Every morning before their walk this winter, Hannah Pennell pulls a little sweater on Bandit before heading out the door.

If it’s raining, she has a raincoat for him. A terrier mix about 9 years old, Bandit’s own coat has gotten pretty thin, and it’s especially thinned after Pennell, a pharmaceutical technician at Ingles in Weaverville, has him clipped.

“When he was standing out there shaking, I thought this was a good sign my poor baby’s cold,” said Pennell, who walks him twice a day.

Bandit has a sweet life living indoors with Pennell, but not all dogs are so lucky. Fur coats don’t always guard against exposure, frostbite and dehydration when water bowls freeze.

What pet experts say

“If it gets really, really cold, bring your dog in,” said Mike Moore, owner of Pet’s Delight pet store on Charlotte Street in Asheville. “Extremely cold weather and extreme winds definitely affect their health. You wouldn’t want to be out there in your underwear in a cold wind.”

Another suggestion: “Get them a really nice coat,” said Adelaine Lockwood at Blaze-n-Skyy Pet Boutique and Wellness Center on Wall Street in downtown Asheville.

WAYS TO KEEP YOUR PET SAFE THIS WINTER
• Animals you should bring inside: Puppies and kittens, elderly and small ones, dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers and Dobermans.

• Wipe off your dogs’ or cats’ legs, feet and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them.

• Wood doghouses are warmer than plastic ones, but high-end fiberglass houses should provide enough insulation. Place them in a sunny location, and raise the house off the ground several inches.

• A flap over the door will keep out cold drafts. Straw also makes for good bedding (blankets can freeze).

• To keep your dog from getting snow in their paws (it’s painful), rub baby oil on them or buy some dog booties.

• Glow-in-the-dark bandanas help people see pets at night.

• To encourage them to do their business outside when it’s cold, clear their preferred area of snow.

• During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines. Bang loudly on the hood of your car before starting the engine.

• Increase animals’ food rations during winter because they are burning more calories to keep warm. Also, be sure that animals are free of internal parasites, which can rob them of nutrients.

Source: Lockwood, Moore and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

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