With cold temperatures, chemicals, and more, winter can pose many hazards to you and your dog. It’s important for both of you to stay safe and be aware of potential winter dog dangers in order to avoid them. Here are some winter safety tips for dogs that all dog owners need to know:

1. Combat Poor Visibility

Winter brings cold temperatures, harsh weather, and also fewer daylight hours, which means low and poor visibility for you, your dog, and others while outside. This can increase the risk of slips and falls for you and your dog while out on walks. Poor visibility can also increase the risk of road traffic accidents.

If you have to walk your dog near a road in the dark, there is also poor visibility for drivers, which can increase the risk of them potentially hitting you or your dog. Wearing reflective gear and carrying a flashlight are just a few safety tips for walking your dog in the dark you can use to combat poor visibility during the winter.

2. Stay Warm and Avoid Hypothermia

Many dog breeds, especially small breeds, senior dogs, and those with short, thin fur, get cold easily. Walking can be a great way to keep your dog active in the winter. But, as the temperatures drop, they may need some extra help staying warm while out on walks. As temperatures drop below freezing, it’s important for both you and your dog to bundle up to avoid hypothermia.

The exceptions to this rule are arctic and cold-weather snow dog breeds like Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, Saint Bernards, and more that have thick coats to keep them insulated. With these dogs, they may dig and burrow in to take naps in the snow and you may find it difficult to get them to come back inside after letting them out to play in it.

If your dog is not an arctic or cold-weather breed, putting on a dog sweater or dog coat can help your pooch maintain some body heat while they are outside. Just make sure you measure your dog accurately and buy the right dog coat in the right size for them.

For dog coats, look for comfort and warmth, and also weatherproofing to make sure it’s a product that protects your dog from weather. Reflective features are a nice safety bonus. In the case of sweaters, if your dog’s sweater gets wet from cold rain or snow, it’s important to remove it once you come inside. If their fur is wet, it’s generally a good idea to towel them off once they’re inside as well.

Also, you want to make sure you only put a dry sweater on your dog when you have to go outside again. A cold, wet sweater or fur doesn’t do your pup any favors, especially out in the cold where it increases their risk for hypothermia and other issues.

3. Be Aware of Frostbite and Protect Paws

Dog paws are not immune to frostbite and getting frostbite while out on a walk in the cold can happen. In addition to frostbite concerns, snow and ice can also ball up and get stuck in the space between their toes and paw pads, which can make movement painful. Trimming the fur between toes, protecting paws, and keeping up with paw care are winter dog grooming tips that can help protect your precious pooch’s paw pads.

You wear socks and boots when you venture out into the snow and cold to protect your feet and your pup’s paw pads are no different. Dog boots, paw wax, and other winter dog products protect your dog’s paw pads from the cold and they also protect them from getting harsh and dangerous winter chemicals like antifreeze and some ice melts on their paws.

4. Check Paws Regularly

Checking your dog’s paws regularly can help keep their feet healthy and comfortable during the winter. Pup paws can get just as dry as our hands during the winter! Their paw pads are susceptible to cracking and bleeding as well, so don’t forget to periodically check on them.

They may even need lotion. Not just any lotion will do. Lotions for humans will soften the pads too much and going without that extra toughness can lead to more problems down the road, so try to get a paw cream designed for dogs* *(Amazon Affiliate Link).

Even coconut oil can work well, in moderation. You can even make your own paw balm at home. Make sure to rub the paw balm gently onto the pad and between their little toes for optimum moisturizing. This is also a good opportunity to make sure their nose, ears, and tail aren’t dry or cracking as well.

5. Stay Wary of Harsh Winter Chemicals

There are a lot of chemicals that pop up during the winter that can be very dangerous, if not fatal, to your dog. Ice melts and many road chemicals are harsh and can make your dog sick if ingested, which most commonly happens when dogs lick their paws after a walk. Caustic chemicals can also cause paw burns. Find a dog-friendly ice melt for use at home and then try to avoid contact with harsh winter chemicals away from home.

Outfitting your dog with dog boots while outdoors and wiping their paws clean when they come inside can help prevent the potential ingestion of chemicals. These are some important winter safety tips for dogs. Setting up a post-walk station inside your house to remove boots, clean off paws, and dry off is one of the tips to get your dog ready for winter.

6. Beware of Antifreeze Poisoning

Antifreeze is a big danger to dogs. It tends to have a sweet taste to dogs, but can be fatal if ingested and not immediately treated. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which poisons your dog and can be fatal within 72 hours.

Because this substance can sometimes be found on driveways and anywhere you walk your dog that shares space with cars, it’s important to know the signs of antifreeze poisoning, so you can get your dog help as soon as possible.

