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Why Walking your dog is So important


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Ironically enough when I was reading my "BARK" magazine they were talking about Cold-Weather tips:

If you live in a region where the winters are cold, then you probably have a yearly routine to prepare yourself for the season change. You might change out your wardrobe, get your car ready for winter, and insulate your home. Don’t forget to take precautions to keep your dog warm and healthy. There are plenty of many winter hazards out there, such as antifreeze and ice. Take steps to keep your dog safe! Here are some cold weather tips to you and your dog this winter:

•Do not leave your dog outside unsupervised without a heated shelter. Just because your dog has fur, it does not mean he can withstand the cold. Though some dog breeds (like Huskies and Malamutes) are better suited to cold weather, all dogs should have access to a warm shelter at all times. Most dogs do best living indoors. However, if your dog must live outdoors, provide a heated dog bed and adequate shelter.

•Small dogs or those with little to no hair should have sweaters or jackets for protection against the cold. Some of the most common breeds that will benefit from protective clothing are Chihuahuas, Miniature Pinschers, Whippets, and Greyhounds. Remember, not all dogs will tolerate clothing, so don’t push it – just make an extra effort to keep them out of the cold. Keep food and water in a place where they will not freeze - preferably inside! A heated dog bowl can help outdoor water and food from freezing.

•Watch those feet! If your dog will tolerate it, consider foot protection booties. This can keep your dog’s feet safe from harm, such as dangerous objects hidden by the snow or salt on roads and walk ways. Additionally, booties can help give your dog a better grip and prevent slipping on ice.

•When walking your dog near ice, use extra caution to avoid slipping. Always keep a close watch your dog and be sure he says nearby. Do not allow your dog to run across frozen bodies of water - he could fall into icy water if the ice is too thin!

•If you use an indoor or outdoor fireplace, always keep a safety guard around it in order to protect your dog away from the flames and soot. Do not leave a fire unattended.

•If your dog is in the cold and begins excessively shaking or shivering, get him back to warm shelter as soon as possible. If you suspect your dog is developing hypothermia, bring him to a vet immediately.

•Avoid letting your dog eat snow or anything else on the ground. Dangerous objects or chemicals may be hidden in the snow. Also, eating snow this can cause stomach upset and even hypothermia. Always keep fresh room temperature water available at all times.

•Beware antifreeze - It is highly toxic! Antifreeze tastes good to pets, but even a small amount can kill your dog. Though exposure to antifreeze is a risk all year, the risk is especially high during the colder months. Keep your eyes on your dog at all times - and keep antifreeze out of reach. If you suspect your dog has had ANY exposure to antifreeze, get to a vet right away.

•In general, be sure to contact your vet if any abnormal behavior or signs of illness appear. Also, have a look at the cold weather checklist from the Veterinary Medicine guide.

Did you know that your dog's normal temperature is a few degrees higher than yours? Winter is the perfect time of year to snuggle up – so have fun and stay warm!

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Ozzy'sMommy

man i have a lot to catch up on having been out of it so to speak for the last almost two weeks, i had the flu and some symptoms are still lingering!! boo!! haha!

back to the topic at hand...

i think these are all really good tips. while i was sick oz didn't get a walk for four days! i had a fever and honestly didn't trust myself to drive all doped up on cold medicine or try walking. and i noticed he wasn't inclined to poop normally. so since then i have been trying to make up for it by taking him out twice a day.

i live in california so it doesn't get too "cold" here compared to those of you who live in the midwest or on the east coast BUT during the months of january and february it can get down the mid 30s over night on a regular basis and during the cold days it can be in the low 50s.

so i have a "dumb" question. oz will only tolerate a sweater or coat when the weather dips into the low 60s or below...how cold is too cold for a tzu to be outside? i know the little chihuahua mix across the street has a sweater on anytime the temp dips below 70, her owner says she gets cold very easily.

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This thread is FULL of useful info, guys! I'm glad it got started.

I just wanted to comment that when a Shih Tzu has a double coat, I don't think they need a coat or sweater unless they will be out for an hour or more. What do you all think?

