3 Ways to Make Your Yard Dog-Friendly This Winter

Whether you're battling rain or snow, it's important to keep your dog safe in cold climates. Our Invisible Fence® Brand experts have put together their top tips and tricks to help you make your yard dog-friendly this winter, so your pet can safely enjoy the outdoors (while you are staying warm and relaxed inside!)

Here’s how to make your yard dog-friendly this winter:

Keep Your Dog from Escaping the Yard

First and foremost, it's important to keep your dog from escaping the yard. Regardless of the season, it’s necessary that your dog knows his/her boundaries – but it is especially important to keep your dog close to home during the winter. According to ASPCA, more dogs get lost in the winter because it's easy to lose their scent in snow or ice. Inclement weather such as wind, sleet, ice or hail storms can also cause dogs to stray from their yard. So, whether you have a traditional dog fence or electric dog fence, your pet needs to know its perimeter.

Teddy, a Corgi-Chow mix who lives in Michigan, is the prime example of how well Invisible Fence system work even in the snow. Check out how Teddy plays and respects his boundaries through 10 inches of snow here.

Pet-Proof Your Yard

In addition to outdoor containment, it is also important to pet-proof your yard to prevent your dog or cat from getting into outdoor hazards. With help from Outdoor Shields® Plus Solution, you can keep your pet out of anything harmful to themselves, like a frozen pond. Outdoor Shields create adjustable Invisible® barriers that let you protect your yard and pet and is fully compatible with your Invisible Fence system. You can also prevent your pet from getting into anything harmful to your house, like mud!

Give Your Dog Access to Shelter

One of the most frequent questions pet parents ask is “Can you keep your dog outside in the winter?” And while dogs can go outside in the cold (and many enjoy playing outside in winter weather), leaving dogs in freezing temperatures for extended periods of time can lead to discomfort, frostbite, hypothermia and other conditions – especially if you have a short-haired dog with a thin coat.
 
If you're going to leave your dog outside in cold weather, it's important that they have access to shelter. Or, better yet? With the Doorman™ Electronic Pet Door, you can program the times of day your pet is free to come and go. This gives your pet the freedom to let himself in or out while being convenient and secure. The Doorman not only allows you to program the times of day, but also create custom rules for each pet, so each pet can come and go as they please. Since this automatic pet door is fully compatible with other Invisible Fence® Brand indoor and outdoor systems, it will give your pet access inside without letting other critters in too. 

The key to a pet-friendly home (and a dog-friendly yard) is to customize it for your family. Invisible Fence® Brand operates all year-round and we install in the snow, so schedule your free in-home consultation today! Just in time for Spring.