Baby, it’s cold outside!

8 Cold Weather Tips to Keep Your Pets Warm

Baby, it’s cold outside! Temperatures are quickly dropping in the valley. With news folks chatting about winter weather and freeze warnings on just about every channel, we thought it would be a good idea to send some tips your way to help you make sure your pets stay warm, healthy and happy in the chilly days ahead!

• Inside is the place to be! Never leave your dogs or cats outdoors. If they get too cold or wet, they can get sick, just like you!
• Keep your pets hydrated! Trying to stay warm will take up a lot of your pet’s energy. Make sure there is always fresh water available for your animals! Don’t forget — your pet will need extra food during the winter months, too!
• Dress for the season. Have a shorthaired dog? He may be more cozy in a doggie sweater during walks. Try to find a coat or sweater with a high collar (think turtleneck style) and coverage all the way to the belly. Just because you’re a pup doesn’t mean you can’t be fashionable!
• Cozy up! Just like you, your furry companion wants a warm place to sleep. A dog or cat bed with a blanket or pillow away from drafts is purr-fect! (Don’t forget — our shelter pets want to stay comfy, too! Donate new and genty used linens to help them stay happy and healthy during the winter!)
• Never leave your pet alone in the car! In the winter, the car can become a refrigerator, causing your pet to freeze to death.
• Put the clippers away! Never shave your dog down to the skin in the winter — his coat will provide warmth. And if your dog needs a bath, dry him off completely before taking him outside on a walk.
• Heading for a snowy hike at Mt. Charleston? Don’t let your dog off leash. Dogs can lose their scent easily and become lost in the snow. Don’t forget to make sure your pet wears an ID tag and has a microchip (with up-to-date owner information linked to it).
• Be cautious when you start your car. The warm engines of parked cars are a magnet for outdoor cats. They love sleeping under the hoods when it’s cold outside, but when the motor starts, the kitty can be injured — or even killed — by the fan belt. Bang your hood loudly before start the car so cats have a chance to move away!

These tips are recommended by The Animal Foundation of the USA.

And here's one more tip from me! For small to medium size dogs you can make your own warm and cozy pet carrier, using my original pattern.

This one is made of long hair faux fur with golden strings and it sparks! Looks really cute and fancy!
You can also order it from my Etsy store.
If it's too furry for you, you might like those, made of short hair soft faux fur, or made of soft and cozy fleece.

 I designed this pattern when Jack was a baby, but it didn't last long! Golden retrievers grow real fast!

And here are some pictures from my customers, who really enjoy to carry their puppies around!

 And one of my customers were real KANGAROOS! Can you believe it!!! I just called this carrier "Kangaroo pouch" because it looks like kangaroo mama, carrying her babies in her naturally created pouch, but this name helped their owners to find exactly what they needed! Aren't they cute?!!!