Dog winter coat maintenance: Short coated dog
If you have a short-coated dog, then things are pretty straightforward.
Their top and undercoats will tend to get thicker and reach a maximum length; it is vital in this time to help your pup maintain a naturally healthy coat and prevent it from drying out. To do this, we recommend:
By reducing baths (which dries out the fur and removes oils) and increasing brushing (which helps keep the dog clean and spreads their body’s natural oils), you will find both your dog’s coat and skin naturally become more resilient to cold weather.
By adding fish such as sardines to their diet or providing Omega-3 supplements derived from fish to their meals, your dog’s coat will become more healthy.
Start adding fish and oils before winter if possible. If you haven’t done that, it’s not too late. Now is a great time to start.
Don’t Wait for Dog Grooming Until Spring
As we’ve established, dog grooming is absolutely necessary during winter. If you wait until spring, your dog’s fur will likely be matted. As a result, it will make grooming much more difficult. Plus, the more often your dog is groomed, the more comfortable he will be during the grooming process.
Don’t Let Them Outside with Wet Fur
One of the key differences when it comes to winter dog grooming is regulating their body temperature. For this reason, you want to make sure your dog is completely dry after a bath. Do not let your dog outside to dry off as you may during hotter months. The issue is that the longer a dog is exposed to the cold, the likelier he will experience a drop in body temperature and may even suffer from hypothermia. This occurs most often when a dog is wet.