Here are some helpful tips we learned from the ASPCA!

1.Making repeated trips outside and inside from cold to dry heat can cause itchy, irritated skin. Try to keep your home humidified and towel-dry your pup as soon as possible; don’t forget the spaces between the toes!

2. Trim long-haired dogs to minimize clinging of ice chunks, salt, and chemicals that can irritate the skin.

3. Brushing your dog’s hair regularly helps remove dead hair and also stimulates blood circulation which improves skin condition.

4. Apply petroleum jelly into your pet’s paw pads can help protect feet from salt and chemical agents. Also, moisturizing after toweling off helps heal chapped paws!

5. Bring a towel on long walks to clean off irritated paws! After walks, wash and dry your pup’s paws to remove any ice, salt, and snow chemicals. Check for cracks or redness on paw pads and between toes!

6. Try to bathe your dog as little as possible to avoid dry, flaky skin. Bathing too much can remove essential oils that prevent skin from becoming irritated. If you do need to wash your pup, we recommend moisturizing shampoo!

7. If the weather is too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pup! Try to keep them indoors as much as possible during the winter. Do not leave pets unattended in vehicles!