By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com

When frigid temperatures and blowing wind sweep into the area, people aren’t the only ones who need to take care in the winter weather. Victoria Carmean, director of the Humane Society Serving Crawford County, said properly taking care of dogs living outside should be high on the list for winter preparedness.

“Dogs should have dog houses that fit the dog,” Carmean said. “They need to be dry, they need to have plenty of bedding, and they need to be out of the wind.”

Carmean said it didn’t matter whether an owner had a natural windbreak around the doghouse like trees or shrubs or whether an owner made one out of straw – any option would work as long as the animal had access to an area out of the wind.

“They have to be kept dry and out of the wind – those are the two major points,” Carmean said.

In addition to a windbreak, Carmean recommended to have a flap over the door of the doghouse to contain any kind of warmth. She said that dogs should also be fed a little bit more in order to keep their body conditioning up.

“They will expend a lot more energy to stay warm in this kind of weather,” Carmean explained. “And they have to have fresh water. Snow is not a viable option because that drops body temperature.”

When it comes to providing a dog with a little extra insulation from the cold, blankets are actually one of the worst things an owner can use during this time of year, Carmean said.

“They absorb more of the moisture from the dog. Dogs don’t necessarily sweat but they do exude moisture through their breathing and such,” Carmean explained. “And if it’s on the ground, it’ll pick up moisture from the ground.”

Carmean likened it to a camper waking up frozen due to a cold and wet sleeping bag after sleeping outside on an August night.

“It’s the same principle: if the bedding gets wet, you’re going to get cold,” Carmean said. “So straw is the best bedding this time of year.”

Doghouses should be full of straw, which should also be emptied and replaced on a regular basis.

The rules to follow in taking care of a dog during cold weather are the same that are followed to care for any livestock or other animals that are housed outside, Carmean added.

The Humane Society has received a lot of calls recently with the bitterly cold weather, mostly with concerns of dogs outside with doghouses. Carmean said in most of these cases, the dogs have been there the entire time but some considered this to be a problem.

“Most of these dogs, the doghouses, the way the dog’s body is conditioned, the way they are being kept is fine,” Carmean said. “It’s just now, because it’s so cold, people are worried. And that’s when we get the calls.”

That’s not to say that calls shouldn’t be made. Carmean believed it was better to err on the side of caution rather than to have an animal suffer in the cold.

“If you see a concern – call us. I would like to see the dogs inside,” Carmean confessed, “but that’s not going to happen with all of them, unfortunately. So, at that point then they have to be kept properly. And that’s where we come in.”

If the dog is not being cared for properly and there is a real issue, Carmean said they try to educate owners and have straw available to be used as bedding if it is needed. If those options do not work, the Humane Society can take the dog.

“It is considered cruelty and neglect,” Carmean said.

Carmean is no stranger to seeing the horrors that winter weather and neglect can bring to dogs.

“Last year we had a dog whose doghouse had blown over with snow. He could not get in. He had no shelter whatsoever,” Carmean said. “And this is a dog that under normal circumstances should have been comfortable outside.”

The dog in questions was an elkhound mix. Elkhounds are typically extremely hardy dogs with thick coats that help them withstand the cold.

The elkhound mix’s doghouse had been completely drifted over. The dog could not get in the shelter and could not get out of the wind, two of the biggest factors in keeping a dog safe and healthy during winter weather, Carmean said.

“The condition of his doghouse and his enclosure didn’t afford him any shelter at all and we did take that dog.”

The best way to care for a dog that lives outside during the winter, Carmean said, is to make sure they have shelter, they are dry, and they are out of the wind.

If anyone considers an animal to be abandoned, abused, or neglected, they should call the Humane Society at 419-562-9149. Straw is also available at the shelter.