Baby it’s Cold Outside
OMGoodness I can’t believe we’re already into fall – my warm weather is gone until spring – gasp! If I could experience winter from the comfort of my home, I probably wouldn’t mind it as much. As it is, I sigh as I pack away the warm weather clothes and grudgingly haul out the sweaters and socks.
As the colder weather approaches you may want to let your Doodle’s coat grow a little longer for extra warmth. It will keep him warmer inside and out on cold dry days, but a little extra care needs to be taken on wet days. The longer fur will keep moisture next to his skin and become chilly fast. Additionally wet fur allowed to air dry without combing will tend to form mats. We keep our Soggy Doggy towel by the back door to get most of the moisture out and run a quick brush through if they’re too wet. Winston and Tula love a good romp in the snow, followed by snuggling up next to a fire to warm up.
A fur coat is good for his torso, however, long foot hair creates problems in the winter months by allowing ice to build up between his toes. It’s a good idea to remind your groomer to clip the hair between their toes to avoid ice clinging. Even with shaved tootsies, be sure to check between his toes for balls of ice. If ice forms on any hair between his toes, it’s extremely uncomfortable and can cause sores that make it painful to walk. Rock salt and other ice melt formulas irritate a Doodle’s foot pads. Even the formulas labeled “pet safe”are just “relatively safer.” They’re a good alternative, but still need to be washed off your Doodle’s feet after coming into contact. If something is irritating his feet, his remedy is to lick it off – allowing him to ingest it will irritate his tongue and digestive tract. On walks, guide your dog away from rock salt and get it off his feet as soon as you can if he happens to step in it. Encourage him to walk into snow; if he’s reluctant to put down the burning foot, wipe it off with fresh snow.
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