It’s almost time for those winter coats and warm night-time snuggles!

Looking at your pooch and the cool months ahead, here’s some advice from our experts at Dig In about caring for your dog all winter long.

1. Sunbake, don’t hibernate
   Melatonin is a vital hormone for your dog’s sleep regulation and is produced in the pineal gland. The pineal gland is light sensitive so melatonin is usually secreted at night in darkness. What this means for your dog is that during winter’s low light conditions more melatonin is produced. This leads to lethargy, oversleeping and even depression. In fact, research collected by The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals has found approximately 40 per cent of dog owners identify a downturn in their pet’s mood during the winter months. So, give your dog plenty of exercise, particularly during the brightest sunlight hours in winter to boost exposure to natural light and stave off the extra winter weight that may result from season-induced lethargy. Also consider placing your dog’s bed under a skylight or close to a window or glass door.
2. Eat more or less?
   It naturally takes more energy for your dog to stay warm when it’s cold so your pet is likely to crave more food to keep up the calories during winter. While increased food intake is advised for outdoor pets who are exposed to the cold, you may need the opposite remedy for inside pets. Indoor animals tend to conserve energy by sleeping more in the winter and doing much less when they do go outside, so you need to adjust the amount of food accordingly. Also consider avoiding frozen or overly cold food for your pet at this time of year.
3. Brrrrr it’s cold in here
   Some dog breeds are blessed with thick fur that keeps them warm naturally, even in very cold temperatures, but dogs with thin coats may need to wear a sweater or coat when outdoors in the winter. A good coat should reach from the neck to the base of the tail and also protect the belly. Also consider that cold weather can aggravate existing medical conditions in dogs, particularly arthritis. Just like people, dogs are more susceptible to other illnesses during winter weather so it is recommended that Dig-In Digestive Gravy Powder is particularly helpful during the winter months to help stave off ill health in your pooch. In fact, some owners have even found Dig In gave their dog more energy to run around and burn off more calories – perfect for combatting the winter blues!

Dig In Gravy Powder works best as a daily preventative, designed to fight against nasty bacteria in the digestive process, and build a stronger immune system over time.

References:
http://www.petmd.com/dog/care/evr_multi_caring_for_pets_during_winter
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/15-winter-care-tips-for-your-dog/
http://www.rspcavic.org/health-and-behaviour/seasonal-health/winter-care
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201301/do-dogs-have-winter-blues-or-suffer-sad
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/
http://dig-in.com.au/product/digestive-gravy-powder/