How Weather Affects Your Dog's Experiences
Hello, and welcome back.
After Linda’s post last week, have you started to look for signals that might help you predict the weather? If so, has it changed how you plan for your daily dog walk/s?
Not only can the weather impact our enjoyment when heading outside, it can also have a profound impact on our dog’s experience of a walk. I thought, today, it would be useful to run through some of the main weather types and how they may affect your dog.
Sunshine: Helps your dog’s circadian rhythm stay in cycle - if our dog’s natural rhythms are disrupted, over time this can lead to chronic disease and a decline in mood state. Of course, just remember that HEAT is harmful to our dogs - in the Summer months, never walk your dogs during the hottest parts of the day.
Rain: Smells are amplified when it's been raining. The water droplets allow more scent to settle - giving our dogs an extra special sniffing experience on walks. Some dogs, however, find the physical sensation of rain on their body unpleasant. Elderly dogs or young puppies may also suffer from cold due to their damp coats. As well as amplifying smells, rain can also amplify the sounds of the world - so if your dog is sensitive to noise, it may be better to cosy up inside.
Frost: Did you know that the circulatory system in dogs’ paws adapts to help them deal with the cold? So they might not feel the cold in the same way that we do! Just remember that some dogs will be more susceptible to the discomfort of colder weather. You might also find your dog spends more time with its nose to the ground on frosty days… in colder weather, scent particles are less likely to rise up from the ground as they would in humid air.
Wind: Does your dog seem a little more frantic on a windy walk? The smells our dogs experience on a windy day will be whipping around them - moving in circular patterns that our dogs might enjoy chasing. The sensation of the wind through your dog’s coat can also stimulate the little nerve endings that are located in the dermis and hair follicles.
So, how do you feel about today’s weather? Do you think it’s a day to head out for a big adventure.. or one for cuddles indoors?
Until next time, enjoy those walks!
Caroline