Winter can bring plenty of changes to your dog’s everyday life. Shorter days, colder temperatures and less time spent outdoors can all affect their usual routine, activity levels and opportunities for enrichment. Add festive visitors, changes to your schedule and a busier home, and your dog’s world can look quite different during the colder months.
The question of whether dogs can get seasonal depression is an interesting one. Although Seasonal Affective Disorder is a clinically recognized condition in humans, there isn’t enough evidence to say that dogs experience SAD in the same clinical sense.
However, dogs, like humans and many other mammals, have circadian rhythms that are influenced by light and darkness. During winter, shorter daylight hours can affect sleep-wake patterns, while colder temperatures and changes to routine can influence how much exercise, stimulation and social interaction a dog gets.
Some dog parents may therefore notice their dog seeming less energetic or interested in their usual activities during the winter months. This doesn’t necessarily mean they have seasonal depression. Instead, their behaviour may be responding to the changes that winter brings.
There are several reasons why winter can affect your dog’s usual routine and emotional wellbeing.
With fewer hours of daylight, walks that would normally take place in the morning or evening may happen in the dark. This can mean less exposure to natural daylight and, for some dogs, fewer opportunities to enjoy their normal outdoor activities.
Where possible, try to make the most of daylight hours by getting outside together. Even a shorter walk can provide valuable opportunities to sniff, explore and experience the world around them.
Cold, wet weather can make outdoor exercise less appealing for both dogs and their pet parents. Some dogs are also more sensitive to the cold than others. Small dogs, young puppies, older dogs and dogs with short coats may find low temperatures particularly uncomfortable.
Cold weather can also make exercise more difficult for older dogs who experience joint discomfort. Pay attention to your dog’s body language and avoid pushing them to stay outside if they are uncomfortable.
Winter can bring plenty of changes at home. Christmas celebrations, visitors, school holidays and changes to working patterns can all disrupt your dog’s normal routine.
Dogs often benefit from predictability, so sudden changes can be unsettling. Reduced walking or playtime can also mean fewer opportunities for physical exercise, social interaction and mental stimulation.
If your dog’s usual routine changes during winter, they may have fewer opportunities to exercise their body and mind. Boredom or frustration can affect their quality of life and may show itself in different ways.
Signs can include:
These behaviours can have many possible causes, so don’t automatically assume that winter is responsible. If you notice a significant or persistent change in your dog’s behaviour, consult your vet to rule out an underlying health issue.
Finding ways to keep your dog mentally stimulated is an important part of their winter routine. When outdoor opportunities are limited, dog activities in winter can help provide some of the physical and mental enrichment they may otherwise miss.
Rather than always serving your dog’s food in a traditional bowl, you can make mealtimes more engaging with appropriate puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, lick mats, stuffed toys, or scatter feeding.
These activities encourage dogs to use natural behaviours such as sniffing, searching, and licking while turning an everyday meal into an opportunity for enrichment.
Your dog’s nose is an incredible source of information and stimulation. Simple scent games can be played indoors by hiding treats around a room and encouraging your dog to find them.
You could also create a safe scent-based activity using items such as dried leaves in a cardboard box, hiding treats inside for your dog to discover. Always make sure anything you introduce is safe and suitable for your dog and cannot cause harm if accidentally swallowed.
Winter is a great time to introduce short, positive training sessions. Teaching a new behaviour, practising familiar cues or learning a simple trick can provide valuable mental stimulation.
Keep sessions short and enjoyable, using reward-based training methods and giving your dog plenty of opportunities to succeed.
Enrichment isn’t only about toys and games. Spending quality time together can be just as valuable.
Depending on your dog’s personality, this could include a play session, grooming, a gentle massage, relaxing together, or meeting a friendly dog for a playdate. Some dogs may also enjoy an appropriate indoor dog activity centre, although these environments aren’t suitable for every dog.
Knowing how to exercise your dog in winter safely can help you maintain your dog’s routine without forcing them to spend time outdoors when conditions aren’t suitable.
Try to get outside during daylight where possible and consider shorter walks with different routes. Changing your route can provide new sights and smells, while allowing your dog plenty of time to sniff can make even a shorter walk mentally enriching.
In darker conditions, use reflective clothing or accessories and carry a flashlight so you and your dog are easier to see. If your dog feels the cold, an appropriate coat may also help them stay comfortable.
It’s also important to be aware of winter hazards, including antifreeze, salt and grit on roads and paths, and potentially harmful seasonal plants. Wipe your dog’s paws after walks where necessary and keep potentially dangerous substances safely out of reach.
If the weather makes an outdoor walk unsuitable, there are alternatives. Dog swimming pools, doggy daycare or a trusted dog walker could help provide additional activity when appropriate for your dog and circumstances.
Winter dog enrichment doesn’t have to mean filling every hour of the day with activities. Quality matters just as much as quantity, and even a short, well-designed activity can provide meaningful stimulation.
Try to build a mixture of exercise, play, training, social interaction and rest into your dog’s day. You can also create a toolbox of indoor activities for those days when the weather makes your usual walk impossible.
Keeping some elements of your dog’s routine consistent can also provide predictability and security. Meal times, waking up, bedtime and rest periods can act as daily anchors, while activities such as walks and play can remain a little more flexible depending on the weather.
Winter can bring changes to your dog’s routine and environment, from more visitors at home to travelling, fireworks, and less time outdoors. Alongside a consistent routine, enrichment, and a comfortable place to rest, ADAPTIL can provide additional reassurance during these changes.
The ADAPTIL Calm Diffuser can be plugged into the room where your dog spends most of their time, helping create a reassuring environment at home. For support on-the-go, the ADAPTIL Calm Collar provides reassuring pheromone support wherever your dog goes. These products can be used alongside the everyday things that help your dog feel secure, including keeping their routine predictable, providing enrichment and giving them a quiet space to retreat to when they need some downtime.
Winter doesn’t have to mean less enjoyment for your dog. By adapting their routine, providing plenty of mental enrichment and making the most of suitable outdoor opportunities, you can help them stay active and engaged throughout the colder months.
Pay attention to what your dog is telling you, give them opportunities to rest and make sure they have a comfortable space to retreat to when life gets busy.
And remember, if you notice a sudden or ongoing change in your dog’s behaviour, mood, appetite, sleep or activity levels, contact your vet. What may look like the winter blues could sometimes have an underlying medical cause that needs attention.
For more helpful tips and information on how to best help your dog during different times, visit our blog. To stay up to date on our latest advice and product releases, you can also sign up for the ADAPTIL newsletter.