1. Protect him from the snow, wind and rain with a warm kennel. Make sure it has plenty of room for him to move around in, but is not so big that it can't be warmed by his body heat. It's ideal if you're able to bring him inside with you when it's particularly cold.
2. Lift his bed a little off the ground to keep it warmer. Give him blankets or straw to sleep in and he'll be much warmer. You may want to purchase a heating pad for his bed to make his nights very pleasant indeed.
3. If you still like to go walking in the cold weather, dress your dog as warmly as you do yourself. He'll enjoy wearing a warm coat for his outings. Snow can stick to the hairs between his toes, and form little balls of snow that are painful to walk on. You can buy little leather boots for your dog just to prevent his feet from hurting on your walks.
4. Feed your dog a little more in winter. He'll use up the extra calories in heat production. Don't go too far, or you'll be planning his weight loss program when the weather warms up again.
5. Older dogs can stiffen up in the colder weather and arthritis may become a problem for them. Your vet can recommend joint supplements and perhaps even medication to ease his pain.
6. Watch out for any signs of frostbite on your dog's extremities. This occurs when cold weather constricts the blood vessels to parts of his body. The lack of blood flow means that the tissues will become even colder, and may freeze. The end result is that the tissue will die and slough. The ears, tail tip and toes are most commonly affected.
In both cases, you do need to have your dog examined by your vet. She will warm him up correctly, because if it is done too quickly, it will do more harm than good. Dogs with hypothermia may die if their body temperature rises too fast.
Winter can be enjoyable for your dog, but make sure you take precautions to keep him safe and warm.
