The Cold is Coming!

(That's me and my sister Sadie looking pitiful in the snow.)

Hi, everyone!

Well, I just heard on the news that there is an Arctic blast coming--and that means COLD weather for most of us!  My fur-siblings and I get to enjoy a warm house even when the weather is frosty, but some of our furry friends aren't so lucky.  So I thought today I'd give a few hints about caring for your pets in super-cold weather.

1.  Keep Us Inside!  The best way to keep pets safe in cold weather is just common sense:  keep us in the house with our humans, where we belong.  Pets want to be part of the family, so we should really be right up on the couch with our people anyway.  If we are with you, you know whether or not we're comfortable.  When you feel good, we feel good. (A nice warm blanket or throw is always a nice touch for us as well.)

2.  Provide Shelter.  If, for some reason, your pets must be outside in the cold weather, you should provide some sort of shelter.  A nice dog house should be big enough for a dog to move around, but small enough to hold in body heat.  Point the door of the dog house away from the prevailing wind.  Adding some warm, snuggly blankets or hay is also a very appreciated touch.  WARNING:  If you are rigging up some kind of heating device in your dog's house, please be very careful.  Every year, dogs are injured or killed and homes are destroyed when makeshift heating systems in dog houses overheat or get turned over.

3.  Watch Those Feet.  There is nothing cuter than corgi feet (unless it is a corgi butt) and we need to keep those feet protected.  When you take your dogs out for a walk, remember that our feet feel the cold, too.  Also, jagged ice can cut our foot pads, and salt and gravel can be rough to walk on.  Some dogs wear little boots when they walk outside in the winter!  I myself have never worn shoes but they could be a nice fashion statement!  After a nice walk outside in cold weather, you should wipe or wash off your dog's feet--we can get sick if we lick salt or ice-melt chemicals off our feet.

4.  Clothes.  Corgis have a wonderful double coat which helps protect us from the elements, therefore, I've never seen the need to wear clothing besides the gorgeous coat God gave me.  My beagle mix sister Lucy, however, has really thin hair and enjoys wearing sweaters, especially when she goes outside in winter. If you see your dog shivering outside in winter, consider a trip to the nearest boutique for some appropriate (and stunning!) outfits.

5.  Odds and Ends. Just a few words in closing:  We corgis love to eat, as you well know.  We often take the winter cold as an excuse to eat a little extra.  As a responsible dog owner, please be sure not to let your dogs overeat--those cold weather pounds look might cute on us but can be unhealthy.
Some dogs, like my grouchy husky-mix brother Claude, are old and arthritic.  These dogs may need some additional consideration for their joint health during the winter weather.


Well, that's all I've got for today.  My daddy just got home from work and I'm going to snuggle with him on the couch.  That's MY way of beating the wintertime blast of cold.

Love ya,
Lily the Corgi

(That's me on the couch, enjoying a warm blanket.)