Brrrrrr, its getting cold. Even with all their fur, dogs and cats need to stay warm in colder months, just like us. Older pets suffer from arthritis, which gets worse in the cold, so keeping them warm is a must. A great place to start keeping your pet warm is in your home. Most of us set our thermostats low in winter, to keep down heating costs, but it's the pets that often suffer. Think about buying a small heater (a pet safe one, of course), to put in your pet's favorite room to sleep, or next to his bed. Remember that it is much colder where he's sleeping on the floor, than your bed. When buying a pet bed, a good idea is to look for one with a heater pad. There are a variety; regular looking beds, chiropractic foam, reflective heat insulators, adjustable heat pads, and more, depending on your pet, budget, and looks. You'll find something to suit you and your pets needs. Dogs will often head straight to there warm bed after coming in from the cold. They will use it. Keeping your dog warm when he goes outside, is also good to think about. Many pets won't even go out for a walk, or to play, when it gets too cold. My dog was the same, until I purchased him a sweater, and a full snowsuit. Dog clothes may seem to some as ridiculous, but for a lot of dogs, especially small ones, they serve a great purpose. Not only will your dog look adorable, but he'll go outside for a much longer time. With that, he'll also stay more healthy and active. Boots are also very useful, namely for dogs with long fur surrounding their paws. Because they keep the snow from sticking to the fur surrounding there paws, they keep there feet warmer. As a example, dogs pads have the same sensitivity as the palm of your hand, and try sticking that in the snow! Look at your local PETCO, or online, (www.petedge.com is one of my favorites) and you'll find a HUGE variety of pet clothes and boots. Big, small, they have them all. Remember to measure your dog before you buy. For clothes, measure from his collar to the base of his tail. Some clothes are just for looks, so try to find one that advertises it will keep your dog warm. Look to purchase a coat or sweater that seems strong, warm, and will dry out quick. If your dog wants to go out again, you wouldn't want him wearing wet clothes. You might even want to purchase two for that same reason. If you have a male dog, make sure the belly cut is high enough, so he doesn't pee inside it. For boots, get a piece of paper and a pencil. Lay his paw on the paper, and draw a line at the back of his pad, and another at the front of his claws. Allow a little extra (1/8 to 1/4 inch is usually good) and purchase the boots which match the final measurement closest. If your having trouble finding some, purchase boots that are a little bigger instead of smaller, I learned that the hard way. You might want to check if the store you purchase your clothes or boots from allows returns. Sometimes, like our clothes, they just don't fit right. That's all for this month. Keep warm, and have fun shopping with your pet!