Phyl

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Phyllis, I tend to agree with you, it seems like their furry little bodies would keep them warm enough while they were in a warm house..Now if you lived in a place where it was REALLY cold outside I could see putting on a little sweater, or coat, or booties for their walks, but usually here in Oklahoma we don't have a TON of just FREEZING weather..But I do know, that I for one, Love seeing Tzu's wearing little Sweaters and Coats!! lol.. I did find these little tidbits from some Shih-tzu sites:

Cold Weather - The winter months can be quite dreadful for dogs. You can help reduce the negative effects this season has on your Shihtzu by:

•Cold paws – Remove any salt, packed snow or ice that may be trapped in your dog’s paws from being outside. Note: Invest in doggie boots to keep your Shih Tzu’s feet dry and protected.

•Keep him indoors – On exceptionally frosty days limit your dog’s outside adventures. Only take him out when he needs to eliminate and exercise him inside as much as you can.

•Keep his energy levels high – If it’s a nice winter day and your Shihtzu would love to go out, make sure you feed him some extra food before going out for a nice long play or exercise. It takes up plenty of energy for your dog to stay warm, and food fuels energy. Note: Do not feed your dog extra amounts of food unless you will be taking him outside for a long time. If he doesn’t need the extra energy, he’ll only become overweight and unhealthy.

•Dampness is bad – Winter is a very wet season, which can be bad for your dog. If the coat of your Shihtzu becomes wet, make sure you dry his coat so the coat doesn’t hold in the dampness and give your dog a chill. If you must, use a hair dyer to make sure he is dry. Note: To help your Shih Tzu stay dry, put a fitted dog coat on him. This will also help to keep him warm.

•Fireplace Safety – If you have a fireplace and you like to light it during the winter, you must train your pet to keep a safe distance from the fireplace as you won’t want cinders or fumes to hurt the dog.

•Frostbite – If you suspect that your Shihtzu has frostbite, do not rub their skin to try and get it warm. Take your dog to a warm place and apply warm, moist towels the area(s) on his body that are frostbitten. Change these towels until they become flushed. Take him to the Vet right away as severe frostbite can cause serious conditions in your dog.

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Once it gets down to about 30 degrees I start putting their coats on them until it starts warming up again in the spring. They do okay outside playing without their coats until it starts to get really cold like that. My house is pretty cool in the winter since it's a really old house, so they wear sweatshirts as needed inside.

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Ozzy'sMommy

okay good to know. like right now our house (its big and old) is 63 degrees. he doesn't wear a sweater and personally i am just sitting here in a tshirt and thing sweatpants.

i see what you mean about being out more than an hour. the other night me and my sister took oz out to a late night dinner with us to this outdoor nice area of town where we sat on the patio. he had a little sweater on but once it hit 930 pm and was about 55 degrees outside i could tell the sweater was not enough so i pulled my big sweater coat around me and him and buttoned him in it, lol. next time i will take his little fleece lined coat to throw on over the sweater if we are going to be out that long.

i don't know how he would handle walking in snow or in REALLY cold weather then because he refused to walk back to the car at 11 because the concrete was really cole. i'm guessing it was probably about 49 or 50 by then.

kc thanks for posting the dampness tips too because it does get wet here during winter even from grass that's frosted over in winter, to rain or dewy grass. oz's tummy and chest always manages to get wet somehow!

:whistling:

Edited by Ozzy'sMommy
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If mine are going out for a quick potty, I don't put a coat on them in winter, unless it is snowing or sleeting....but when we walk, which we still try to do even in cold weather, I do put a coat on. They just walk and not run during our outings, so they do tend to get cold. Plus, call me silly, but I love to dress them...Don't do it every day, but more in the winter than the summer. Those of you that run or jog your dogs, they probably stay warmer....I do good to walk daily...LOL

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CrazyTzuLady

Where I live here in upstate NY we get a lot of snow every year and it is downright cold for most of it. I will put a coat on them if they are gonna be out for a while, but that is usually not the case. 3 out of the 4 of them LOVE the snow and I have to drag them back in the house. :) Thai is the only one that doesn't really care for it. I tried the booties but they all seem to be able to get them off or they lose them in the snow so I gave up on those a long time ago. I just wish I could find something to keep the snow balls off of their legs.

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