Reviewed by Dr Jill McMaster BVM&S MBA MRCVS, Veterinary Surgeon and in-house expert at BorrowMyDoggy on 9 June 2023
If your dog is short-haired or is groomed regularly, you may not need to follow all these tips and should continue with their current grooming schedule. If you are concerned that cutting their hair will leave them cold, you may want to consider a longer cut or a coat.
So, what happens to a dog’s coat in winter? Due to the dropping temperatures, a dog’s coat will usually thicken to help insulate them.
Tip 1: Brushing
To avoid matted fur and tangles, consider brushing your dog’s coat regularly. It may even require brushing daily.
Tip 2: Drying
Remember to dry them thoroughly after wet walks. Dogs are susceptible to chills too and leaving their coat damp may lead to this.
Winter walks often involve dirt, road salt and a variety of other things being picked up by their fur along the way. Even if they haven’t got wet, giving them a rub down with a towel after each walk will remove the majority of these things. The reason for doing this is that it will reduce irritation and dry, cracked skin caused by these irritants.
Tip 3: Bathing
Bathing your dog more often in winter can help avoid dry, itchy skin. This is highly dependent on your dog and their skin though. Using a moisturising shampoo is a great option to soothe their skin and leave them fresh smelling all through the winter.
When there's salt and grit on the roads, a foot bath can help to clear the salt off their feet and between their toes. This reduces irritation and stops your pooch from swallowing the salt when they clean up their paws themselves.
Tip 4: Trimming
With shorter days and dark evenings, you may not be walking your dog as much as you do in summer. If this is the case, you may want to keep an extra eye on their toenails. Less time walking means less time to wear their claws down. If they look like they are getting long or causing any discomfort, you can get them trimmed or if you're confident you won't cut them too short, do it yourself.
