10 Ways to Keep Outside Dog Warm | Winter Care Guide for Dogs

One way to ensure that you make your favorite pet live its entire lifespan is by learning ways to keep outside dog warm. Without that knowledge, several dog owners keep losing their pets in every cold winter, but this article will make it possible to stop such senseless fatalities and miseries.

Allowing your dog to brave cold winters may sometimes not cause your pet to die, but the extent of the health damage will inevitably lead to that destination. For instance, incidences of allergies and pneumonia have been remarkably high in dogs when the climate is cold.

Since people keep dogs for various reasons, some of these lovely animals end up spending their nights in hostile climates. Whether you keep a dog as a pet, a source of security, or for breeding, this article will outline to you the proven ways how to keep outside dog warm.

Be mindful of the breed of dog you keep

This doesn’t show any biases or discrimination for certain breeds of dogs, but you’ll agree with me that some types of dogs are vulnerable than the rest. Large breeds like German shepherds have exhibited that they are tolerant creatures that can live outside. On the other hand, small breeds such as Chihuahuas and the British Bulldogs will always fight for their sleeping positions within your house.

Large dogs have various adaptations to keep outside even when the weather is cold, but as an owner, you should supplement their source of heat. So, the first way of helping your dog to stay warm in extreme climate is by selecting the right breed.

It’s likely that when the dog isn’t groomed, the hair ends up forming tangles. These tangles can make your dog fall on the cold snow during movements, thus making the animal remain wet. Will you now observe the exercise of grooming your dog?

Provide the right shelter

Of course, even the children in pre-schools know that the house of a dog is called kennel, so make an effort that your dog acquires one. Just like in humans, a shelter will remain an essential thing even in the lives of our pets. You avail the kennel before bring the dog home.

A kennel without the right dog accessories is incomplete, and therefore, not fit for inhabitation. If you choose that your dog should have its shelter outside your house, ensure that the structure has crates and blankets on the ground.

It makes no sense for availing a shelter that doesn’t adhere to the needs of your pet. The kennel’s roof should be sloped. Besides, ensure that insulating and heating mechanisms are in place. The structure should equally have an entrance that closes to protect your pet from rains and other harsh conditions.

Elevated dog beds fit the bill    

Even human beds have the design that slightly raises you higher than the ground; your dog will not be an exception to that need. The ground will absorb heat meant for your dog, hence leaving the barking creature shivering in the cold winters.

For winters and other cold periods, adjust your budget to accommodate an outside elevated winter dog bed. If you cannot buy one, making it yourself won’t be difficult. A raised bed will ensure that no heat is lost through radiation.

Winter blankets for winters

The winter season is such a long period that your dog cannot afford to defy the coldness without winter blankets. It’s something that you should fit in your budget even if your dog doesn’t sleep outside your house.

The blankets in question don’t need to be pricey but try to avail soft and warm materials to the pet. Also, old sacks and woolen blankets can equally serve the purpose. Even though you’re putting an effort to eradicate coldness, never forget that the dog should also have some comfort.

Provide doggy sweaters to keep outside dog warm   

I don’t know how you call these clothes; some people call them doggy jackets while others refer to them as doggy sweaters, but one thing I’m pretty sure about is that your pet needs them. Apart from being one way to keep an outside dog warm, the attires make our pets attractive.

Provide additional heating options during cold nights    

Extraordinary circumstances need extraordinary remedies, so we should learn to adjust according to the challenge. I’m aware that you have ways to keep your dog’s kennel warm, but you need to double the effort when the weather is severely cold.

Heated blankets are handy for this course, needless to say how the option is inexpensive but effective. Another option you can explore is the use of hot water bottles when the nights are cold. However, you should ensure the water in the bottles is only warm because the hot one could end up burning your pet.

Pet owners with good budgets can go for heated dog beds to overcome the cold seasons.

Buy for your dog a pair of booties    

Having mentioned that, if you never introduced your pet to these boots in its puppyhood, then you should expect some resistance. Count yourself lucky if the pet accepts the challenge because it will be adorable in the booties.

The boots help your dogs to lower irritation that comes during winter. The season always has snow and salt that do not add pleasure to your dog’s paws. Keep repeating the process because I can assure you that it will take long before the tail-wagging pet gets used to shoes.

Keeping them indoors is also an option

As your dog is making every effort to adjust to the new climate, you should also try to cope with your pet when the weather becomes harsh. A dog being the man’s best friend, I cannot see any problem accommodating your faithful friend in your cozy house.

On the other hand, your dog will try to do everything to entice you until you let it spend the cold nights with you. Again, the orientation for this treatment should begin when your dog is a puppy to make learning easy. I know you won’t like seeing your pet poos, so potty train the pet to lower the chances of spotting messes in your house.

Keep multiple dogs        

The reason why we marry is to gain warmth from our partners, so our pets can also fight coldness when they stick together. The mechanism does not work in dogs but also works in other animals. On many occasions, I have seen sheep bring their heads together when it’s raining.

If you choose this route, it may need a significant budget to provide for each dog. When the dogs are together, they end up playing most of the time, thus limiting the coldness.

Making the doughnut ring

Generating heat during winter is such a tiresome activity which shouldn’t end in futility. After obtaining the precious heat, it’s great to devise mechanisms that can lead to its retention. With the help of soft blankets, you can make a curly shape of doughnut in your pet’s house.

The doughnut shape ensures that heat can only be lost in one direction- the upper. The effort makes it easy to preserve adequate heat for your pet.

Common Frequently Asked Questions (Faqs) You May Have

We cannot conclude this topic without providing answers to your questions. Here are some of the queries that we sampled and their answers;

How can I keep my outside dog warm in the winter?

I rather don’t take more time answering this question. This article has given remedies to the question in eleven different ways. Please read the article once again, and you’ll be spoilt of choices.

Can a dog live outside in winters?

Yes, but it depends on the extent of coldness. If the weather gets to the extreme figures listed in the table above, bring your dog inside the house. However, if the winter isn’t that cold, follow any of the 11 ways to keep outside dogs warm that we have discussed earlier in the article.

What do you do with an outside dog in cold weather?

Bringing a pet home naturally makes you a pet parent, so you should make judgments that are helpful to the tail-wagging creature. If your effort to make your dog stay warm outside is all backfiring, then it’s appropriate to bring the pet inside.

What is the best thing to put in a dog’s house for warmth?

I’ll take about things because they are many features that can enhance warmth inside your dog’s habitat. The main this is several soft blankets, but here’s the list of other items;

• A heater.
• Bottles with warm water.
• An insulated kennel.
• An elevated dog bed.
• Winter dog jackets.

Are outside dogs happy?

A dog kept inside an enclosure appears to be unhappier because it will make an endless howling sound. Your dog will feel free and with the opportunity to exercise more when living as an outside pet. It’s only during winters that your pet hates their cold residence, but they would adjust to the situation with time.

How cold is too cold for a dog to stay outside?

Certain temperatures are so extreme that animal crusaders can accuse you of neglect if you leave your dog outside. The table below will help you to understand the risk that you’re possibly putting your pet to.

Conclusion

If a dog is a man’s best friend, how come do these canines fail to enjoy the comfort of their master’s home? It’s a question that many have asked, considering that other pets like cats even sleep in the same beds with their owners. If your dog has to stay in the cold, then use the ways we have discussed in this article to keep outside dog warm in winters.

We are aware that not all dogs are kept as pets, but for other reasons too. It means some dogs have duties like security to perform outside but create for them an enabling environment for their activities.