Proper Shelter
This is a must. The shelter should be sturdy and large enough for your animal to stand up and turn around in. Additionally, the opening to the shelter should face the East or Southeast to avoid the colder winter winds coming from the North and West.

Proper Bedding
Along with a sturdy shelter, your pet will need proper bedding. Blankets aren’t recommending, as they get wet, don’t dry fast and can possibly freeze – leaving your animal cold. A better choice for your animal’s shelter is fresh, dry straw. It will shed the water and help keep your animal dry. However, be sure the replace the straw if it becomes dirty or wet. Your animal will appreciate it.

Fresh food and water
This seems obvious – but in the winter months, it’s essential that you’re keeping up with your pet’s nutrition. A good diet produces energy which in turn, helps keep your animal warm. Mammals are warm-blooded and require more food more frequently during colder conditions to produce the energy needed to keep them warm. Feeding your animal a bit more likely won’t result in them getting fat because very little food is converted to body mass index in the winter. It’s all being used up to keep your animal warm. And remember, the smaller the animal, the faster it will lose body heat.

Move your animal inside
If the wind chill drops to an extreme, you should move your animals to an indoor location. A basement, barn or garage are all better options than leaving your animal outside. If you have a smaller animal, this is the safest route to go during the winter months.