Pete the Vet: Wet pets are messy pets — keep your best friend safe, clean, and dry this autumn

High-vis collars and harnesses are handy as evenings get darker and dog jumpers aren't just cool-looking, they can have a real purpose — plus here's what to do if your pet is spooked by wind

If you value neatness and cleanliness in your home you may want to opt for dog raincoats and these can also keep your best friend warm if you're out and about together

The month of September heralds the distinct shift of seasons: summer is over, autumn is here. Sunrise is later, sunset sooner. The ambient temperature has dipped. It’s less sunny, and even when the sun shines, there’s still a chill in the air. The wind blows more gustily, and it feels as if it’s raining more often and for longer.

We humans adapt to these changes easily — wearing different clothes, altering our activities (e.g. spending more time indoors) and adjusting our home heating (as much as the higher cost permits this year).

But what about our pets? They’re under our control, to a greater or lesser extent, so they cannot just adjust their lives as they please. We need to take steps to ensure that they continue to enjoy life as much as ever.

The areas that need to be reviewed are:

Daylight

As we move through autumn from summer to winter, it stays dark for longer in the mornings, and dusk descends sooner in the evenings.

The biggest impact is that it makes it more difficult to find time to walk dogs. Behaviourists tell us that dogs should be walked for half an hour, twice daily. It can be difficult to fit this into daylight hours in the autumn and winter if you’re working. The help of local dog walkers, or websites such as borrowmydoggy.com, can be invaluable to get your pooches exercised in the middle of the daytime.

The lessening amount of daylight has a significant impact on the visibility of pets when out and about, with a consequent increase in the risk of road accidents. This affects dogs and cats differently.

Dogs are usually taken for walks by their owners, and legally they must be under their owners’ control. However it still makes sense that they should be as visible as possible: I have witnessed dogs being hit by cars whilst still on the end of the leash, having stepped off the pavement into traffic. High visibility collars and harnesses are widely available; owners should use this type of equipment to ensure that their dogs are as easy to see as possible in car headlights (as well as wearing high-vis clothing themselves). Flashing LED lights are also available for collars (and human arms). Collar lights have an additional value if you are walking your dog off the leash in darkness: you can see precisely where they are, from a distance.

Cats are free agents, coming and going as they please, but this does mean they have a greater risk than dogs of being hit by cars. A high-visibility reflective collar is a simple way of ensuring they can be seen more easily by car drivers, reducing the risk of an accident.

Warmth

The cooler ambient temperature of the autumn and winter months has an impact on pets. Older pets, especially, are affected, with aggravation of medical issues such as arthritic joints. Most pets live indoors with humans, so they’re kept as warm as we are, which suits them well. However farm dogs and cats may live in outhouses and sheds, and it’s important that their living areas are kept reasonably warm, dry and draught-free. Under Irish law, owners are legally obliged to keep their pets free of discomfort, and this includes housing all animals in an environment that’s good for their health and wellbeing.

If dogs are taken out for walks in cooler weather, some are vulnerable to getting chilled. Smaller dogs have a higher ratio of surface area to body weight, making them particularly prone to losing more body heat. Fine-skinned, short-haired dogs such as Chihuahuas often have sparse body hair and scant body fat, so they can suffer due to the lack of insulation. The idea of dogs wearing jerseys or coats to keep them warm may seem alien to traditional Irish dog owners, but for some animals, there’s a real need for these.

Body heat is generated using food as fuel: it makes sense to feed pets more in the winter months compared to the summer. The only proviso is that around two-thirds of Irish pets are overweight, and excessive feeding will make this worse. It’s worth getting your pet weighed on the walk-on electronic scales at your local vet: you can then easily assess whether or not you’re feeding your pet the correct quantities to match their needs, summer and winter alike.

Wind

Autumn gales have yet to arrive in Ireland in 2022, but there’s no doubt that they are coming. Dogs have sensitive hearing, and many are exquisitely sensitive to pressure changes in the atmosphere. Pets sleep more comfortably in areas that are well screened from the wind, and it can help to leave a radio playing at night so that dogs are not spooked by the howls, rustles and clatters caused by high winds.

Rain in autumn and snow in winter

There is no shortage of precipitation in Ireland, especially in autumn and winter. When pets get wet, they suffer more easily from chilling, so water-resistant clothing has its place, especially for smaller, short-haired and elderly dogs.

Wet pets are messy pets: if you value neatness and cleanliness in your home, you’ll want to find ways to limit their impact. Dogrobes resemble the canine equivalent of dry robes, like quick-drying towelling dressing gowns. You can also buy large towelling bags which your dog gets zipped into, with their head protruding ('Doggybags').

With some thought and planning, it’s possible to keep your home clean, even with joyously mucky dogs around.