To keep Fido comfortable, keep these 6 pet safety tips for the extreme cold in mind.

Huntingdon Valley, PA -- (SBWire) -- 03/19/2014 --People love dogs and cats and are concerned about the well being, care, and safety of pets. To keep Fido comfortable, keep these 6 pet safety tips for the extreme cold in mind.

1. Keep a warm home
If a dog has a home outside, it should be a few inches off the ground, have insulation and be equipped with a warm basket and blanket. The ideal dog house is just big enough for the dog to stand and turn. Anything smaller will be uncomfortable for a dog, anything bigger will be too big to get warm with body heat.

Keep an eye on the water bowl. During extreme cold water might freeze over leaving the dog thirsty, or might cut the paws on the ice trying to break the frozen layer.

Then again, during extreme cold weather, pets should not be left outside. A backyard is not a home and not only is such an environment lonely, there is no real shelter. Remember, if it’s cold for humans, it’s cold for animals too.

2. Keep playtime limited
Most dogs love running around and playing in the snow, but over exposure to the extreme cold can be damaging to a dog’s good health. When left outside for too long, dogs can suffer from hypothermia too, as well as frostbite. In addition to paws, a dog’s ears, nose and tail are sensitive to the cold.

3. Look after paws
Paws, legs and a dog’s underbelly should be wiped after the dog comes back from a walk. Ice and de-icing chemicals might get attached to paws and fur and can not only lead to bleeding paws, but can lead to poisoning. Items like SafePaw prevent this from happening.

4. Provide pet clothing
If a dog owner can manage it, dogs should wear booties and pet clothing to protect the body. A jacket that wraps around the body from neck to tummy. Not only will pet clothing protect a dog from harmful chemicals, a coat will protect him from losing body heat.

5. Limit shaving
Even though a dog might look better groomed when shaved, refrain from shaving during winter time. If a dog has to be shaved, don’t let the shaver go too close to the skin. A dog needs its fur to keep warm.

6. Be prepared
Winter might bring power outages, frozen pipes and treacherous roads. Stock up on pet food and water so that when the going gets tough there is no need to rush outside for pet supplies. Include pet medication and a first aid kit.

In addition to looking after personal pets, be kind to other animals too. Before starting a car, honk the horn a few times to scare feral cats and dogs away who might have climbed under a vehicle or in the engine. When it’s cold, animals try to stay warm wherever they can.

For more pet safety tips visit SafePaw.

About SafePaw
In 1996 SafePaw was created and designed to sell to the pet industry (retail consumers and veterinarians). SafePaw benefits include:

> No salt in the ingredients
> Guaranteed safe for pets and children
> Environmentally safe
> Won’t harm decking of any kind
> Safe on asphalt, concrete, and pavers
> Safe on plants and shrubs
> Proprietary traction agent (helps prevent slips and falls)
> Won't stain or destroy flooring
> Melts for days

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