Know their limits.
Different dogs handle cold weather differently. You must learn your pet’s limits to the cold. Dogs with longer, thicker coats may be able to tolerate being outdoors for longer periods of time or in colder weather as opposed to dogs with shorter coats. Being lower to the ground also affects how chilly your pet can get. Older dogs are more prone to aches and pains caused by past injuries or arthritis and are more prone to slipping on ice. Pay attention to the sometimes subtle sign your dog gives you to make sure you can adapt to what they need to stay comfortable in cold weather.
Check their paws.
Your dog’s paws can easily get damaged with all the salt on the roads, not to mention the fact that they are walking on below freezing concrete. Snow and ice can also accumulate between your pet’s toes so try to keep the fur around their paws nice and short during the winter. Booties are available for all size dogs to help with snow accumulation and paw damage caused by road salt.
Make sure that after walks, you wipe down your pet’s paws and bellies to not only keep your home clean but help prevent any chemicals used to prevent slipping and ice building from penetrating into your pet’s system or damaging their paw pads. There are products available to help keep your pet’s paw pads moisturized and protected during the cold winter months.