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Winter Grooming Tips That Will Make Winter More Enjoyable For Your Dog

23 February 2016 by Victor James

Your dog's grooming needs change with the seasons. All the rain, snow and ice that your dog will encounter on their daily walks outside can be really harsh on their coat and on their skin. Here are a few tips that will help you stay on top of your dog's grooming needs this winter. 

Limit The Use Of A Pet Sweater

Although a pet sweater may protect your dog against the cold, it can also be damaging to your dog's coat and skin. Your dog's sweater can cause friction by rubbing against your dog's skin and coat the entire time your dog has the sweater on them. This can irritate your dog's skin and can cause their hair to become matted.

If you feel that it is absolutely necessary for your dog to wear a pet sweater, brush your dog and make sure that their hair is free of knots and mats before you put the sweater on your dog. Only keep the sweater on them as long as it is necessary. Try to limit the use to when you take your dog outside for their daily walks and bathroom duty.  Remove the sweater when you get back inside. When you take the sweater off, brush their coat again and make sure that you get rid of any mats that may have developed.

If for some reason your dog needs to wear a sweater inside of your home as well, you need to brush your dog's coat on a daily basis to keep it healthy. 

Stay On Top Of Brushing Your Dog's Coat

Your dog's fur will get thicker during the winter months, and it will encounter more natural obstacles, such as ice, rain, mud, and snow. In order to keep your dog's coat from becoming matted, you need to brush your dog on steady basis, especially during winter. 

Depending on how easily your dog's fur becomes matted, you either need to brush your dog's coat on a daily or weekly basis. Doing so will help keep your dog's hair free of painful mats and will keep their coat nice and breathable, which will help your dog stay warm. Regular brushing will also spread your dog's natural oils and help fight the dry skin so many dogs battle during the winter months. 

Finally, brushing on a regular basis during the winter months will help keep your dog's shedding under control and your house a little cleaner.

Don't Forget About Your Dog's Nails and Paws

Finally, don't forget about your dog's nails and paws. Your dog's paws are sensitive, and the products used to melt snow and ice on the sidewalks can really irritate your dog's paws and cause your dog a lot of pain. Additionally, snow and ice can also cause snow balls to form on your dog's feet, which can be painful.

You can prevent this pain by making sure that you trim any hairs that are on the longer side that are growing near your dog's paws. This will help prevent snow and ice from sticking to your dog's paws. Also, be sure to keep your dog's nails trimmed and short during the winter. Long nails will break easily in the cold, snow and ice. 

You can also prevent this pain by rinsing your dog's paws off with slightly warm water or patting them clean with a damp cloth every time your dog comes inside from the cold. This will keep salt, snow, ice and mud from hurting your dog's paws and from getting inside of your house.  

Remember that your dog's grooming needs are a little different in the winter time. Keep your dog's paws clean, and brush your dog on a regular basis to prevent painful mats from forming in their fur. If you follow all the steps above, your dog should be able to make it through winter looking and feeling great. 

For more information about what your dog might need for the winter, contact a supply company like Scrappys Corner.

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