The Ultimate Winter Survival Guide: How to Keep Dog Warm Outside in Winter
And when the frost first pelts the grass, and the wind starts its biting with that unmistakable winter chill, a commonplace dreadfulness will ensue to all responsible dog owners. When we look through the window at the gray sky, we ask ourselves: Is he all all right out there?
It is a heavy burden whether you leave your Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD) to guard a herd in Montana, a high-energy Husky roaming your backyard in Michigan, or just a simple pup anxious to be outside. You are not seeking a few tips; you are seeking an overall safety policy.
You must know how to keep dogs warm out in the winter-time, how to keep them out in the winter-time, not to make them comfortable, but to keep them alive.
It is a guide that is heart-written and based on science and experience in the field of veterinary. It is meant to clear the fogs and provides you with a blue-print of winter safety that will not jeopardize the person who has the greatest trust in you.
Part 1: The Golden Rule of Winter Care.
We cannot speak about the insulation ratings and heated bowls before we mention the most important aspect, which is observation.
The Golden Rule of winter time safety is easy to follow: When you cannot stand out in the cold without a heavy coat on, you can certainly not leave your dog lying around.
Although the fact that dogs possess fur coats is true, they do not live in the laws of thermodynamics. As soon as a dog ceases to move, the loss of body heat starts. When the environment takes away heat at a rate exceeding their metabolism to replenish it, they go to the danger zone.
Knowing The Limit of Your Dog.
Every dog is not equal in its encounter of winter. In deciding which actions to take to keep your dog warm outside during winter, you need to gauge the particular dog in terms of its Cold Tolerance Profile:
The Arctic Breeds: The Arctic breeds of the Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, and Samoyeds are intended to trap warm air close to the skin to keep it warm. They are able to endure low temperatures though even them there is a limit when they get wet or when subjected to high winds.
The example of Single-Coated Breeds:Â Boxers, Pitbulls, Dobermans and Greyhounds which have no natural insulation at all. To them, freezing can be 40 o C (4 o F). Having these dogs out in winter without much artificial assistance is hazardous.
Age Issues: Puppies are still unable to control their body temperature effectively. The elderly dogs are usually affected by arthritis, and it is made worse by cold weather, and in this case, the dogs may have trouble moving about to produce heat.
Acclimatization: A Florida dog that is abruptly transferred to North Dakota must have some time to adapt. Their coat requires weeks to grow. A dog that has been trained to live indoors is not going to last a night out in the wild.
Part 2: The Fortress Building the perfect Winter Shelter.
A simple plastic igloo or a slender wooden box found at the hardware store will not be sufficient in case your dog is spending any considerable amount of time outside. To learn how to keep your dog warm during winter outside, one must perceive their shelter as life-support system.
The Physics of a Warm Dog House.
One such myth is that a larger house is preferable. In winter, this is false.
Your dog is the radiator. The house is the thermos. When the house is excessively large, your dog increases its body heat to the ceiling and heats it off leaving the dog shivering in a cold cavernous room.
The Ideal Dimensions:
The dog must know how to stand, turn and lie down at ease–and no more.
When the dog folds, the space between the animal and the air should be trapped by the dead air.
Winters – Structural Requirements in the US.
Elevation: It is mandatory to have ground freeze in winter. When the floor of the dog house lies directly upon the earth or concrete the ground is a heat sink, drawing all the warmth out of the body of the dog. Elevate the house at least 4 to 6 inches above the ground by cinder blocks, wooden pallets or a pressure-treated timber frame. This also stops the seepage of snowmelt.
Entrance Windproofing:
Wind chill factor may decrease the temperature of the “feels like” up to 20 degrees or more.
Positioning: Turn the door to the direction of the current winds (in the US, it is the North or Northwest wind, in other words to the South or East of the door).
The Offset Door: In an ideal situation, the door must be shifted towards the left. This enables the dog to curl up in some corner behind a wall, totally out of the actual draft.
