Who Let The Dogs In? Keeping Your Canine Cozy This Winter

By O’Brian Gunn

DENVER ISN’T EXACTLY KNOWN for having the kindest of winters. (Our winter season is more likely to knock you over the head in a dark alley and rob you of every bit of warmth you have.) Besides the winters, the Mile High City has also developed a reputation of being crazy about canines. Make sure little Fido or Fida has what it takes to survive the plummeting mercury outside before you make yourself toasty and warm inside.

WHAT DETERMINES HOW WELL YOUR POOCH CAN HANDLE THE COLD?

Your dogs’ current nutrition, age, coat density, and health are the biggest determining factors in whether or not they’ll be fine outside in the cold or if you’ll want to bring them inside to join you by the crackling fire.

A healthy, fully-grown Gordon setter or border collie on a diet rich in protein and fat is better able to handle below-zero temperatures than an older or younger dog of the same breed. Even if your dog is a border collie or Gordon setter, it’s best that you bring them in at night and that you keep them in a doghouse with plenty of straw if they absolutely have to stay outside.

AWAY IN A DOGGY MANGER

Dog breeds that are well-known for being able to tolerate the cold are:

• Akita
• Chow chow
• Samoyed
• Siberian Husky
• Keeshond

Any breed with a thicker, more luxurious coat is able to withstand the frigid might of the elements. Not matter what breed of dog you have, bring in puppies that are eight weeks or younger. Dogs aren’t able to properly regulate their body temperature until they’re around two months old, and even then the cold can still leave them huddled inside of their dog home and unwilling to play or move around.

YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE COLD!

Specific dog breeds that will need to be brought inside or decked out in the finest of doggie couture to stay warm include:

• Greyhound
• Cardigan Welsh Corgi
• Canaan dog
• German Shorthaired Pointer
• Great Dane

It can sometimes be challenging to tell when your dog is lounging and when it genuinely needs to come inside to warm up. If you ever see the four-legged members of your family shivering or refusing to come out of their home, it’s time to bring them into yours.

A WARM AND HAPPY HOME

Any dogs that are able to handle the cold should have the right type of doghouse. Their home should be small enough that it can be warmed with body heat but big enough that your dog can actually move around inside. If at all possible, lift the doghouse off of the ground and spread a thick layer of dry straw beneath it to help keep the house insulated. Straw that’s wet isn’t able to insulate as well as straw that’s dry, so make sure it doesn’t get wet from any snow on your dog’s fur.

The winter season is the perfect time for you and your dog to do some bonding, enjoy a bowl of hot cocoa, and talk about the best fetchers in the DFL (Doggie Football League). Besides, warming up with your canine companion is better than using a blanket.