Why is Winter Outdoor Time Important for Pets?
As a house call vet service, the team here at Creature Comfort gets a lot of questions about pet health during the winter. Throughout Kalamazoo County and its neighboring areas, we get hit pretty hard with snow every winter. And while pet owners know not to leave their furry friends out in the cold for very long, the question still remains: what’s a healthy balance of indoor and outdoor time for your pet during the Michigan winter?
In this month’s blog post, we’re discussing how you can ensure your pet gets a healthy balance of indoor and outdoor time.
Why is Winter Outdoor Time Important?
You might be wondering: why is it important to give your pets much outdoor time when the outdoors are terribly cold? Well, that’s complicated.
At the end of the day, if it’s too cold for your pet to safely be outdoors, then you simply shouldn’t bring them outdoors without taking precautions (which we’ll discuss later). However, it’s still important for your pets to get a healthy amount of outdoor time. Without regular outdoor time, pets (and especially dogs) can get depressed or anxious. Just think about it—whatever you feel when you never go outside, your dog or cat likely feel too.
Precautions for Winter Outdoor Time
Of course, it’s important to be responsible and keep your pet at a reasonable temperature when you take them outside in the winter. Here are few tips that we recommend in order to keep your furry pal safe and warm while giving them the outdoor time they need:
Shorter, More Frequent Visits Outdoors. Instead of taking long walks once or twice a day with your dog, we recommend taking shorter walks 3-4 times a day. This way, your dog still gets all the exercise they need without staying out in the cold for too long.
Consider Purchasing Pet Apparel. Jackets and boots don’t just keep us warm—they can keep your pet warm, as well. If you’re going to take your dog or cat outdoors in the cold, then consider getting them a light jacket to help with the wind and temperatures. This won’t make them impervious to the cold—so take care—but it can make them more comfortable.
Set Up an Outdoor Shelter. If your pet needs to spend a long amount of time outdoors, then we highly recommend preparing them a warm shelter. While you can certainly go for an elaborate set-up, even something very simple can make a huge difference. For dogs, a simple doghouse with straw and blankets can make an immense difference. Still, we recommend keeping an eye on your pets and learning to identify when they’re getting too cold.
A Mobile Vet for Any Winter Pet Ailments
At the end of the day, everyone tends to get sick in the winter—humans and animals alike. If you notice your fuzzy companion coughing or appearing sick, then don’t hesitate to call us at Creature Comfort. Just a quick visit from a mobile vet can make a huge difference. Click here to contact our team today!
