How to Keep a Dog Warm in Winter

If you’re wondering how to keep your dog warm at night, it can be done in a few different ways - some may require a few small investments, while others are entirely free!

If your pampered pooch usually sleeps in their own bed on the floor or even downstairs in an entirely different room, you can consider bringing them up to bed for the winter. A lot of pet owners share a bed with their dog, and while it’s entirely personal whether you want to or not, you can kill two birds with one stone, because sharing a bed will keep both you and your dog warm!

Another option for keeping dogs warm in winter is extra clothing. We have winter clothing, so why shouldn’t your pup?

When it gets cold, you might dig out the fleecy pyjamas so getting into a cold bed is a little less uncomfortable, but some dogs might like to sleep in a sweater, like the Rufus & Rosie Casual Dog Jumper Shorter-coated and thin-skinned dogs like sighthounds are notorious for getting cold, so when the temperature drops at night, a jumper or shirt, like the Joules Harbour Top, could help keep them snug as a bug all night long.                

There are several ways to keep your dog warm in a crate all night. Crates don’t have to be bare, empty metal cages - they’re supposed to be warm and appealing dens for your dog to feel snug in.

To maximise the comfort of a crate, you can add some warm blankets to help your dog snuggle up.

Additionally, putting one over the top of a crate and covering three of the four sides can also help to reduce draughts and make it a nice, cosy environment.

Soft dog beds will often fit nicely into crates to give your beloved pet some extra warmth. Calming doughnut beds, like the Beddies Charcoal Grey Calming Bed, are popular for dogs with anxiety, but with rounded sides that practically envelope your pup, they’re also super warming.

 If you really want to go all out, you could always swap out a metal crate for a fabric one like the Cheeko Easy Up Fabric Crate. Metal can get very cold in winter, so a crate made out of fabric will help your pooch stay warm all night.

Keeping your dog warm in freezing weather may not be as easy as it used to be. With the cost of living becoming astronomically high, some people are struggling to keep themselves warm, let alone their dogs! It may not be as easy as turning the heating up and basking in the warmth, so you might have to get a little more creative.

We all know how appealing a hot meal on a cold day is, and we can do exactly the same for our dog. Whether you feed dry or wet food, you can add warm water to their meal and most pups will appreciate the added heat and extra tasty soup to slurp up.

If you’re stuck for ideas on how to keep dogs warm on winter walks, it really is no different to us when we put on our winter coats. You could look at getting them a jacket  for when they’re out and about.

If you get home from a particularly chilly or snowy walk, remember to wipe their feet with a towel to make sure no frost has collected between their toes to help warm them up as quickly as possible.

If you’re looking at how to keep an outside dog warm in winter, it can be quite different to keeping an indoor pup warm. Firstly, if there’s an option to bring them inside and give them a cosier place to rest - especially during the night - this would be the easiest option.

However, if that isn’t an option, you may need to get creative. Firstly, you should make sure there are no obvious draughts, and their sleeping area should not be able to let any wind, rain, or snow in. If there’s an electrical point nearby, a kennel heater is a great option, as this can be left on all night.

Other ways to heat up their bed area include some heating pads, like the Snugglesafe Heat Pad, that work like hot water bottles – simply put them in the microwave and place them under your dog’s bedding.

All in all, keeping your dog warm during winter will usually include some extra layers and thinking about things that we enjoy, like thicker clothes, warm meals and drying off if you have to go out into any frost or snow.

Explore everything you need for your pooch from our extensive collection to keep them nice and cosy throughout winter.