10 hints and tips on tackling winter weather walks with your dog

The winter weather doesn’t just have an impact on us, it can also affect our dogs. Despite their thick coats, our furry friends can still be vulnerable to the elements. 

Does your dog enjoy the winter weather and love to chill out indoors where it’s cosy, or do they get bored easily and prefer having fun in the sun?  

Whether your canine companion adores winter or impatiently awaits the arrival of spring, explore our top tips to help you tackle cold, wet, winter weather while walking with your dog…

Navigate to specific top tips for tackling winter walkies:

1. Making sure you’re both visible.
2. Considering safety precautions.
3. Carrying a torch.
4. Having a towel at the ready.
5. Helping your dog stay warm and dry.
6. Waterproof wear.
7. Shorter walks.
8. Checking your dog’s paws.
9. Keeping them on a lead.
10. Avoiding snow and ice.

1 – Make sure you and your dog can be seen 

Unfortunately, winter leads to darker mornings and evenings – though they tend to be the only times we have available to walk our dogs around work and other commitments. So, staying safe while walking your dog in the winter means making sure you’re both easily seen, whether by drivers, cyclists, or fellow dog walkers. 

High visibility wear, such as flashing collars or hi-vis jackets, could improve the safety of you and your best fur-riend as you venture out in the dark for walkies. 

Visit our article containing products to keep your dog safe on dark nights for hi-vis inspiration! 

2 – Consider taking some safety steps 

Walking in the dark might be worrying for many people, especially if you are unable to get out and about during daylight hours. To help you and your canine companion feel safer, you could stick to well-lit places or routes you know well. 

Perhaps consider meeting up with other dog walking friends or take a family member along to stretch their legs, as you walk your best fur-riend together. 

No matter what time of day it is, it’s a good idea to carry a mobile phone. Having a phone with you while walking your dog isn’t just helpful in case of emergencies, it could also offer you a sense of reassurance. 

Top safety tip: Downloading an app like what3words could be useful when trying to work out your location if you get lost or in an emergency.

You could also consider letting your friends and family know where you’re planning to go and the approximate time you expect to return home whenever you walk your dog.

3 – Carry a torch

Days tend to feel shorter during winter, and the little light we do get seems to fade rapidly! Carrying a torch when out and about on those dark winter walks might provide an added sense of safety. 

While our four-legged friends have great eyesight, a torch can help us to see more clearly. A torch may even assist in preventing slips on uneven ground, thanks to improving the visibility of your surroundings. If you carry a torch, it might make you slightly more visible to other people as well.

Additionally, having a torch means you can keep an eye on your pooch – and clean up their poo more easily in the dark! 

There are also plenty of LED headtorch hats available, so you can remain hands free on the move. 

Top tip: Keep a spare torch in your car! Not only does this mean you’ll always have a torch available if it gets dark while you’re out, but it’ll prove invaluable if your car ever breaks down.

4 – Have a towel ready at home (or in the car)  

Winter is the prime season for your dog to get wet and muddy. So, it’s a good idea to prepare some items before you leave the house, ready for your return with your mucky pup. 

Having a towel handy by the door (or in your car) is a simple yet efficient way to dry your dog’s coat quickly after a wet winter walk! 

5 – Keep your dog warm and dry 

Some dogs can be sensitive to cold, wet, and windy weather conditions. As temperatures drop below 0°C, it’s highly recommended that short-haired, smaller, young, and/or older dogs wear a correctly fitted coat to help them stay warm and dry while out walking. 

There are many different types of dog coats available, so it’s always best to ask a vet’s advice – especially if you’re unsure as to whether your dog needs a coat.

Other ways to keep your dog warm and dry after a walk include:

• Drying them off as soon as you return home if they’re wet and/or muddy.
• Setting up a cosy, comfortable bed for them – away from chilly draughts.
• Switching on the central heating, to warm up their home environment.

Important: Staying warm and dry is especially critical for dogs who suffer from health conditions like arthritis. 

6 – Don’t forget your waterproofs 

Keeping yourself warm and dry is also important when tackling winter walkies with your canine companion.

