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Brrrr—it's cold outside!

The following guidelines will help you

protect your companion animals when the mercury dips

Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.

During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.

Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm, dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.

Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.

Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.

Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.

Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.

Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him, and his fur, in tip-top shape.

Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information.

Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.

Welcome:

Muzzles To Nuzzles is a small dog training and adoption assistance company located in

Central New Jersey. Muzzles To Nuzzles makes it our goal to help show you, the owner, how to properly care for, socialize and train your dog in a non-violent highly effective manner. We will provide you, the owner, with the skills and knowledge to continue the training so you can raise

a well-balanced animal and companion.

Muzzles To Nuzzles was founded by Austin Clyburn, when he realized his beloved pit bull "Jada" started to change for the worse one day. Jada at the age of 3 started to turn on other pack members. Not having the proper skills at the time for this breed and not being able to read the signs of aggression things got out of hand. Jada attacked several times causing expensive vet bills and pain to another pack member and Austin. Jada was NOT put to sleep as I believe every dog can change, so I placed Jada is a single dog family home and she is striving and doing wonderful. Sad to say Jada is still not dog friendly but she loves her people.

So after extensive research and personal training, and working with many different breeds Austin decided to get into dog training and share his knowledge to help prevent situations such as his.

Austin rescued a pit bull named Peyton from a kill shelter in New Jsersey in late 2008. When Peyton was rescued from the shelter she was obviously neglected for some time. Peyton was very timid, nervous, under-weight and unsure of herself and her surroundings. But after years of working with Peyton, we are proud to say she is a proud and happy member of a pack of 5 members. Peyton just passed her Therapy Certification test and is now a full working therapy dog.

Austin in late 2010 rescued another pit bull named Maximus from Manhattan's high kill-shelter. Due to socail media and some great volunteers Maximus was brought to Austin's attention. Maximus was scheduled to be euthanized for kennel cough two hours after Austin arrived at the shelter, and after a quick meet and greet Austin knew Maximus would be a great fit for his pack and family. Maximus was adopted, and quickly brought to the vet and medicated. Maximus is now a happy member of the household and is currently undergoing training for his Therapy Certification and hopefully will be ready by 2012 to take his test. In the mean time Maximus attends events with Austin throughout the tri-state area educating people on the pit bull breed and their true colors. Austin also fosters, socializes, and rehomes pitbull puppies when they enter a local shelter in his area. Austin and Maximus are trying to teach people that pit bulls get bad raps because of bad owners and uneducated handlers.

Founder Austin Clyburn works tirelessly trying to educate people and rescue dogs from kill shelters all over the tri-state area. He is highly trained and effective in dog training, Austin Clyburn is a Certified Animal Control Officer, and Animal Cruelty Invesigator.