Flaps: Stick on a strong cloth flap on the door. It should not be too heavy to blow open but should be light enough so that the dog can push it through.
Insulation: The DIY Weekend Project.
In case you have a wooden dog house, you can upgrade it this weekend.
Foam Board: Sleeping: Purchase rigid foam insulation (pink or blue board) in a home improvement store. Wall, floor, and ceiling interiors.
The Safety Layer: Foams will be chewed by dogs. You should place the insulation under a sheet of plywood or hard plastic in order to ensure that the dog will not eat it.
Seal the Cracks: Silicone Caulk Every Seam. A small pinhole will render a shelter uncomfortable during a snowstorm.
Part 3: The Bedding Debate – Straw vs. Blankets
There is no more important part of this guide than this. When you are thinking of how to keep a dog warm outside in the winter season, only keep in mind this one thing: Do not give an outside dog a blanket.
The Trap of “Human Comfort”
We as people identify with warmness in the form of fluffy blankets, quilts, and towels. We would like to provide our dogs with such comfort. But outside, cloth is a tomb.
The Moisture Problem: Dogs leave footprints in the snow. They exhale warm, moist air. This moisture is captured by blankets as a sponge.
The Freeze: When the blanket is wet, it is frozen. You have now put your dog in a sheet of ice instead of insulating it. This evaporates body heat quickly and causes frostbite in pets kept outside the most.
The Superior Solution: Straw
Outdoor bedding is made of straw (not hay).
- Hollow Shafts: single stalks of straw are hollow. They seal dead air in them to form superior thermal insulation.
- Moisture Control: Straw does not soak up the moisture like fabric. The moisture will be concentrated at the bottom resulting in the top being dry.
- Nesting: Dogs are able to burrow into a stack of straws and make a kind of nest that keeps the body heat stored remarkably well.
Maintenance: You have to examine the bedding on a daily basis. When it is damp or smells stuffy shovel it out, and put in fresh dry straw.
Part 4: Nutrition and Hydration- Fuelling the inner stove.
Outside insulation is beneficial, though the heat has to be generated internally. The furnace that your dog has to keep going in winter is her metabolism, and that furnace has to go at top gear.
The Winter Diet
Even a dog kept outside in 30F weather burns much more calories merely to keep their body temperature at a given level than it does during summer.
- Caloric Increase: The increase in the amount of food consumed by the outdoor dogs in winter should be raised by 20-30 percent as recommended by many veterinarians.
- Good and Quality Fuel: Seek and find those foods that have more fat and protein. Fat is a low-energy substance that is used to produce long-term energy specifically to maintain body temperature.
- Consult Your Vet: Before altering the diet of your dog drastically, consult your vet, particularly when your dog is a pancreatitis or digestive problem susceptible.
The Water Hazard
Silent, colossal killer in winter, dehydration. You may suppose, there is snow about, they may just eat that. This is dangerous.
- The Power of the Energy: It would require a dog to melt the snow into water. This needs huge quantities of body heat and cools the dog inside out.
- The Freezing Bowl: A usual water bowl will be frozen in few hours. A dog cannot drink ice.
- The Solution: You should have a bowl or a heated water bucket. These electric bowls are inserted into an outdoor outlet and the water is maintained slightly below zero temperature. When you are not connected to the electricity, you have to take warm water to them at least 3-4 times per day.
Part 5: Safe Heating Technology.
We live in the modern era when there are tools that are more than straw and wood. When you are in a dilemma on how to keep a dog warm outside during winter in a Polar Vortex, or extreme cold snap, technology can come to your rescue but concern is safety the first thing.
Heated Pads vs. Heat Lamps
- No Heat Lamps: It is found in chicken houses, but it is not safe to dogs. They pose a great risk of fire in case knocked over, and the glass bulbs may break.
- Use Heated Pads: Find pressure-activated and specially designed to work outdoors pressure-activated heated pads (which are frequently constructed of hard ABS plastic). These pads are only heated by the lying of the dog.
