A Dog’s Diary: Life During Winter
Dear Diary,
Winter is coming. You can tell by the short days, the falling leaves, and the dogs dressed in sweaters (red is totally my color). With ice and cold approaching, I hope that dog owners remember how to keep their pets safe during these cooler months.
Most dog owners know to never leave their dog out in the cold and not to shave their dog during snowy weather. They know to bring us indoors and to make sure we have blankets.
Something else they should know is that winter is especially hard on our paws. Coming in and out of the cold can cause them to get itchy and dry. Usually petroleum jelly can help our pads retain humidity. And owners should take care to wash our paws after a stroll outdoors because of the chemicals that we bring in from things like deicer. We might lick it off if they don’t.
Even though our paws need to be washed, the rest of us can wait. In fact, it’s recommended that dogs get bathed as little as possible during cold months to help us retain the natural oils in our coats, which prevents our skin from getting dry.
Woohoo! I love winter!
Charlie
JJ Keeler lives in Colorado with a house full of pets. She owns three dogs, two cats, and a hamster she bought as a bribe to get her daughter to ride the school bus. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado and has worked as a professional writer for fifteen years. Her clothes are perpetually covered in pet hair.
