To some species of dogs, newly fallen snow looks like a blank canvas where they can zigzag their tracks and create their version of a snow angel. But for others, the snow is like a cake; they want to dig their tongues and eat it like sugar.
What attracts them?
There is no one answer to the question of what attracts dogs. The white stuff in front of them compels the dog to eat it. Maybe your puppy is thirsty, or the snow is fresh enough to attract them. It may look like a bowl of water that grabs attention. Perhaps the dog likes the texture and the refreshing sense of the cold, melting snow. It attracts their tongue and their vision. It may be a throwback to their breed ancestors who relied on the snow and stayed hydrated. Yes, you heard right. There are various reasons, which attract your dog to the snow.
Seeing your dog eating the snow like ice cream might give you a headache. You may be thinking, is it safe for your dog to eat the snow or not? Let’s explore the answer in detail.
Clean, fresh snow is pure and good fun
If you follow the thumb rule, the dog will catch its tongue if it gets fresh snow. It is decent for the species to lap it up in minor quantities. After all, it is crystallized water
The only danger with the snow is when the dog eats a considerable amount of it. Gobbling up a vast quantity of snow may trigger vomiting, like what happens to your dog when they gulp in too much water. It may also reduce their core body temperature and make it difficult for them to stay warm when it is chilly. When you think is eating snow bad for dogs, only a veterinarian can answer this question. They are experts in this.
If the dog obsessively eats the snow, it might be a sign of underlying health issues like diabetes, kidney condition, and other diseases. You need to consult the veterinarian as early as possible to understand the problem with your dog.
Be cautious regarding the deep dive
Fresh snow lying on the surface might be fine, but if the dog wants to bury itself in the depth of the snow, you may be concerned about safety. Sticks, trash, and moldy vegetation may get your dog choked, which might result in gastrointestinal issues. It also exposes your dog to other risks you cannot afford.
Keep them away from yellow snow
You must keep your dog away from yellow snow. You would not want your puppy to eat dirty things. Keep the puppy away from gulping in a vast amount of yellow snow at the side of the road or sidewalks. There is a decent chance that the snow is filled with gravel, sand, salt, antifreeze, and other items. It may be filled up in the garbage area as well.
Ice melt contains potassium chloride, sodium chloride, calcium salt, urea, and magnesium chloride. The components may irritate the pup’s paws, and even if your puppy does not have it, they might be exposed to the chemicals, which is not ok for their health. Ingestion of a minor quantity of ice melt may result in gastrointestinal problems. Still, eating snow, which contains a considerable amount of these elements, may also result in life-threatening diseases.
How will you keep your puppy safe?
Eating a minor amount of freshly fallen snow in most instances may not irritate your dog or harm them. However, it is always good to prevent an issue in the first instance and then deal with an emergency. If you are concern is to keep your puppy safe, then you must be cautious with the following points:
- Keep the dog on the leash while walking in the snow.
- Find comfortable boots to protect your puppy’s paws from the ice melt chemical.
- If your puppy is not in the booties, rinse and dry their legs after the walk.
- As far as possible, avoid walking in the regions, which are treated with ice melt.
- Keep the dog bowl filled with fresh water
- Bring a high-quality treat to distract the puppy from diving in the snow.
If you are serious about the safety and security of your puppy, then you must be cautious with the above-given points. It would help if you took the correct precautions. Remember that your dog is your responsibility, and you cannot expose them to the dangers of the snow. In most cases, winter comes as a threat to the dog’s parents. In adverse situations, you may take the help of veterinarians because they know how to diagnose the underlying cause of the problem and treat your dog for the best results. Proper analysis of the condition is vital to help you with a better treatment plan.
Ensure that you take your dog for a regular walk so that the puppy is physically active. Along with this, treat your dog with high-quality treats to keep them motivated and inspired. Along with this, a balanced diet and overall dog monitoring are vital.
How will you improve their diet?
First and foremost, you need to get yourself away from the marketing hype. Refrain from getting attracted to advertising tactics. They are not safe at all. You must be mindful of what you see and what you buy. Look at the label and understand what ingredients are used in dog food. The title of the food will give you every information on the ingredients. Irrespective of the advertisement’s entertainment, you must be cautious with the nutritional information.
Your main job is to understand what is good and bad for your dog. Along with this, you need to be very cautious with the formula of the food. Carefully examine the food label to know what you are feeding your dog.
The product label is always the first line of defense. Along with this, you can take the help of the Internet to search about each ingredient and its effect on your dog’s body. Every category of the component will only be decent for some dogs. You need to understand your puppy’s breed and what you should feed them.
Start researching every ingredient and come up with veterinarian-prescribed food products. The results might surprise you at first, but this is very important. Also, it would help if you diagnosed your dog for its physical condition, which might be causing any issues. Discuss every ingredient with a veterinarian so that you know what you are giving your dog.
Avoid using shelf-stable food
Another point you need to consider is keeping away from shelf food. It is not a staple diet. Marketing has conditioned people so that they believe that shelf-stable food provides everything the dog requires. Thanks to cautious marketing, average consumers these days are alarmed by these instances.
The situation is very far from this. The opposite is true in reality. At the same time, there will be a few rare exceptions in the market. Generally, shelf-stable food is not safe for dogs. These products do not have any enzymes because they are industrially prepared food items. These are not good for your dog and its physical and mental condition. Home-cooked food is the best option if you want to take care of your puppy’s nutritional requirements.
Introducing fresh food
There is no alternative to fruits and vegetables. These are full of enzymes and add a distinct dimension to your dog’s health. Whole food is full of fiber. These will aid digestion and encourage their proper pooping. Most of these nutrients are needed for the development of the dog. Home-cooked food items are nutritious and long lasting. Hence, it would help if you stayed away from market-created and preserved food items.
There are a few general thumb rules that you need to follow when you are feeding your dog. Remember that synthetic nutrients could be better for your dog. These nutrients will not promote good health and proper wellbeing. As a result, you must rely upon whole food and veterinarian-prescribed industrially created food items. Unlike synthetic nutrients, whole foods are full of nutritional factors that help your dog’s body absorb a good amount of nutrients. All you need to do is speak to your veterinarian and understand what is necessary for your dog.
Every pet needs love and care. Create a diet plan for your dog to ensure a balanced diet. You can also incorporate as many fruits and vegetables into your diet, adding to your bone health and overall fitness. Notice your dog’s behavior to understand its diet requirements. Do not ignore their health issues.
Do you have a fixed vet clinic where you take your dog? If not, ask your friends to refer one. It is always a good idea to go through references. It is a good idea to keep the contact details stored on your phone.