Winters can be brutal. The chilly winds, the layers upon layers of clothing just to step out for ten minutes, and the blinding white, unforgiving snow – it can all get to be too much, really. But while we can don on our favorite sweaters and mufflers, our furry little friends can’t. They depend on their bodies, their fur, and us to keep them protected from the cold.
Winters seem to make us all feel lazy and lethargic. Take your dog to the dog park, however, and you’ll notice that he is twice as active as he is during the summers. Contrary to what it looks like, it’s not because your dog loves the cold. If he’s running around excessively, it’s to get rid of the cold and warm himself!
We all hear of a lot of talk of altering our dog’s diet according to the weather, but most never understand the science behind it. There is no rule of the thumb when it comes to changing your dog’s diet plan. There are important factors that need to be taken into account when deciding how much and what to change in your dog’s diet. Let’s help our furry friends spend the chilly weather comfortably and happily.
Factors Affecting Your Dog’s Diet
Altering a dog’s diet entails both the quantity and the quality of the diet being provided. Some people believe that since most people don’t take their dogs out for regular walks during the winters, their food should be reduced to prevent them from gaining weight.
While the amount of exercise does play a part in deciding how much food your dog should be eating, there are other factors and considerations that need to be taken into account besides your dog’s age and size. These factors are relevant in determining your dog’s food intake.
Ideally, your dog’s diet should be centered around the following factors:
Weight
Vets constantly remind us that dogs are carnivores. They need high protein content in their diet. While vegetables and grains are great, meat is essential. Some people believe that in winters, it is okay to give the dog more fat, but you should know that fat is just empty calories.
A dog, like any other carnivore, can get all of its dietary requirements from animal-based protein, and that should be the focus of its diet.
Exercise
Basic science, right? The more active your dog is, the more energy it burns, and thus, the more food it needs. Alter your dog’s diet according to its activity levels. If your dog is more of an outside dog, is walked regularly even in winters, taken to dog parks to play and is generally active and playful, it will require more calories to make up for all the energy it is burning.
It has been noted that the same amount of exercise burns more dog calories in winter than in the summers and there is a significant increase in the amount of food required to maintain the same weight in winters.
However, if your dog mostly stays indoors and walks less frequently in the winters, there shouldn’t be a significant change in its diet requirements.
Temperature
Winters are a hard time on your dogs, too. Confused as to how can an external factor like temperature can affect your dog’s diet requirement? To understand this, we need to first understand the difference between a human and a dog’s physiology. They are wired differently than humans and have a different natural defense mechanism for fighting off the cold.
When temperatures outside drop very low, the human body stops blood flow to the limbs to protect our core temperature. However, a dog does the opposite. Its body starts supplying more blood to the limbs in an attempt to keep them warm, burning way more calories, and needing more nutrients to keep up the supply of extra energy and warmth.
This is the core reason why the same amount of exercise burns more dog calories in winters vis-a-vis summers. Thus, dogs need a more nutrient-rich and more substantial diet than they do during summers.
Important Tips for Your Dog’s Diet in Winters
By keeping a few tips in mind, you can ensure that your dog makes it through the harsh winters without any trouble.
Water
Dogs can become dehydrated in winters. Make sure to always keep a bowl of fresh water around for your dog to sip from. Dehydration in your dog can often manifest itself in the form of cracked paws and a chapped nose. Massage coconut oil into your dog’s cracked skin and keep its water bowl full at all times.
Food Content
The content of your food is equally important, as is the quantity. While it is important to include leafy greens and colorful berries loaded with bioflavonoids, you need to make sure that your dog is getting the right amount of protein alongside these greens and berries.
It is also advised to include fewer carbohydrates in your dog’s meal in the winters. Kibble and dog biscuits tend to be dry and are high in grain content. It is best to give your dog raw or home-cooked meals that are high in moisture to keep it hydrated and provide it with the right nutrients to maintain a stable body temperature.
Food Quantity
As discussed earlier, the quantity of food depends on factors such as age, size, exercise, and temperature. If your dog generally stays outside or maintains the same level of activity in the winters, increase its meal size to replenish the energy that it burns through exercising. If your dog stays inside and pretty much sleeps on your couch through the winters, fix its meal plans so that it doesn’t end up gaining unhealthy weight during this time.
Want your dog to play and around and not become a couch potato during the winter months? Is winter too cold to take him out? Register your fur baby at our daycare, and give your dog a chance to play with other dogs in our climate-controlled rooms, where your furry little friend can forget the dreary weather outside and have the time of its life!
