There’s more bad weather on the way, including snow, ice and temperatures dropping to -8 in parts of Scotland.
With numerous winer warnings in place for the weekend and beyond an animal welfare expert has urged pet parents to be cautious about taking their dogs for a walk in the cold weather.
While winter days tend to be dark and cold (and we’d all rather stay indoors), dogs still need regular exercise regardless of the weather.
Winter conditions can often make the daily walks an unpleasant and challenging experience for owners and their canine companions, so it’s important to consider how you can best keep your dogs happy and safe during these months.
Catrin George, animal wellbeing specialist at Animal Friends Pet Insurance has shared seven top tips for walking and exercising your dog during the winter months, including explaining that temperatures below 0 are too cold for many dogs, while -5 is the exact temperature where you should avoid walking your dog.
Catrin has also shared additional advice for walking dogs in the cold, including how to keep you and your dog safe in the snow, and the fur and paw checks you will need to do after a walk to prevent potential harm to your dog.
Here’s what she had to say.
1. Ensure you and your dog are visible
During these shorter days, some dog owners may find that walking their dog in the dark is the only option, but nighttime walkies can present extra risks! A lack of visibility can lead to accidents, injuries and potentially losing sight of your dog, so it’s important to put in place a few extra safety measures. Catrin says: “Wherever you walk, it’s important to make sure you and your dog stay visible, allowing others to see you and even helping wildlife to avoid you. There is a huge range of wearable coats, collars and harnesses out there to choose from to suit both your pet’s breed and size, as well as your needs and budget. The key is to make sure you're both wearing brightly-coloured or reflective clothing where possible. Carrying a torch or sticking to well-lit pavements can make sure you’re visible to others while ensuring you can see the path ahead of you. | Canva/Getty Images
2. Be mindful of the temperature
The colder weather can definitely make owners think twice about heading out for a walk. While dogs can be walked in the cold, your dog’s size and the thickness of their coat are things you should consider before you leave the house. Catrin says: “To prevent health risks such as hypothermia, frostbite, as well as cracked paws, pads or noses, no dog should be taken out for a walk if the weather drops below -5°C. However, smaller dogs, puppies, elderly and skinny dogs are more susceptible to the chill, with anything below 0°C proving potentially dangerous. On colder days, it may be a good idea to keep your walks limited to under 20 minutes to prevent them (and you) from getting too chilly. Heading outside during the warmer part of the day (11am-3pm) is also a good place to start. Thin-coated dogs can benefit from a warm jacket but you need to be careful of putting a coat on a fluffy dog as it can stop their fur trapping heat that works as natural insulation.” | Canva/Getty Images
3. Stay away from frozen water
Catrin says: “Don’t let your dog near any frozen bodies of water as they could risk drowning if the ice breaks. Keeping them on a lead will also ensure that you can steer your pooch away from any dangerous areas.” | Canva/Getty Images
4. Make sure their microchip is up to date
Catrin says: “It’s easy to lose sight of your dog in a flash when it’s dark so it’s incredibly important that your dog’s microchip details are up to date with your address and contact details just in case they stray or get lost. A survey from Dogs Trust revealed that more than 4,000 dogs were unable to reunite with their owners in 2022 due to their microchip contact details being incorrect, so pet parents must prioritise keeping these updated to be in with the best chance of finding their pets should they go missing.” | Canva/Getty Images