Should I let my dog's coat grow longer in the winter months?
"No," is the straightforward response. Despite popular belief, allowing your dog's coat to grow long in the winter might be harmful to your pet. This means a continuously wet dog for those canines who are walked on a regular basis during the winter. Imagine swimming in shorts and a t-shirt and then having to sit around in damp clothing, right? It's the same with a dog.
"My advice to dog owners is to keep their pets' fur short, especially on their legs and underbelly."
Because dogs are unable to regulate their body temperatures in the same manner that humans do, keeping a dog dry in the winter is crucial. So, if you have 1 inch of dog hair instead of 6 inches, towel drying or using a hairdryer will be significantly faster. As a professional groomer, I dread winter grooms because the majority of the dogs we see are matted because their coats have been left too long for the winter; the dog is constantly wet and dirty, which causes the coat to "bunch" when laying or sitting, leaving no choice but to clip the dog very short, much shorter than we would like in the winter
Can you offer anything that would help my dog's painful paws after a walk in the snow?
How much do dogs enjoy playing in the snow? When the dog comes in from playing, it's critical that you SLOWLY melt the snow off their coat. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever To melt the large snowballs that stick to the dog's fur and can be quite unpleasant and heavy, just place the dog's legs in lukewarm water or use a hair drier. You may protect your dog's pads by applying a coating of Shaw's Paw Wax to their feet before going outside (it's also wonderful if your dog's pads are dry, cracked, or uncomfortable). This is especially useful when there is frost or ice on the ground. You may then apply some Shaw Paw Wax on it to assist.
Because the salt used to de-ice roads and footpaths is toxic to dogs, make sure you don't let your dog lick its paws until they've been washed in lukewarm water.
What's the best method to keep a dirty coat clean on my dog when it's muddy outside?
I'm afraid I don't have a magic solution for keeping muddy dogs clean that I can share with you! Mud magnet coats are seen in a variety of breeds with various coat characteristics! A silky coated breed, for example, does not retain dirt as well as a wool coated type. In the winter, I keep my three naturally long-haired breeds short. After a walk, I always PAT them down with a towel and give them a brief bath if they are really dirty. There are several fantastic full leg suits on the market that are constructed of a thin, lightweight material that covers the entire dog, including the underbelly and legs..... I have a couple of them.
Regular brushing and visits to the Groomers
Your dog still needs brushing daily even more so in the winter to prevent matting and to remove mats and dirt. Visits to the groomers will help keep your dog's coat in top condition and help by trimming the fur from between the pads on their paws.
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