It has been a strange and difficult stretch of weather, from the severe storms and flooding that have battered the Western Cape since May to the hail, lightning and sudden cold that the rest of the country knows well. Our dogs feel all of it, and not all dogs feel it equally. A thick-coated, healthy adult is more likely to take the cold in his stride, whereas a puppy, an older dog, a small or thin-coated one, or a dog that is unwell does not. The good news is that keeping a dog safe through wild weather is mostly about a few simple things done before the weather turns.
Warmth and shelter
The simplest rule is the best one: when it is cold, wet and windy, the safest place for almost any dog is indoors. If your dog must be outside for periods, the shelter needs to do real work. That means a structure that is properly waterproof and insulated, raised off cold or wet ground, positioned out of the prevailing wind, and lined with dry bedding that you check and change, because damp bedding is worse than none. Pay particular attention to the vulnerable: the very young, the very old, the small, the thin-coated and the sick all lose heat far faster than a fit adult dog, and they are the ones who get into trouble first.
The anxious dog
For many dogs, the hardest part of a storm is not the cold but the noise. Thunder and wind can be genuinely frightening, and a frightened dog may pace, pant, hide, drool or try to bolt. Give your dog a safe, enclosed space to retreat to, a crate or a quiet room, and let him choose to use it if he wants.
One myth is worth putting to rest: comforting a frightened dog does not reinforce his fear. Fear is an emotion, not a trick your dog is performing for attention, so it is fine to be calm, present and reassuring. What does not help is punishment, which only adds a second thing to be afraid of. For dogs whose fear is severe, it is well worth speaking to your vet or a qualified behaviourist, because there are good options available, and a dog does not have to suffer through every storm season.
Out and about
It is best to adjust your walks around the weather rather than just plough through whatever comes (where possible!). After heavy rain, keep dogs well clear of floodwater, storm drains and fast-flowing rivers, which are dangerous in ways that are not always obvious. Standing and flood water also carries a real risk of leptospirosis, a serious bacterial disease dogs can pick up from water contaminated with infected animal urine, so it is worth asking your vet whether your dog’s vaccinations cover it. It’s also a good idea to rinse and dry paws after wet walks, since roads after a storm can carry washed-off chemicals.
Escapes and identification
Storms are one of the most common times for dogs to go missing. A panicked dog will push through a gate, scale a fence or bolt from an open door if sufficiently afraid. Two things make all the difference: a microchip with your current details registered against it, and a collar tag, so that a dog who does get out can be reunited with you quickly. Check that gates and fencing are secure before bad weather, and if you rely on an electric gate, know how to operate it manually, because storms and load-shedding tend to arrive together…
If you may need to evacuate
If you live somewhere that floods, your dog belongs in the family emergency plan. Keep a lead and, for smaller dogs, a carrier somewhere accessible, along with a few days of food. The single most important rule, echoed by every animal welfare body, is simple: if it is not safe for you to stay, it is not safe to leave your dog behind.
Once the weather clears
Dry your dog thoroughly, check paws for cuts from storm debris and glass, and watch for limping or stomach upset, the latter often a sign a dog has drunk dirty water. Be alert in the days afterwards to hazards a storm leaves behind: downed power lines, debris, and displaced snakes or wildlife pushed out of their usual cover by flooding.
What to watch for
Know the signs of a dog getting too cold: shivering, lethargy, reluctance to move, or seeking warmth and curling tight. In a small, young, old, or unwell dog especially, that is your cue to gently warm them and call your vet. As with so much of this, the dog who comes through the season best is usually the one whose owner thought about all of this before the first big storm, rather than during it.
