How to Keep a Dog Warm When It's Cold Outside

Even dogs that are bred for cold conditions can experience frostbite if they don't have proper shelter.

Just like humans, dogs can get frostbite, especially on their noses. Even dogs with full winter coats can get cold when the temperature hovers around zero for several days. It is best to bring your dog into the house during extremely cold weather, especially at night when temperatures tend to drop. However, if you cannot keep your dog inside it is important to provide your dog with adequate housing, and insulation for added warmth, during those cold winter months.

Things You'll Need

• Large doghouse
• Straw
• Sheet of plywood
• Doggie sweater and booties

Instructions

1. Purchase a doghouse that is two to three times the size of your dog so you can add insulation and bedding to keep your dog warm and cozy on extremely cold nights.

2. Add a bale of fresh straw to your dog's house about a once a month during winter. Open the bale and spread and fluff the straw to increase its insulating ability.

3. Nail a full sheet of plywood up a few feet from the doghouse to block the freezing wind from blowing directly at the doghouse. Touch the long end of the plywood to the ground so the wind doesn't blow under it. If there isn't a tree nearby to nail the plywood to, sink a wooden post into the ground, pour a bag of dry concrete into the hole, and finish filling the hole with dirt. When the concrete hardens, the post will stand firm. Nail your plywood to the post.

4. Feed your dog extra food during the winter months and provide fresh water several times a day. A dog burns more calories in the winter to keep warm, so it needs more food just to maintain its weight. Fat is an excellent insulator, so if your dog can add a few pounds in the winter it will stay warmer. Water freezes quickly in the winter, but your dog needs water so replace it whenever it freezes. Consider rotating buckets; bring the frozen one in the house, take the thawed one back out.

5. Put a roof or a tarp over your dog run so the rain and snow cannot fall into the pen. A dry area and a dry dog stay warmer.

6. Knit or buy your dog a sweater and doggie boots to wear outside, especially if you have a toy or miniature breed. Small dogs can also be trained to use pads or litter boxes so they do not need to go outside in the winter when it is too cold.

Tips & Warnings

• A wet coat isn't a warm coat, so keep your dog dry.

• Dogs can freeze to death and die if left outside in freezing temperatures without adequate protection.