You have enjoyed a relaxing and lazy summer. You have taken your canine friend on a few trips and created some wonderful memories. But now it is time to start thinking about the cooler seasons approaching and preparing your dog for winter!

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The end of summer and the beginning of fall are great times to start preparing your canine friend for winter. Whether your dog is one that enjoys living outdoors or in the comfort of your home there are still things that need to be prepared.

For those that love the outdoors, now is the time to make sure the living quarters is up to snuff! How is their dog house? Take some time, as you would with your own house, and check out the structure and landscape. You want to make sure that the material on the roof doesn’t have any rot that would allow for leaks. Check also the foundation of the house, has any of the sidewalls started to split or warp. You want to make sure the walls are secure from the strong winter winds. Also, keep in mind that the bigger the dog house the body heat it will take to warm it up. You should also make sure you will have plenty of area to lay down a warm material that the dog will sleep on during those cold winter days. Taking these precautions now will help prevent any repairs that could be doing on a cold winter’s day.

Dogs with heavy coats such has the classic Husky can withstand wintery temperatures but please be mindful that when the temperature becomes too extreme you should bring your dog into a warmer area such as your garage or even the house. Frostbite and hypothermia can come on quicker than some people realize and we do not want to put our best friend in harms way.

As for your canine friends that live mainly in the house it is time to get out their boots and sweaters. If you do not have these items yet and your dog is short haired such as the "rat" terrier then please consider buying them. These items will not only keep your dog warmer they will also keep them happier!

A sunny winter day is a great time to take a walk. There are some simple precautions that you want to take during those winter outings. If you live in an area where you get a lot of snow and winter mix booties help keep the salt from the road off your dog’s paws. They also help prevent ice and sand getting into their paws. If you have a long haired dog don’t forget to keep the long hair that grows between theirs paws clipped.

Sweaters, jackets, and yes even hats, there are those who love to put a hat on the canine friend, are great items to make sure you have before the cold weather starts in. Isn’t always the case that it is those type of items that we forget about until the cold weather arrives. These items, especially for the short hair breeds, will help keep your dog’s body temperature at a normal rate to protect it from frostbite and hypothermia.

If you are outside and you notice your dog shivering you want to get inside as soon as you can. Shivering is an early warning sign that the dog is not adequately protected from the weather and needs to raise its body temperature. Although hypothermia is more common in puppies than in mature dogs it is still something to always be aware of. If your dog does show signs you want to get inside and warm the dog slowly. Wrap a warm blanket around your dog and massage its body. Bringing the temperature back too quickly could lead to an increase of the metabolic rate with the possibility of increasing tissue hypoxia (a circulatory abnormality in regards to oxygen delivery and demand). If you are not able to warm your dog in a reasonable time (5-10mins) call your veterinarian right away.

I hope that you have found this article helpful. To read more about basic dog care ideas visit me at http://www.squidoo.com/dogcaremadesimple

Dog Care Made Simple is a site to learn basic skills and needs to care for your dog. My interest is with helping others enjoy their canine friend and develop a long healthy relationship. I like to write about dog nutrition, training and general health care tips. Visit my site and learn more about Simple Dog Training