Golden Retrievers and Cold Water: Is It Safe for Your Pup to Swim?

Golden Retrievers love to swim and play in the water. But there are conditions not too favorable for your Golden Retriever pet to swim.

For example, how cold is too cold for a Golden Retriever to swim? When the weather temperature is above 7°c, it is safe for the majority of Golden retrievers who are healthy to swim, but when the temperature is less than -6°c letting your dog swim can be very injurious to its health.

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Effects of Letting Your Golden Retriever Swim In Cold Water

Despite swimming being an excellent form of exercise, you should not let your Golden Retriever swim in cold water as it has some dangerous effects on their health.

Hypothermia:

This is a condition where heat is lost faster than it is produced. If your Golden Retriever is exposed to cold for an extended period, it will exhaust the body’s stored energy and may display symptoms like; intense shivering, paleness of the skin, contracted muscles, and the like of them.

If you notice such symptoms in your dog, you shouldn’t hesitate to take it to the vet. In cases where you cannot reach the vet immediately, you can wrap your dog in a warm blanket and provide a house fire. You can also serve it some warm soup.

Frostbite:

This is a condition where a thin part under the skin freezes. Frostbite is rare among Golden Retrievers because they are double-coated dogs.

But for the few that may catch it, here are some signs to look out for. The tail, ears, and feet may look pale, and the skin and feel very cold.

In some dogs, it makes the skin look burnt. If you notice these signs, get a warm blanket and wrap your dog up while you ride it to the vet.

If frostbite isn’t attended to fast and properly, your little furry friend may have somebody’s parts amputated.

The best way to keep your Golden Retriever safe during winter is by always keeping it warm. But if you must take it swimming, here are some safety tips.

• Ensure you wrap your dog in a blanket immediately after swimming to help regulate Its body temperature.
• Serve warm meals to your dog after it’s done swimming.
• Avoid taking your dog swimming in water that has not completely melted after the last snow. You don’t want the thin ice tearing your dog’s skin or paws.

Golden Retriever Cold Tolerance

When it comes to how cold is too cold for a Golden Retriever, there is more to consider than temperature.

Health condition:

When your dog is sick, you should keep it away from the cold. In this case, a temperature that is normal for other dogs might just be too cold. A typical example is an anemic dog.

Dog’s weight:

A fat or plumpy dog will generate more body temperature than a slim one. Meaning the weather is too cold for a thin/skinny dog sometimes is very ok for a fat dog.

Dog’s age:

Age is a severe determining factor when it comes to how cold a golden retriever can get, an older dog will catch a cold easier than a younger dog.

So it would be best if you always tried to keep your aged dog by a fireplace in the winter and wrap it up properly in a warm blanket.

Dampness:

After swimming, your dog’s fur will still be damp and cause it to feel cold. So always dry your Golden Retriever after every swim to keep it warm.

Wind:

Keep doggy inside on windy days. A stroll in the wind will make its body use up more heat than supposed and cause a shortage in heat energy supply. Playing indoors is an excellent idea on windy days.

Do Golden Retrievers get Cold?

When your dog is cold, it’ll show you some signs. Here are some to look out for:

Unwilling to walk:

When dogs are cold, they hardly want to move their feet anywhere. They’ll rather lie or sit in one place than walk about as usual.

Shuddering:

Your dog will be seen shivering anytime it’s cold.

• Whining
• Lifting its paws off the floor
• Making attempts to sit on the couch
• Hiding beneath your feet (when you are seated)
• Looking for warm corners of the house to hide

How to keep your Golden Retriever warm

Golden Retrievers don’t require much stress to keep warm because of their double coats. But, nevertheless, we can’t completely ignore them in the cold and leave all the keeping warm for their coats to do. Here are some simple things you can do to keep your dog warm during the winter:

Getting them sweater vests:

Giving your Golden Retriever a light and well-fitted sweater vest will help keep it warm (light depending on how the weather is like).

Ensure the vest is not too big and not too small to avoid accidental strangling and avoid making your dog uncomfortable.

Exercise:

Getting your furry friend to work out on cold days is a great way of regulating its body temperature. Remember to exercise inside!

Dog house heater:

Getting a dog house heater is not such a bad idea as it would keep your Golden retriever warm in the cold.

Access to warm water:

Ensure your dog has unlimited access to warm water whenever it’s cold. Ranging from baths to the water it drinks.

Shelter:

Always provide good shelter for your Golden Retriever. It shouldn’t live outside permanently. Also, do not build your dog’s house from wood or plastic as they don’t retain heat.