Why is Dog Grooming Important in Winter?
Many people do not feel that their dogs are dirty enough to warrant bathing during the winter, since dogs, like humans, often follow a more sedentary and indoor routine during these months. However, this is not the case. The importance of maintaining your dog’s health during the winter months cannot be overstated.
It is possible for your dog to suffer from health problems as a result of a lack of grooming on its coat. In the same way that human beings get cold when they get wet, dogs get cold when they get wet as well. In the dead of winter, imagine you are walking around wet. The cold affects our dogs in exactly the same way as it affects us likewise.
In general, dogs with long fur and double coats are better prepared for the winter than those with short hair. It is also important to note that these thick coats can quickly turn into a curse if the fur is not properly groomed.
The presence of matted fur can even cause infection beneath the skin. It is therefore important to consider how your dog’s health may be affected if you let the grooming go in the winter.
Useful Tips on How to Groom Your Dog for Winter
The following are some tips that can prove useful for dog grooming in winter:
Rubdowns on a Regular Basis
When your dog becomes wet, whether through play in the snow, a run in the rain, or even after a bath, make sure to thoroughly dry him. Your pet is just as susceptible to colds as you are in the winter, which makes this especially important.
Imagine being outside in freezing temperatures with wet hair: don’t subject your dog to this discomfort, as he does not have access to indoor plumbing. Also, indoor electric heaters can create excessively dry air that can irritate your dog’s skin when its fur isn’t fully dried.
Regular Grooming is Must
In any season, regular brushing of your dog’s coat is a crucial part of the grooming procedure. When brushed regularly, mats and tangles can be prevented, which only worsen as time passes. Skin and coat oils are prevented from being distributed by mats and tangles that cover their surfaces.
Beautiful, mat-free coats keep dogs warm in the winter months, keeping a protective barrier between them and cold air outside. When mats are put on the skin, they tend to hold moisture, attracting snow and debris, allowing bacteria to grow and infect the body.
During the winter months, when conditions become increasingly damp and wet, policing mats and eliminating them at the earliest opportunity becomes even more important. During the winter, it is critical to brush your dogs on a daily basis, even if only for a few minutes. You can use dog grooming scissors for this purpose.
Bathing
The dog, in contrast to some animals, is perfectly adapted to tolerate bathing throughout the year, even during the coldest months of the year. You can reduce the matting and tangling of your pet’s coat by bathing, cleaning, and conditioning your pet’s coat properly.
The chances of this occurring increase when their coat is dirty or when they have not bathed for a long period of time. While this is true, there are some steps you can take during the winter to ensure your dog is warm and comfortable during and after his or her bath.
Consider using slightly warmer water (although not hot) than you would during other times of the year rather than room temperature water. Make sure you thoroughly cleanse their coat with a mild shampoo.
In the event that your pet has a thick or particularly dirty coat, you may wish to wash them again after rinsing. Once the hair has been rinsed, apply conditioner. This step is essential, as it aids in restoring the oils lost during washing, and simplifies the process of brushing and combing. During the colder and drier months of winter, it also aids the health of your dog’s coat.
Take Care of Paws and Nails
Paws, paw pads, and nails are some areas on your pet that need special attention during the winter months. Salt or other deicing agents may be used in many parts of the country and the world during winter to de-ice sidewalks and roads.
Dogs’ paws and pads, as well as their leg skin, may be irritated by these substances. It is also possible for de-icers to penetrate between the paw pads of the feet and cause irritation as they work their way in between them.
As a result, your dog might limp or experience walking difficulties until the deicers are removed. If your dog walks on surfaces with de-icing products, you should wash its paws with warm water afterward. Finally, you should ensure that you inspect your dog’s nails frequently.
In the winter, pets are typically less active, so their nails and claws may grow more rapidly, requiring more frequent trimming. Trimming tools and supplies are recommended as with the rest of the year if you intend to trim your own dog’s nails.
Final Thoughts
As the winter months approach, you may be tempted to relax your dog grooming routine. In reality, though, it is better to take the opposite path. The best way to keep your pet healthy, happy, and feeling great is by regularly grooming him, or even slightly more often in some areas.
It is imperative that dogs be regularly bathed, brushed, trimmed of nails, and have their ears cared for at all times of the year. Your pet will have the best quality of life if they are properly groomed and cared for, and they will look and smell great inside too. We hope this article helps you understand the importance of dog grooming in winter.
DENISE FLECK is an award-winning author, animal care instructor and radio show host. She was named one of Pet Age Magazine’s “Women of Influence” for 2018, a “Most Inspiring Story” in 2017 by Voyage Atlanta Magazine and has been nominated for 6 Dog Writers Awards to be announced in early 2019.
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