- Check Best Heated Pad
- Cord Safety: All cords accessible to a dog are chew toys. You have to either run cords through PVC pipe or cover them with steel coil protectors. The heating devices should always be plugged into a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlet to avoid electrocution in case the heating unit becomes wet.
Part 6: Clothing and Gear -Not only a fashion statement.
To most Americans who own dogs having a dog wearing a coat looks ridiculous. To a short haired dog in the outside in January, it is medical equipment.
The Winter Coat
When your dog has one coat (Boxers, Weimaraners, Pitbulls), then it requires an artificial coat to so that it can stay longer outside.
Also Check- Best Winter Coats for Dogs – Warm, Waterproof & Comfy Picks for Every Pup
- Material: Find a waterproof or water-resistant outer shell (to keep off the snow and sleet), with a fleece or wool lining (to keep them warm).
- Fit: It has to envelop the chest and belly. The dogs lose much of the heat through the belly since it is the thinnest point of the hair.
- Dryness: Wet coat on a dog is better than none. In case the coat gets wet remove it and dry it off.
Paw Protection
In America winter equals road salt and chemical deicers. These chemicals would lead to a chemical burn on the paw pads of your dog. Moreover, ice balls may develop in between the toes, and this is painful and bleeds.
- Booties: The finishing touch. They coat the paw and act as a shield against the chemicals.
Check- Top 5 Best Waterproof Boots for Dogs in USA & Easy Buying Guide
- Paw Wax: When you do not want your dog to wear boots, you can use paw wax (such as Musher Secret) when he/she is going out. This forms a semi-permeable barrier of ice and salt.
- Post-Outdoor routine: You should always wash the paws of your dog with a warm damp cloth once he/she enters the house or garage to lick off the toxic salts which may otherwise be licked off.
Part 7: The Emergency Red Flags – When to Act Fast
It is a part of knowing how to keep the dog warm outside in winter knowing when you have failed–and what to do to put the matter right on the spot. You will need to be on watch of cold signs of stress.
Stage 1: Cold Stress
- Symptoms: Paw-lifting (dancing), whining, anxiousness, shivering.
- Action: Take them to a place that is warmer (garage, basement, house) to warm up.
Stage 2: Hypothermia (Medical Emergency)
When the rectal temperature falls under 99 o F, it indicates hypothermia.
- Symptoms: Violent chills which suddenly cease (this is very bad), fatigue, inco-ordination, dilated pupils, pale or blue gums, shallow respiration.
- Action: Put the dog in blankets that are warm, but not hot. Wet towels shine hot water bottles and apply them on the chest and armpits of the dog. Take to a vet right now. Do not bathe the dog vigorously and do not subject them to a hot bath because this will shock them.
Stage 3: Frostbite
This normally attacks the extremities: tail tip, ear tips and scrotum.
- Presentation: The skin becomes pale, grey or bluish. It is hard and cold like a rock. When it thaws it turns red and painful.
- Action: Do not rub the area (this destroys the tissue). Should not be subjected to direct heat (e.g. hair dryer). Apply warm water-sponges and visit a veterinarian.
Part 8: Special Considerations of Nighttime.
It is during the night that the mercury sinks. The things you do throughout the day may not suffice in the night.
If your dog sleeps outside:
The Last Check: Your last check before going to bed: Go out. Check the water bowl. Fluff up the straw bedding. Check the door flap.
The Garage Alternative: Although your dog may be considered to be an outdoor dog, it may be worth establishing a sleeping box inside the garage or a mudroom. It is much more protective as compared to a single dog house.
Predators: In most regions of the US, coyotes (wolves) become more desperate in winter due to predators. Dogs have a difficult time escaping or fighting back deep snow. The night safety in terms of kennel needs a secure and roofed kennel run.
Part 9: Grooming Myths
That there is a myth that you must allow your dog to be shaggie in winter. Although you are not supposed to strip a dog with two covers to the skin, neglect is not isolation.