Within 30 minutes to 12 hours of consumption, your dog may stumble and appear “drunk”. They may also be drooling excessively and vomiting. It’s important to get your dog to the vet for help as soon as you see these signs as serious internal injury tends to occur within 12 to 24 hours. If left untreated, acute kidney failure sometimes accompanied by seizures or coma occurs within 36 and 72 hours.

7. Prevent Dehydration

It’s important to make sure your dog has access to plenty of water during the winter. Winter weather is often very dry weather and causes dogs to lose a lot of moisture through their breath, which can quickly lead to dehydration. By giving your dog plenty of water to drink before and after walks, you can help make sure they stay hydrated.

8. Keep Up With Preventive Medications

Many owners stop certain medications for dogs over the winter, thinking that it’s safe to do so. For example, owners stop flea treatments and heartworm medication that may not seem necessary during the winter when the parasites aren’t breeding. However, it’s crucial to continue regimented medication throughout the year.

While it’s true that fleas don’t breed during the winter, they have a much more nefarious means of staying alive. In the fall, fleas leave behind eggs and resilient pupae that survive even the toughest conditions. Plus, ticks that have started to “hibernate” in the cold will become active on warmer days. If pups don’t stay on their flea medication over the winter, those flea pupae will live to see another summer.

The myth that owners can also stop giving heartworm medication during the winter is a more dangerous one. According to the FDA, just because mosquitos aren’t as common during the winter doesn’t mean they’re all gone and they can still infect dogs with heartworms during this time.

Mosquitoes can infect dogs with heartworms all year round, so stopping heartworm medication can lead to disastrous results. Heartworm in dogs is serious and any interruption in protection can leave your dog vulnerable, so you want to avoid gaps as much as you can.

9. Stop Them From Getting Too Close to Heaters

Although space heaters and fireplaces can be great ways to help heat your home in the winter, they also tend to be winter dog dangers. If they are feeling chilly, dogs can get too close to space heaters and other heat sources. Usually, they move away if they get too warm, but sometimes they get too close and end up burned.

If you have baseboard radiators, you can install covers to help prevent animals and children from accessing the heating elements. If you have a fireplace, a screen can keep your dog from getting too close to the open flame.

You can try to avoid using space heaters, but this is not always feasible in some homes. A screen, gate, or protective cage can help provide a perimeter to keep animals and people from getting too close.

10. Make Sure Your Dog Can Be Identified

A well-fitting collar with updated ID tags and a microchip can help make sure your dog is easily identified in the event that they get lost. This can also help them get back to you and back home sooner. This is especially important for hot summer months and cold winter months when only a few hours missing can be more dangerous for your dog.

Working on basic commands to improve recall, keeping your dog leashed when out and about, making sure your yard is securely fenced, and more are ways to prevent your dog from getting lost.

Microchips and ID tags may not prevent your dog from getting lost, but they will help them get back home faster. If your dog is known to be an escape artist, has a high prey drive, or just tends to run, you can also equip them with a GPS tracker or an air tag collar to help locate them even faster.

11. Avoid Walking on Frozen Water

You may know to stay away from frozen lakes, ponds, and other water unless you are absolutely sure the ice is thick enough to support your weight. But, your dog might not, especially if they are distracted by tracking an interesting smell or chasing after a toy or something.

If you don’t know with 100% certainty that a body of frozen water can support you and your dog, keep your dog leashed and avoid the area. It’s better to find a new place to walk and play than to risk falling through the ice.

12. Prepare an Emergency Kit

Harsh winter weather and storms can mean heavy snow loads, a lot of ice, strong winds, and power outages. Just as you want to create an emergency plan ahead of time for yourself, you also want to take some time to prepare your dog for emergencies.

Depending on your plan and your dog, this could include some extra training, obtaining specific supplies, and more. In addition to a plan, it’s also a good idea to make sure you have an emergency kit and that it has everything you need in it.

A good emergency kit will have enough food and water for you and your dog in addition to any medications either of you need and supplies to keep you safe and warm. A good rule of thumb is to have enough supplies to last you five days to a week. Also, revisit your first aid kit including the first aid kit for your dog to make sure you have everything you need for medical and injury care for both of you.

13. Adjust Food Portions (If Needed)

Different dogs handle winter differently. Some dogs may need fewer calories than usual in the winter while others may need more than usual and others may not need to change at all. It all depends on your dog, their activity level, their age, and more. Make sure you talk to your vet before winter hits to determine what winter feeding routine is right for your dog.

Keep Your Dog Safe During Winter

These are just a few winter safety tips for dogs to keep in mind and keep you both safe when temperatures drop. Even if your dog is built for the cold and loves to lay in the snow, you’ll still need to keep an eye out for winter dog dangers and help protect your pup.

*Greenfield Puppies is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Greenfield Puppies may earn a commission for purchases made through Amazon affiliate links on our site.

Want to Share it on Your Site?

Just copy and paste this embed code into your page to share it with others: