How to keep your dogs happy and healthy in cooler conditions.
The temperature's dropping often means it's time to make sure we have enough firewood and our winter jacket doesn’t have any holes in it. Have you thought about your team of dogs too? We look into the simple ways of keeping your dogs healthy and warm during winter.
Housing
Thermoregulation requires energy to keep warm but also to keep cool if the ambient temperature is high. Most working dogs will have short-haired coats and low levels of subcutaneous fat which means they have less body insulation.
Good housing enables more efficient use of the dog’s food with less body heat lost and energy not wasted (shivering) trying to keep warm.
The provision of bedding can be difficult with some dogs destroying whatever is provided, but there are several options and effective methods, including constructing kennels with in-built insulation. Consider doing your own “Healthy Homes Assessment” on your dog kennels.
Dog Jacket
The provision of warm jackets for working dogs has gained acceptance in recent years, and can be highly effective to protect against inclement weather and wind-chill while travelling on truck decks and bike trailers. They are mainly used to significantly improve night-time warmth, more efficient food utilisation and improved sleep.
Our clinics have a wide variety of dog jackets available, from oilskins to padded waterproof ones. If you need help in working out what one will work best for your dog, our team are happy to help you find the right one for your dog.
- Hugh Hasselman