Matting kills insulation: When the fur of a dog is matted, the hair will not be able to fluff up to trap air. The mats also seal moisture on the skin resulting to hot spots and freezing. You have to groom your outdoor dog on a regular basis.
Cut Toe: Long hair in between toes is catching snow which forms hard balls of ice which become like rocks in a shoe. Have toenail hair short.
Clean Coats: A grimy coat will not blow. Maintain the coat clean (but do not take bath to the freezing weather, use waterless shampoo, or bathe them in the house and make them 100 percent dry before going out again).
Part 10: The Wearisome Toll of Winter.
And lastly, there is the psychological issue of having a dog outside during winter.
Dogs are pack animals. They depend on the social bonding in order to be mentally sound. During the summer days you may sit hours in the yard with them. When it is winter you probably run in and out as soon as you feed them.
This leads to isolation. A bored dog is a distressed dog, which is an invalidation of the immune system, and they are more vulnerable to disease.
What can be done to fight Winter Isolation?
- Taking Short and Frequent Visits: Use four 15-minute visits instead of a single long hour out.
- Bring Them In to Pay them a Visit: though they may sleep on the street, taking them in during an hour of TV watching in the evening heats their bones and fills their emotional tank.
- Training Games: Mental activities are energy consuming. They are sent out to practice or hide treats in the snow.
Summary Checklist: Your Winter Safety Routine
To summarize how to keep dog warm outside in winter, use this daily checklist:
[ ] Morning Check: Is the water frozen? Refill with warm water.
[ ] Bedding Inspection: Is the straw dry? Add fresh straw if needed.
[ ] Body Check: Watch the dog move. Any limping? Shivering?
[ ] Paw Check: Inspect pads for cracks, salt, or ice balls.
[ ] Weather Forecast: Is a storm coming? Is the temp dropping below 20°F? (If so, prepare the indoor backup plan).
[ ] Calorie Count: Did they finish their food? Do they need a little extra today?
Final Words
It is beautiful, yet cruel, winter. The responsibility to safeguard your dog lies on your hands as the protector of the life of your dog.
Admission of the fact that it is too cold is not shameful. It is not shameful to take a dog, which seems tough, indoors to sleep on a rug in front of a heater. Actually, it is the best indicator of a good owner, he/she understand that the relationship with his/her dog is more valuable than any regulation regarding indoor and outdoor pets.
Be warm, be safe and be wagging those tails, not even in the snow.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: My dog adores the snow and he does not want to go inside. Should I force them?
A: There are breeds, such as Great Pyrenees or Newfoundlands, that really enjoy the cold. But it is upon your job to be the parent. Let them frolic but when you notice they are tired or when the weather is hazardous, take them in or make sure they retire into their hut. They might neither notice they are becoming hypothermic until the time when it is too late.
Q: Is it possible to wear a sweater on my dog and leave it there in a week?
A: Absolutely not. You will have to remove the sweater every day and inspect the chafing and the coat. When the sweater gets wet, then it should be removed after that or it will freeze against the skin of the dog.
Q: Can it be considered illegal to keep a dog out in the winter?
A: It depends on the state where a person might be (as in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Illinois) since there are laws on adverse weather conditions. Any neglect of dogs by leaving them out in freezing conditions without appropriate shelter, bedding and ice-free water may attract animal cruelty charges, fines and theft of the animal. It is a good idea to always look at your county or city ordinances.
Q: How do I determine whether the dog house is too hot or not?
A: Use a remote thermometer. You are able to purchase cheap indoor/outdoor thermometers. Install the sensor in your dog house and display it in your house. This leaves the speculation to it. When the interior of the dog house matches the temperature outside then you are losing your insulation.
Q: How can the ice balls on the paws of my dog be removed the best?
A: Dont: it pulls the hair and it hurts. Warm (not hot) water in a bowl liquefies the ice on the paw and then the paw is dried completely. To avoid them, cut the hair between the pads and apply paw wax.