If you live in a state that gets very cold winters then you really need to take some precuations for your dog. If your have a large dog and keep them outdoors at night to sleep then you need to make sure that they will be alright. While it is best if they can come indoors at night you can help them in a few ways. Even dogs that have thick fur such as a German Shepherd have sensitive pads on their feet that can become damaged by the cold. So if you have to keep them outdoors you need to at least make sure that the little house or shelter you made for them is mostly wind proof. As you know even a mild breeze on a very cold day makes the cold worse.
Get your dog a sweater or a coat. Many pet stores sell these and if you look you can find good quality ones for a pretty decent price. You can use products that sooth cracked dry winter chilled pads. Make sure that you give them fresh water daily. How would you like to try to take a drink out of a bowl that was a large ice cube? Of course you need to make sure that they have enough food as well.
If the temperatures are extremely cold, you had better just let your dog sleep indoors. The garage is a good place if you don’t want to keep them in the home. At least the garage should be wind proof. Just remember to take extra good care of your dog this winter.
