Golden Retriever
Popularity: №3
Origin: United Kingdom
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The golden retriever is a big dog with a lustrous coat that is soft and robust to provide them with the looks that make people fall in love. Everyone believes that these beautiful beings can tolerate and get along well in cold weather. This assumption is true, but there are some factors that you must consider while making the notion to their stay outside in the cold weather.
The following information will help you to learn about cold weather and golden retrievers. You will also learn what to do if they get hypothermia and save their lives.
Cleaning your Golden retriever after retrieving them from cold weather
Golden retrievers love to play in the snow by rubbing their body on the powder surface. They also enjoy splashing in the puddle the most.
These are the most adorable scenes, and you wouldn’t want to be cruel in stopping them from doing so. But once you reach home, you need to take some measures to stop them from getting serious injuries and medical issues. The rock salt sprinkled on the sidewalk will stick to their paws and irritate them. As a result, they will lick their paws, and the hazardous salt will make its way to their digestive tract. Salt is dangerous for GI health, and excess irritation can suffer in skin infection. You need to clean their paws with a damp, warm cloth to remove the salt and ice.
The above-mentioned scenario is the only thing regarding the ice and snow. When your retriever stays out in snow and puddle, they will start liming and suffer from adenovirus or dog flu if you don’t take good care of them. Bathing is not an option in the winter; that’s why making them wear shoes and jackets will give you an extra cushion in keeping them happy and healthy on your daily trips outside.
Bearable temperature for Golden Retrievers
Dogs with a double coat and bigger bodies can stay happy and comfortable in temperatures ranging from 60 to 80°F (15.5°C – 26.5°C). The golden retriever is also such a breed that enjoys cold weather, and you don’t have to worry about much when the temperature is about 45 degrees F (7°C). But the same dog will have to suffer from some issues if the temperature falls below 40 degrees F (4°C), and you have to stay outside in the open for some extended time.
The extremely cold temperature is not a friend of your golden retriever; that’s why you should remain vigilant for the signs and symptoms regarding your dog feeling cold. The dog tucking the tail and bending the legs is a sign of getting cold. When the ears are pinned down along with the tail, now it’s time to get inside. But when your dog starts trembling and shivering, this is the time when things get out of control, and you need to take corrective measures right away.
Safe Location for a Retriever to Live
Your golden retriever will beg you to go outside and spend some time there. Regardless of the weather, they tend to spend time outside with you and other members. But in the cold weather, you need to be vigilant regarding the temperature and weather conditions. When you take your dog outside, and it starts hazy, keep an eye on the temperature. The snow and rain are the cues for you to get back home right away. Once you reach home, rub your dog and remove snow and water from its coat. This way, you are saving them from getting ill. Rubbing their body with a towel will help them get dry and warm in the cold.
When you go outside in the rain, cover their body and paws with gadgets that you can find easily online and in local pet stores. These gadgets will save them from extreme weather conditions. You must keep them safe in the insulated dog house when you go out of the house. The house should be built a few inches above the ground so the dog house will stay warmer than the icy cold surface. Tying the dog outside is inhuman and is not permitted by law. No owner can keep the dog outside tied for 30 minutes at a temperature below 32 and above 90°F.
Following are the conditions that permit you to keep your dog outside:
- When you feel comfortable outside
- Temperature is normal on your device
- The weather is not going to be extreme in the coming hours
- When there is no forecast of snow and rain on the same day
The rule of thumb is that standing in water is comfortable for you when you feel comfortable standing in water. When you are happy and comfortable outside, your golden retriever will feel the same way around. This is the item that allows you to keep your best buddy outside. Once you feel uncomfortable outside, this is your cue to protect the dog from extreme weather.
How well do golden retrievers enjoy water?
Golden retrievers love to play with you in the water and enjoy swimming even in the cold weather. Never let them tread water in cold weather alone. Unsupervised swimming is not safe for pets at all. Always check the water temperature before allowing them to swim in the water. The best measure is to take them in water with you and when you start feeling cold, pull them out of the water no matter how much they are enjoying. When hypothermia starts, dogs don’t react to orders and show the following symptoms:
- Lack of alertness
- Sluggishness or weakness
- Shallow breaths
- Muscle stiffness
- Dilated pupils
When you bathe your dog, never take them outside right away. Even if it is clear outside with the sunshine, the cold wind will still make the damp dog suffer badly. The cold weather will make your dog seriously ill. According to the experts, when you are not feeling comfortable outside in normal clothing, this is not the right time for your dog to play outside. Golden retrievers have a high energy level, and they love to stay outside regardless of the severity of the condition and weather. But that doesn’t mean that they should go outside every day. You must check the temperature and decide accordingly.
How to treat hypothermia in golden retriever
Golden retrievers are made by nature to live in extreme weather, but that doesn’t imply you can keep them outside all the time. If you play outside with them in the cold weather, bring the dog back home after 30 minutes. Once your dog has to bear extreme temperate for more than 30 minutes, they are likely to suffer from hypothermia. You have learned the symptoms of hypothermia; now it is time to pour some attention on treating your dog if the extreme temperature has made them suffer from hypothermia.
If the emergency center is away, you should do the fowling to make your dog comfortable:
- Increase their body temperature
- Wrap the dog in a warm blanket
- Use a hairdryer if you have to dry their hair
- Keep the dog steady in a single place
- Offer some warm water
- Place a warm water bottle covered in a towel or blanket under their torso
- Regularly measure the body temperature of your retriever
If the dog’s body temperature doesn’t reach above 100 degrees after doing many efforts, you should take your dog to the vet right away. Both young and old dogs are more likely to suffer from hypothermia; that’s why you should take special care of such dogs in cold weather. Young and old dogs usually don’t do well after suffering from hypothermia; that’s why you shouldn’t take any chances and rush to the vet right away.
Final Words
Golden retrievers are naturally protected against cold weather with their fur. But that doesn’t mean you can keep them outside in the open in extreme temperatures for more than 30 minutes. These dogs enjoy cold weather in which the temperature remains above 40°F. When the temperature gets below 40, you are advised to keep them inside. When you take your dog outside, try to protect them and make them wear a dog jacket and shoes. Cleaning their paws and rubbing their body is necessary after every trip outside. If you see any sign of a cold, consult your vet right away without wasting time.
