Things to Keep our Dogs Safe As Winter Approaches

Windy weather can make life difficult for us dog owners. Not only does it make walks tricky, it can also place our dogs in danger. I have created a list of things we need to watch out for to keep our doggies safe.

If you have a garden, now is the time to do a perimeter check to make sure all your fences are strong and secure. A blown down fence panel can mean a dog can go outside for it’s break and easily wander through a gap. You may not realise that your doggy has wondered off while you are eating your toast or brushing your teeth.

The wind can bring some very exciting smells front and center to our dogs incredible sense of smell. Did you know that a dogs sense of smell is in fact estimated to be anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 times better than a humans? To put this in to perspective, a dog can smell up to 40 ft BELOW GROUND!

If your recall is not strong, then keep your dog on a lead. Auditory commands are secondary to dogs, and can be hard to hear when combined with blustery weather and teeming rain. If you need some help brushing up your recall skills, I have created a little video here that will help. I have also found teaching whistle recall incredibly useful with my dogs, please reach out if you would like more information as to how to train this.

Always make sure your dog is wearing a collar with an ID tag. According to the RSPCA the legal requirement is that your dogs tag MUST contain your name and your address . I also add my phone number as usually that is the quickest way for the owner to be contacted. Without a collar and ID tag it is possible that your dog may be seized and treated as a stray. This can be very costly as most shelters charge at least £80 for the dog to be released. It is also a legal requirement for a dog to be micro-chipped, but for this dog to be identified it usually needs to be taken to the vet to be scanned.

Bright colours for you and your dog are also important. Make sure you can be seen easily, wear reflective clothing and always take our phone with you in case you run it to difficulties. Stay out of deep water and stay away from river beds.

Do you have any top tips for staying safe during the winter months? Please share them below.