Layering up is essential if you’re out in cold temperatures and wet weather – investing in thermal clothes could help you feel more comfortable in adverse conditions. A durable pair of waterproof walking boots and a high-quality waterproof coat could also make all the difference to your winter dog walking adventures. 

Plus, if you’re feeling warm and dry, that might help you to enjoy winter walks a little more, too! 

7 – Consider shorter walks 

While it can be tempting to maintain your dog’s usual routine of long walks through the winter, cold weather conditions and increased darkness tend to amplify any safety risks. So, if it’s dark or the weather is especially cold, rainy, or windy, it might be worth sticking to more frequent, shorter walks throughout the day instead. 

There are plenty of ways to keep your canine companion active and entertained when they aren’t able to go for long walks during the winter, such as:

• Playing indoor games, like hide ‘n’ seek or setting up an indoor agility course.
• Introducing them to puzzle toys that keep their mind active.
• Teaching them new tricks.

If you’d still prefer to take your dog on long winter walks, you’ll need to be aware of health issues that might arise from exposure to wet and/or cold conditions. For example, hypothermia in dogs can be caused by spending time in cold environments or getting wet and being unable to dry off quickly enough. 

Symptoms of hypothermia in dogs include:

• Shivering (though if a dog becomes extremely cold, they’ll stop shivering).
• Pale gums.
• Drowsiness.
• Lack of co-ordination.
• Slow, irregular heartbeat.

Please contact a vet immediately if you think your dog may be suffering from a health condition like hypothermia.  

First aid for hypothermia in dogs:

• Contact a vet as soon as possible and follow their instructions.
• If your dog’s coat is wet, dry them thoroughly with a towel.
• Warm them up gently, by placing your dog onto blankets and wrapping blankets loosely around them.
• Try to encourage them to drink lukewarm water.
• Slowly increase the temperature around them (at home or in the car) – being careful not to warm them up too quickly.

Important: Avoid using a hot water bottle or heat pad for your dog, due to the risk of burning their skin. 

8 – Check your dog’s paws 

The winter cold can affect your dog’s paws, too. So, as part of your winter routine, you should take the time to check their paws after walks for any signs of injury or irritation. Careful attention should be made to remove any debris, gravel, thorns, grit, or salt in between the toes. 

Unless their paws are thoroughly cleaned after every walk, there’s a chance your dog could ingest (swallow) poisonous substances, like rock salt or chemicals, when they lick their paws. 

Here are several symptoms that might suggest your dog has ingested something like road grit or rock salt:

• Increased thirst.
• Dehydration.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhoea.
• Lethargy (quieter than usual).
• Convulsions (fits).

Whether or not your dog shows signs of rock salt poisoning, please call a vet straight away if you suspect they’ve licked or swallowed something toxic. 

9 – Keep them on a lead 

It can be tempting to let our best fur-riends frolic freely in the snow or bound through muddy puddles during the winter. However, wintry weather can make it challenging to see what’s around you – which means it’s harder to keep your dog safe if they’re off their lead.  

Depending on your canine companion’s coat colour, it may also be easy to lose sight of them in the snow!

Remember: In the interests of safety, wintertime is an opportunity to make sure your dog’s microchip details are up to date and that there’s an ID tag attached to their collar.

10 – Stay away from snow and ice 

As pretty as it can be to look at, snow can hide an array of hazards. Not only can heavy snowfall quickly cause you to lose track of where you are while out walking, but dangerous chemicals, like antifreeze, could lurk beneath the surface.

Ice is a well-known slip hazard, and it’s easy for icy patches of ground to become hidden during wintry weather conditions.

Even if they love splashing through streams and muddy puddles, it’s also essential to keep your dog away from water sources during the winter – particularly if it’s icy. While puddles could conceal sharp objects or a deep pothole, frozen ponds and lakes can crack under your dog’s weight and cause them to plunge into freezing waters unexpectedly. 

Get inspiration for keeping your canine companion entertained when they can’t venture outside in cold, icy conditions by reading our article about keeping your pet safe in the snow. 

Don’t forget! If you’d like extra guidance about caring for your dog in the winter, you can access expert veterinary advice at any time, from anywhere, through the Joii Pet Care app. 

For even more handy hints, to help your dog stay happy and healthy through every chapter of their life, check out our canine advice guides!