Not to worry; your pals here at Happy Paws Upstate have the best tips and tricks to keep those tails wagging and spirits high, even when snow blankets everything as far as the eye can see. Our guide gives you everything you need to make it through this winter with style, grace, and a smile on your face.

So, grab yourself a hot drink, layer up, and let's get started!

Gimme Shelter!

Your indoor dogs and cats get the lap of luxury when the weather turns frightful, but what about our four-legged and feathered friends confined to the outside? Proper shelter and bedding are crucial for outdoor animals, so you'll want to ensure they're comfortable as temperatures drop dramatically.

For barnyard animals like horses, goats, and cows, you'll want to make sure you're offering a sturdy, draft-free barn or run-in shelter so they can get relief from the freezing temperatures, windchill, and elements like snow and freezing rain. Insulated doors and windbreaks are a nice touch, too, ensuring your animals are holding onto as much heat as possible.

Don't neglect the bedding, either! Livestock like sheep, goats, and pigs do well with thick layers of straw or wood shavings. Conversely, chickens benefit from deep litter bedding made of wood shavings, straw, or shredded paper. This bedding traps heat and helps manage waste while the animals are trapped inside.

Mangia! Mangia! Mangia!

It's easy to eat an extra bowl of soup or stew when the weather is cold, and you're cuddled up in front of the TV, but there's also a scientific reason why having the extra calories may be worthwhile. In colder weather, you burn more calories at rest to regulate your body temperature. So, it's actually helpful in keeping yourself warm as the temperature drops!

The same applies to your four-legged and feathered friends. A slightly larger portion for outdoor animals and house pets that spend time working or playing outdoors will help them better regulate their body temperatures and stay nice and toasty despite the subzero temperatures.

Keep a close eye on the water situation, especially for outdoor animals. Everyone must stay hydrated, but this will be difficult if the water bowls regularly freeze. If you're having trouble with this, keep the water inside the barn or in a special heated bowl or bucket.

Protect Those Paws!

Winter is cold and dry, so chapped lips and dry skin are constant problems for humans. Your dogs and cats are the same, but they experience this issue mostly with their paws.

Worse yet, the salt most towns and cities use to keep the sidewalks free of snow and ice is incredibly rough on paws. Depending on your pooch, dogs who walk on this salt may experience irritation, some of which could be quite severe.

If you're going to protect those paws from ice, salt, and the cold, you'll want to slap on some cute little booties, like these bestsellers, to keep those paws pristine. Not every pup is a secret fashionista, though, so you may not be able to get boots on them. If that's the case, try using a product like Musher's Secret to create a natural barrier between the paw and the street.

It takes a little extra prep time before getting out the door, but your dog or cat will definitely thank you for helping keep them safe and injury-free!

Grooming 101

You may be stuck indoors a lot with your favorite furry friends, which gives you plenty of time to open the at-home grooming salon you've always dreamt of having! Not only does keeping up on the grooming during winter give you an excuse to bond with your favorites, but it also helps keep your animals' coats fresh and ready to defend against the harsh elements of winter.

Regular brushing to remove mats and clumps will keep the coat looking its best and distribute the essential oils of the skin and coat. This means you'll have a luxurious luster and resilient hair that's ready to weather the elements, no matter how cold it gets outside.

Your barnyard animals will need a little extra TLC. Snow, ice, mud, and other yucky stuff tend to get lodged in their coats and diminish their natural insulating properties. Brushing and rinsing this muck out will help them look and feel their best and stay warm as the weather turns frigid.

Don't skimp on the nail and hoof treatments, either. Horses, goats, and other hoofed animals wind up with a lot of compacted snow and mud in their hooves during this time of year, and if left unchecked, it can result in some painful conditions. Show them some love by taking out your hoof cleaning kit and cleaning that gunk out on the reg! They're sure to appreciate it!

'Tis the Season for Bonding

You'll probably still take your best friend for their daily walks, but the long hikes and outdoor adventures will probably be reduced while the weather is especially heinous. When you're stuck shuttered indoors, it can really be a bummer if you're not ready to make the most of things at home.

So, lean into it: throw on your favorite movie, make a snack you and your pets can share, and give yourself an excuse to take a breather and relax for a change! We're sure you—and your furry best friend—have more than earned the time off.

If that simply won't do, you can still have a grand old time inside. Setting up impromptu obstacle courses for your dog or cat, providing puzzle toys to stimulate their minds, or just getting in a good old-fashioned one-on-one play session will do you both a world of good. Sure, the weather outside is frightful, but you and your pet can still have a delightful time together!

Give Us a Call!

We love to hunker down and "hibernate" for the winter, so to speak, but it's also a great time to get together with friends and family. The problem is that you may or may not be able to bring your pets with you when you travel for the holiday or take that long-awaited and much-needed tropical vacation to escape the cold.

No worries; your friends at Happy Paws Upstate have got you covered with the best pet services in the area. We're there when you need someone to swing by your home and feed the cat, check in on your farm animals, or take your dog for their daily walk.

Don't wait; contact us now to book pet care!