Winter Dog Care: When is it Too Cold to Walk Your Dog?

Regular exercise plays a crucial role in maintaining your dog’s mental and physical health. Daily walks are a great way to provide regular activity for your dog. However, the drop in temperature during wintertime can lead to harmful effects to your dog’s health if kept out for too long. Read on to learn a bit about winter dog care and how cold is too cold to walk and exercise your dog.

What is Hypothermia in Dogs?

Prolonged exposure to extreme cold weather can put your dog at risk of hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs when your dog’s body temperature drops so low that it is no longer capable of warming itself up. This is due to the rate at which heat is lost in his body. During hypothermia, your dog’s body is losing heat at a greater rate than it is producing heat. There are various symptoms to spot hypothermia. These include shivering, weakness, inaudible heartbeat, and difficulty breathing. If your dog’s temperature continues to drop, his heart rate will slower and his muscles may begin to stiffen. This could potentially lead to death if not treated immediately.

Call your Veterinarian right away and administer first aid to your dog. Until help arrives, move your dog to a warmer area and cover him with blankets, towels, or hot water bottles. Frequently, frost bite develops on the most exposed and vulnerable body parts, such as on the ends of his ears, his tail, his scrotum, or his toes. Make sure you are aware of the risks associated before taking your dog out for long walks during the winter.

Which Dog Breeds are At-Risk?

Winter dog care depends on your dog breed! When it comes to coping with extreme temperatures, some breeds are more capable than others. Dog breeds vary based on numerous factors, including coat type, coat color, size, weight, and health. Your dog’s coat type can affect how he handles cold weather. Dogs with thicker coats, such as Siberian Huskies, Newfoundlands, or Samoyeds, are able to tolerate cold weather much better. On the other hand, dogs with thin coats, such as Greyhounds or French Bulldogs, are more likely to suffer during winter.

Dogs who have a dark coat color, such as black or brown fur, are likely to keep warmer during the winter. This is because darker coats are able to absorb more heat from sunlight.

When it comes to your dog’s size, smaller dogs are mostly at-risk due to their larger surface area to volume ratio. They lose heat much faster.  Fat provides insulation during cold weather. Thin dogs are more likely to feel the chilly weather compared to healthier dogs. When it comes to age, very young or very old dogs are not able to regulate their body temperatures as well as healthy adult dogs. Dogs who suffer from health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, or kidney disease are more likely to have issues maintaining their body temperature during the winter. Understand which breed your dog belongs to and what characteristics might put him more at-risk during the winter.

Winter Dog Care: How Cold is too Cold?

Remember, if it is cold for you outside, it is cold for your dog as well. Make sure you understand the weather and how it actually feels outside before deciding to take your dog outdoors. Wind chill can drop the temperature and allow cold air to flow through your dog’s coat. Cloudy skies hinder the amount of warmth sunlight can give. Moisture also plays a part in decreasing the temperature with snow, sleet, or heavy fog.

Generally speaking, most dogs should be fine with temperatures above 32°F. Larger dogs should be able to handle temperatures between 20°F to 32°F.  Once temperatures drop below 20°F, dog owners should be aware of the potential risks associated with cold temperatures. Observe your dog and watch out for signs such as whining, slowing down, shivering, anxiety, wanting to go to warm areas, or holding paws up. You should head indoors if your dog becomes uncomfortable in cold weather.

Veterinarian Dr. Kim Smyth talks about winter dog care and explains how dogs react to cold in a blog post on Petplan. She used information from The Tufts Animal Condition and Care (TACC) system to create an easy-to-read chart. This chart is great to tell if it is safe to take your dog outdoors depending on the weather.  It takes into account the outside temperature and size of your dog. Based on the color, you will understand if it is safe to take your dog out. Green means it’s safe to take your dog outside, yellow means you should be cautious. Orange is dangerous, and red is potentially life-threatening. Check it out below.

Taking your dog outside to do his business is inevitable during the wintertime.  Yet, it is important to learn about winter dog care and to know the risks when it comes to keeping your dog outdoors during winter for too long. Be assertive and watch out for signs of hypothermia your dog might display. Keep your dog as comfortable and safe as possible, even during extreme temperatures. Remember, your dog relies on you to make important decisions on his behalf. As a dog parent, you are responsible for your dog’s well being and safety.

Buster and Whiskers is a Dog Walking Service, Dog Training Service, and Dog Hiking Service located in Astoria, NY. We offer affordable and quality Dog Walking Services, Dog Training Services, and Dog Hiking Services in Astoria, Queens, NY.  Contact us if you need a reliable and professional Dog Walker here in Astoria, NY.