This is what you need to know to help your dog stay safe this winter

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Even if the night gets darker and the sky gets colder, one thing remains the same-our dog is still keen to go out for a walk.

At this time of the year, there are more things to consider when keeping your dog safe, including toxic substances to avoid when the weather gets cold and when you go out.

As we get closer and closer to Christmas, you should be wary of some dangers, and some items should be placed out of reach of your paws.

We have compiled a handy list to help you protect your dog in winter.

Conkers may be a sign of changes in the weather, but did you know that they pose a serious threat to your dog?

They contain a poison called esculin, which is toxic to dogs. A dog usually needs to ingest a few horse chestnut trees to be severely poisoned, but you'd better keep them away.

Signs of horse chestnut poisoning may appear one to six hours after ingestion, but it may be delayed by two days.

Symptoms of horse chestnut poisoning include:

As the days get shorter, it is more important than ever that you and your dog be seen while walking.

In order to be seen by drivers, cyclists, and other walkers, please consider preparing reflective or high-visibility clothing for you and your dog.

You can also attach quirky flashing lights to your dog's collar. This will help you keep an eye on them when you go out after dark.

As the weather gets colder, more of us may turn on the central heating system, which may be good news for fleas.

As it gets cold outside, fleas can enter the room. If eggs or fleas survive the cold temperature, thanks to warm dog skins or a little furry armpits, these pests may leave them at home—in your home.

Most will die at temperatures above 13 degrees, but as the weather gets warmer this winter, there is no guarantee.

So they may fall off your dog's coat and hide in your carpet and under other corners and crevices. They will transition from the pupal stage to the larval stage, and unknowingly become bloodthirsty adult fleas.

You can prevent this from happening by ensuring that your dog receives the latest flea treatment.

Older, young, sick, and slim dogs are more likely to feel cold, especially at this time of year.

Dog pullovers or jackets can keep them warm and warm when going for a walk, and may even be a good addition to keep them warm around the house at night. Especially old dogs and those with poor health can benefit from an extra layer during the day.

It is also important to provide plenty of comfortable bedding, and commit to putting your dog’s bed in a well-insulated, non-ventilated room that suits their needs. For many dogs who feel cold, wool blankets are a great addition. They get wet or dirty, they are easy to clean, and they dry out quickly.

If the dogs are playing in the snow, check their paws for snowballs. These small balls may take a long time to meet and may cause pain between the toe pads.

We all love Christmas trees-including many dogs who are fascinated by lights and gadgets. Larger dogs can easily knock down trees, smaller dogs can burrow under them, and all dogs may show interest in any lower hanging decorations. The felling and damage of a Christmas tree can be frustrating, and it may pose a risk of scattering of lights and decorations.

To avoid accidents, make sure your tree is fixed on a solid base, or even on a wall if possible.

Many open houses have difficulty ensuring that your dog cannot enter the area where the trees are. Early training is essential and a good time to formulate tree rules. If you must be left unattended, place guards around the tree. Install bells on the branches at the bottom so that you can at least hear the intruder so you can take action.

If you suspect that any packaged gifts under the tree might contain chocolate, fruit, nuts, or other irresistible Scooby-Doo snacks, keep them out of reach of curious dogs.

If you have a real Christmas tree in your house, any needles that fall should be vacuumed every day. If eaten, they can cause stomach upset, and their tips can irritate pet's paws and mouth.

Avoid buying glass gadgets. If they fall from a tree or are chewed, they can easily break-these gadgets are also like balls to dogs, so keep them out of reach.

Edible tree decorations should also be avoided, especially those made from chocolate or salt dough. If your dog is a chewer, stick the wires to the fairy lights.

Avoid: The bones of cooked turkey are very brittle and easily chipped, which may cause suffocation, blockage or puncture of the pet's digestive system. Before the Christmas holidays, there are many pet-safe bones that can be purchased.

Many holiday plants are extremely dangerous for dogs. Holly, mistletoe berries, poinsettia, and lilies are all poisonous to dogs.

Therefore, if you have them in your home, please make sure they stay away from your pets.

If you have guests coming, make sure your dog does not slip out of the open door during the excitement.

If your guests bring their own dogs, please draw up some guidelines regarding territorial risks. Unless your dogs are accustomed to staying together in each other's homes, please be aware that any dog ​​entering a given territory may cause alertness. A good warm-up is to take a walk together before entering the house, feed separately and measure how to distribute snacks...No one wants scraps from Christmas day.

Without getting all the Bah Humbugs, try to make sure that your kind friends and family will not cause problems when they buy Christmas gifts for dogs. Especially be sensitive around squeaks and chewing sounds. Many dogs will pull out the guts of a new toy within a few minutes. They may be excited about opening the gift, but make sure the fun continues. Supervise the opening and the game and remove any discarded parts, especially squeaks.

Avoid rawhide bones and rawhide chews, they can cause digestive tract problems and intestinal blockage, and even get stuck in the esophagus. Some dogs swallow such large pieces without chewing and end up with the emergency vet-not where you want to go on Christmas Day.

Also make sure that any spherical gifts are large enough to avoid the risk of suffocation when swallowed.

Don't expect well-intentioned gift-giver to know these risks, especially if they do not own a dog.