A bundled Hatter walks her dog near Brier Park Industrial Estate on Dec. 23.--News Photo Collin Gallant
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Summer time heat can be a potentially difficult time for dogs but the winter season poses its own hazards, with some breeds able to withstand temperature extremes better than others.
Adam Jones, owner of All Dogs Great and Small Daycare and Training, says dogs who are double coated are built for the type of climate that reach -40C. That doesn’t mean they can be left outside for extended periods in the extreme cold; Jones only lets his dog Brady play outside for 10-15 minutes at a time.
He says the danger in winter for dogs is the same as it is for people, the potential for hypothermia that comes from long exposure to cold.
“It’s going to send them in this dangerous state of shock and that can be dangerous and can be life threatening,” Jones said. “Anytime there’s signs of hypothermia, we want to make sure we’re taking appropriate caution and taking up veterinary care.”
According to the American Kennel Club, shivering and curling up for warmth are some of the first signs of mild hypothermia in dogs, with other signs being: increased heart rate, followed by a slow heart rate, rapid breathing, followed by progressively slower and shallower breath, sluggishness and delayed reflexes, depression, paleness, dilated pupils and loss of consciousness.
Jones says the first and safest step is get them covered and take them to a vet. If a dog is having a hard time warming up but isn’t showing any symptoms, he says the key to getting them warmth is taking it slow.
“You want to put a blanket over top of them, get them warm, bring them indoors but nothing too warm,” Jones said. “You can do lukewarm baths, just slightly warmer than they are and slowly bring the temperature up.
“But be careful and don’t try to take care of it yourself, take them to a vet.”
Coming off a two-week stretch where temperates averaged around -30C, Jones says the key to getting dogs their needed outdoor time is setting them up for success.
“Lots of short walks, half an hour after they eat or have a big drink, let them go outside, take them outside, let them do their thing. That’s when nature will run its course the best,” Jones said.
He also cautions owners when is to avoid walking dogs on slippery surfaces, not only because people can fall themselves but also because dogs can injure their joints and ligaments as well.
When it is dangerously cold, he recommends owners keep their dogs mentally stimulated inside so they can burn energy.
“Teach them new games, teach something to do with them indoors whether it’s teaching them a new word for sit, play mind games with them,” Jones said. “Get them to find a ball in your house or get them to do a snuffle mat, where you put a bunch of treats inside a mat and get them to root them out.”
Jones says dog owners can teach them any language, one of his go-to’s is teaching snaps, where the dog will sit once their owner snaps their fingers.
“It’s about getting them to use their brain rather than just focusing on the physical state of things.”
His last tip for winter safety with dogs is to wipe paws down after any amount of time spent outside. He says that allows the owner to look for any potential paw damage from the outside and also remove salt or sand.
“What will happen is the dog will go lay on their mat or their bed after the walk and they’ll clean their own paws off, lick it clean and we don’t want them ingesting it. We want to wipe their paws off when they come in,” Jones said.
