they need to keep their body temperature from food during the winter months. However, as in humans, the activity level of dogs decreases in winter. Again, dogs tend to eat more instinctively in order to maintain their body temperature during the winter months . All this can cause them to gain weight. To prevent this, you should reduce the amount of daily food for your pet friend, or make sure that your preferred dog food is lower in fat for feeding.
Apply Moisturizer To Your Skin!
In cold weather , skin problems can occur in dogs, just like in humans . To prevent your dog’s skin from drying out and cracking, you can moisten it using natural oils such as coconut. You should also protect your dog from electric heaters in your home. Because your dog lying in front of the heater may fall asleep, burns may occur on his skin and hair.
Factors affecting the cold resistance of dogs and the things to be done to protect them from cold are briefly as mentioned above. But you should not forget that dogs living on the street are also cold. You can throw your belongings that you do not use in your home under the dogs you see on the street in order to protect the stray dogs from the cold. There is also a front door to the dog food and you put water , will facilitate them to find food during severe weather conditions.
