Attention Humans!  It’s freezing outside.  Take it from this pup, please pay attention to your fur baby’s special needs during the cold winter months.  When the weather outside is frightful, being safe and warm inside is delightful. I know you humans love your fur babies, I also know that it’s easy to forget that we have special needs during the winter months.  If we’re left in the cold then our lives can be in danger. Today I stand, to speak up for my friends who can’t talk so no one has to suffer out in the cold.

My furry friends and I have put together a list of things you humans can do to protect us during the cold winter weather.  Follow our list of requests, and no pet will go cold:

1. Please remember to bring us back in the house after we go to the bathroom outside. It’s easy to forget us when we’re outside, but we can get sick and injured if we’re left outside for too long.  

2. Please wrap us up in a coat. Whenever I go outside my human puts a coat on me.  I have short hair so I get cold easily. Small dogs and dogs with short hair get really cold outside and a jacket or doggie sweater can keep us warm.

3. Please check our feet for signs of frostbite; pale blue or gray skin, pain when touched, blisters on our skin, or areas of blackened or dead skin.

4. Please wipe the snow and wetness off our feet and tummy. The snow can ball up in our fur and give us frostbite.  Also, sometimes chemicals are used outside to melt snow on sidewalks and driveways.  Those chemicals can be harmful to our skin. Wipe us down with a towel when it’s time to come back inside and we’ll be safe.

5. Please keep plenty of water available for us to drink. We need fresh water in the cold months.  Just like you, we need to drink water every day no matter what the temperature is.

The cold winter months don’t have to be frightful for your fur babies.  Remember that we get cold just like our human family does. Follow our simple requests and we’ll be most grateful.  We’ll even be more grateful when you invite us to snuggle with you near the fireplace.