We don’t even have to battle the weather outside anymore to know it’s freezing cold! We have all seen enough dashboard temperature gauge pictures on social media to know that it is COLD outside!
While we’re busy adding layers and hoping it’s socially acceptable to sport fuzzy house slippers out of the house, it is important to keep our beloved pets in mind as well while we battle these record-low temperatures! Although they have a coat of fur that we don’t have (most of us, anyway), they still need an escape from the freezing cold weather!
A list of helpful tips for pet owners include:
1. Allow your cats to join you inside. Outdoors, felines are liable to freeze.
2. During the winter, outdoor felines sometimes find warmth under the hoods of vehicles. Sadly when the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the hood of your car before you start the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.
3. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm, dogs can lose their scent and easily get lost. More dogs are lost during the winter season than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.
4. Thoroughly clean off your dog’s legs and stomach as he comes in out of the ice, sleet or snow. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially hazardous chemicals while licking his paws.
5. Be sure that your companion has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A comfy dog or cat bed with a warm pillow or blanket is perfect.
6. Don’t leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator during the winter, holding in the cold and causing your pet to freeze to death.
7. Young puppies don’t handle the cold temperatures as well as adult dogs, making it hard to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy seems to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outside only to relieve himself.
8. Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outside activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him, and his fur, in tip-top shape.
You take care of your pets while Paul Davis takes care of your home!
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