By Judith Roberts
Time is still available to prepare your four-legged furry family members for the winter weather weekend.
Whether outdoor or indoor companions, pets of all shapes and sizes have certain considerations during cooler temperatures.
Sharon St. Andre, Puppy Preschool coordinator and trainer at Ruston’s Sexton Animal Clinic, said it’s important that all animals have a warm, dry shelter.
“Straw makes a good bedding or (having) plenty of blankets,” St. Andre said. “Check bedding regularly to make sure it’s dry. Face the shelter or doghouse away from the wind if at all possible. If the shelter is a kennel or doghouse, it could be moved inside a garage or shop or barn.”
Bill Sanderson, director of Ruston Animal Control, said shelters could be even created for feral cats.
“If the cats were up around a home or such, they’re going to find locations under the house or in areas of a house that are warmer. They’ll catch radiant heat through the floor, but those that don’t have access need a shelter of some kind,” Sanderson said. “There are a number of plans that you can find on YouTube or on the Internet that utilize an ice chest or a plastic bin. There also needs to be bedding and somewhere to be able to curl up with insulation from below and above.”
St. Andre said for indoor pets, taking them outside to relieve themselves should be for a short amount of time and to monitor pets closely to make sure they aren’t too cold.
“Take them out for their bathroom needs. Give them time to use the restroom and explore if they want to,” she said. “Don’t leave them outside unattended. (For) sweaters, I think it’s a matter of opinion. We have dogs that come to school in sweaters. Some keep them on and some try to take them off. Booties for their paws may be necessary when they are out for long periods of time and walking on ice. If you have an inside dog and want to go for a walk, booties may be something to consider. But you’ll have to train your dog and help them desensitize to the sensation of those weird things on their paws.”
Sanderson added that many owners may be worried about their furry companions getting lost during the winter weather, and modern technology can assist with easing emergency situations.
“We encourage everyone to utilize several items that are available for pet identification,” he said. “One of the older ones and one of the most dependable is going to be microchipping, When an animal comes into the shelter where a microchip has been installed, we can immediately scan, access that information and make contact with the owner.”
Sanderson said recently, Ruston Animal Control reunited an owner from Baton Rouge who had been searching for his dog for two years. The return was due to a microchip in the dog.
“When the owner came into the shelter, the excitement took about 15 seconds,” Sanderson said. “It took 15 seconds for that dog to recall, and then that dog went crazy here. So we got to witness a beautiful reunion.”
Other suggestions Sanderson gave included an Apple Air Tag that shares GPS locations or something similar.
“If they’re a valuable family member, I would recommend GPS tracking,” Sanderson said.
Sanderson and St. Andre added that some dogs enjoy the cold weather – and to let them — in safe amounts.
“When a dog is well fed and watered and is healthy, they like being outside in cold weather,” St. Andre said. “It’s ok to give them time outside, supervised. Often you’ll find dogs at play out in rainy, snowy or icy weather. The key is to always have shelter available to them for when they are ready to rest. It’s also important to realize that dogs burn more calories in the winter and that their (food) should be adjusted accordingly.”
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