Healthy Dog Food Could Help Your Dog Survive The Winter Months

Winter is here. While it is recommended that pets are brought indoors during the winter months, this is not always possible. Whatever your reason is for keeping your dog outside during the cold months, it is critical that you take the steps necessary to ensure your dog will survive the cold temperatures. Making sure your dog has a warm place to go and an all natural healthy dog food is critical to your dog's survival.

If your dog must stay outside the majority of the time, he will still need warmth. The best thing you can do is to provide a heated dog house. If you cannot afford a heated dog house, please consider bringing your pet indoors. If you absolutely refuse to bring your pet indoors or can't for any reason, then try to put him up in the garage or in the basement.

Warning: If you set your dog up in the garage, he can be susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Never use a portable heater to provide heat. This could burn your pet or cause a fire. Provide rugs or blankets that can be laundered to help prevent allergies instead of straw.

By making sure your dog has an all natural dog food, you are ensuring he is as healthy has he can be to fight the cold temperatures. An all natural dog food will give your dog the vitamins and minerals necessary to fight off disease and hopefully a healthy dog food will ensure he can survive what the drafty, cold winter will do to his body. An all natural dog food will boost your dog's immune system. Not only will a healthy dog food boost his immune system, but an all natural dog supplement is a great immune system booster. Your dog will need all the help he can get to protect his health this winter.

Your dog may need more calories to maintain a healthy weight. Make sure he is consuming the nutrients he needs by providing an all natural dog food. Pay extra attention to older dogs. Sometimes they will refuse to eat because they cannot withstand the cold as well as younger dogs. Watch for any weight loss in any age dog. For water, be sure to use a plastic bowl. A metal bowl is dangerous to dogs in the winter. Your dog's tongue could get stuck to the side of the metal bowl. There are heated bowls available for purchase.

There are some dogs that are considered to be "Arctic" dogs. These dogs can withstand the cold a little more than the other dogs, because they will have a thick undercoat that will act as insulation. However, even these dogs will need the extra special care during the winter months. Here are a few of the breeds that are considered to be Arctic dogs.

*Samoyed
*Siberian Husky
*Alaskan Husky
*Alaskan Malamute
*American Eskimo Dog
*Akita
*Finnish Spitz
*Norwegian Elkhound
*Shiba Inu
*Chow Chow
*Black Russian Terrier

If it is at all possible, bring in your dog during the cold winter months. If the temperatures go below freezing, it is critical that you find a place for him to go. Dogs can freeze to death, even those that are considered to be Arctic dogs. Remember to feed him an all natural dog food to boost his immune system to help him fight off illnesses associated with cold temperatures.