5 Tips for Keeping Dogs Healthy During Winter Months

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As we approach the winter months, it’s time to think about keeping pets healthy during winter months. Whether you have a dog, cat, or twenty mice in a cage, your pets need to be taken care of just like you do. Everything from where they spend their time to what kind of dog food they eat is so important to their overall health! Plan ahead and make sure that this winter your pets are happy and healthy!

5 Tips for Keeping Dogs Healthy During Winter Months

Don’t Skimp On Exercise: Even though it is cold outside, your dog still needs plenty of exercise. Take your dog out daily for walks, but also make sure to take them to nice areas to play on warmer days. Keep them as active as possible for their overall physical health.

Keep Them Inside & Warm: Even if your dog is typically an outside pet, winter temperatures mean you need to make sure they are inside more often. Install a doggy door, or simply bring them in on a more permanent basis. It is much easier to adapt to having a pet indoors during the winter than to lose one due to the cold outside.

Provide Plenty Of Water: Just because it isn’t hot outside doesn’t mean that you need to stop making sure they are hydrated. Keep plenty of water on hand and make sure to refresh regularly so they are always drinking as needed.

Watch Where They Walk: Winter can be hazardous to your dog’s feet. Salt on the walkways and drive to help melt ice can actually cause irritation on your pets paws. Chunks of ice can also create multiple hazards that could potentially leave their paws damaged.

Be Sure Their Food is Made for Them: If you have a senior dog, then giving them a puppy food likely isn’t meeting them nutritional needs. Likewise, if they have sensitive skin, giving them a traditional formula or one formulated for sensitive tummies is not going to help them with their itching or flakes. Year-round, it’s important to keep them healthy- starting on the inside.

Next month, Bella Notte will turn seven. Seven! It seems like just yesterday that we rescued that rambunctious little puppy- probably because she still acts like a puppy most of the time- but in just a few short weeks she will be considered a senior dog. Her breed is infamous for hip issues and just generally not aging well {she’s half Labrador Retriever}, so we are being proactive and getting her onto a senior formula to make sure that she’s getting everything she needs.

We ordered a bag of Purina ONE Smartblend: Vibrant Maturity 7+ Senior Formula on Amazon {Prime shipping for the win- I would not have wanted to pay shipping on such a heavy package!} because it includes so many of the nutrients that Bella Notte needs, like Omega 6 for a radiant coat and healthy skin, glucosamine to help support healthy joints, and a dual-defense antioxidant blend to help support her immune system. I hope to have Bella around for a long time to come, and making sure that she has everything she needs is the first step to a long, healthy life!

Purina ONE is currently asking dog lovers all over the country to switch to Purina ONE dog food and take the 28 day challenge! Purina believes that by switching their dog’s food to Purina ONE, they will see:

-Day 1+: Taste: When your dog loves the taste of his food, it can make all the difference

-Day 7+: Energy: An optimal blend of ingredients provides the energy your dog needs

-Day 14+: Digestibility: Highly digestible food helps more nutrients go to work inside your dog

-Day 21+: Skin & Coat: Balanced nutrition supports a beautiful coat and healthy skin

-Day 21+: Bright Eyes: Your dog’s eyes are a window to his health

-Day 28+: Dental Healthy: Great nutrition and crunchy kibble support strong teeth and healthy gums

Even though our dog food came in just two days, we’re still not quite to day 7 yet so we’ve only seen the taste difference so far. She really does love this food though, which I was nervous about because she is notoriously picky. {Seriously, she’ll eat the plastic off a baby food container but not most dog food.} I’m hoping to start seeing even more of the benefits from the food!

If you’re looking for a great new food for your senior dog, be sure to check out Purina ONE Smartblend: Vibrant Maturity 7+ Senior Formula! {They also have Purina ONE Smartblend: Chicken and Rice Formula for younger dogs.} You can learn more about making the switch from Purina ONE.

How do you keep your dog healthy in the winter?