They say that winter is “the most wonderful time of the year.” There are nights spent by the fire and days spent finding the best shopping deals, but for a dog owner, there can be a lot of headaches that come with the winter season.
After talking with the iHeartDogs team, we came up with three easy solutions to what we see as three of the biggest struggles dog owners face in the wintertime.
1. Your Dog Isn’t Staying Active
Has anyone ever told you that you treat your dog like a child? Well, that’s not the worst way to look at dog ownership. You see, dogs, like children, need to stay both physically and mentally active. But when they’re stuck inside, dogs become restless and lazy, which can cause joint issues and slow down brain activity. One simple way to keep your dog moving (without going outside) is to play hide-and-seek. Yes, just like you would play with a toddler!
Simply get your dog’s favorite treat. Throw it across the house, and when your dog goes to get it, hide somewhere. Now, see if your dog can find you. This gets their brain moving while they look for you. When they find you, give them another treat and start the game over.
2. The Dreaded Dog Cough
While this might not apply to every dog, many dogs develop a cough during the winter. If the cough is severe, you might need to visit the vet. After I noticed my pup constantly coughing during the colder times of the year, I went to the vet. The solution was so simple! The vet mentioned that dogs can get coughs from going outside, which every dog has to do at some point in the winter. But if you give your dog warm water to drink throughout the winter, not only will it keep them warmer, it will help ease their cough. My pup has been cough-free ever since.
3. They Drag A Mess Inside
For many people, winter means snow, or at least more rain, depending on what part of the country you live in. The result is your dog dragging dripping water and mud through the house.
The easiest thing to do is buy a specialized door mat just for dogs. The one many of our team members use is Soggy Doggy doormats. You might remember our “Mompreneur Soggy Doggy” post awhile back. The mat is made up of soft “noodle-like” fibers that soak up more water than normal mats. It soaks up all the snow and can save your floor from damage.
Soggy Doggy also offers a super soft and absorbent shammy towel. These two items can save you a lot of money in paper towel costs, since they are machine-washable.
I reached out to the owner of Soggy Doggy, and she was so thankful for the mention, she wanted to offer iHeartDogs readers a 15% discount on their order with the coupon code IHEARTDOGS15.
So, with just a few simple changes, you can make winter a wonderful time of year for you and your pup!
