Straw How Responsible Dog Owners Should Be Using It!
You may not live on a farm, you may not even live in a rural area, but if you have a dog one of the supplies you should always have on hand is straw. You are probably saying but I don’t leave my dog outside in the cold or heat. That is a good thing but straw could still be very useful to you!
Well in instances of cold weather like many areas are having now, straw could be the difference between life and death to your pet. Take a look below at why straw is important to your dog, and where you can be sure to snag some.
Why straw is important to dogs:
In bouts of extreme weather, you may think that an extra blanket outside for your dog is sufficient. You may even think that a little shoveled path is all they need to go outside and do their business. But the truth is, when temperatures drop as low as they have been, that blanket can be frozen solid in minutes and tender paws can become stuck and torn on shoveled out sidewalks. Instead, utilize the power of straw.
As a potty trail cover:
Place a layer of straw over the shoveled out potty trail you have made for your dog. It will keep the area dry and make a barrier between their tender paws and the freezing sidewalk. It is more comfortable for them to walk on, prevents sticking, and can prevent injury from slips. Just sprinkle a layer of straw and your dog will be pleased!
As outdoor bedding:
Your dog should not be left outside for extended periods when the temperature drops low. But if your dog tends to dilly dally and spend a little more time outside than he should, have some straw in his bed or dog house. Straw will stay dry, won’t freeze, and can keep them warmer and safer than blankets. Pile up some straw and they are sure to be more warm and comfortable.
As patio cover:
If your dog comes in and out of a back patio door, be sure your patio is covered with straw. It will serve the same purpose as it does with the sidewalk/potty trail cover. If it is a well traveled area, cover it and prevent cold paws, slips, sticking, and other injuries.
So where do you find straw? Many local animal shelters will give it away for free or close to free during bouts of extreme cold. If you shelter is not, a local farm supply store or gardening center should have some fresh straw to purchase. Price will vary, but it is a small investment with positive results.
So yes Even Responsible Dog Owners Should Be Using Straw!
You probably mean straw. Hay is field grasses grown for herbivores like cows, goats and horses to eat in the winter. When used as bedding, it provides little or no insulation or protection. It is also not effective for padding. Straw is the stalks of field plants that have been harvested. The stalks are hollow and fibrous, so they provide great insulation and make good padding.
THANK YOU!
Felissa Elfenbein recently posted..Responsible Dog Owners Should Be Using Straw In the Winter
There are some good things about living in a big city. In these low temperatures, I put a sweater and a coat on him and boots because of the salt they put on the sidewalk.
BJ Pup recently posted..Black and White
This is a very good advice :), thank you Felissa and welcome to join us on twitter 🙂
YourSpecialDog recently posted..Shetland sheepdog sheltie
Felissa,
Straw? Who would have thunk it? LOL! But seriously, very sound advice. I have a beautiful Golden Retriever and live in the suburbs with a big backyard. Having straw as you mentioned would be a great idea. I can also use it in the spring to cover up recently seeded grass too! How cool is that? Great post!
The Funster recently posted..Angry Birds Air Swimmers Review!
How did this farm girl not know about the uses of Straw for dogs!? This is brilliant! We don’t have our dog outside for long periods of time, only to go potty and that’s about it. Then we get him inside and warmed up. But having the straw outside the door could really help his paws.
Amber Edwards recently posted..Easy Snack Ideas + Kids Trail Mix Recipe to Combat the Fast Food Urge #greatstarts
What an informative article on the use of straw coverings in the winter. I had no idea. I’m not a dog owner, but many of my friends are. Thank you for letting me know.
Susan VonAchen recently posted..WordPress Resources at SiteGround
Great tips! My pets all stay inside, but this is a great idea for outside pets.
Joanne recently posted..Valentine’s Day Mini Cards {free printable}
That is very interesting – never thought of it
Lena recently posted..Storing Your Lego Creations
I can’t believe I didn’t know about this sooner! What an easy way to keep my dog safe, warm, and happy when it’s cold! Thanks so much for posting this!
Jennifer Medeiros recently posted..Six Energy Saving Tips For The Home
I had no idea straw was so useful! What a wonderfully informative post!
Kelly Hutchinson recently posted..Six Energy Saving Tips For The Home
Great post! It really is a great warming item. A coworker takes care of a feral cat colony and used rubbermaid totes with a hole cut in the side with syrofoam and hay to keep all the kitties warm and toasty in this cold snap!
How interesting! I guess I never really thought of using it for all of these things before. Of course, we don’t really have snow or ice issues down here in Texas thankfully.
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