Almost every pet care guide written for India treats the country as one climate. It is not. The practical advice for a dog in coastal Kerala and the same breed in arid Rajasthan differs in almost every particular except the vaccination schedule.
Hot and arid: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab
Heat is the constraint. Exercise moves to either end of the day, water goes everywhere the animal goes, and ground temperature matters more than air temperature. Coat care is relatively easy; hydration is not.
Humid and coastal: Kerala, Goa, coastal Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal
Damp is the constraint. Skin and ear problems dominate, drying routines matter more than walk timing, and a heavy coat is real work. Food spoils faster than the packet suggests.
Cold hill: Himachal, Uttarakhand, Kashmir, the northeast hills
Two genuine seasons. Bedding off the floor in winter, slightly more food, and attention to older animals on cold mornings.
Subtropical plains and the Deccan
Both problems in sequence rather than together - a hot dry spring, then a wet season. The routine has to change twice a year rather than settle.
What this means when you buy
Ask what a breed needs where you actually live, not in general. A coat that is an asset in one state is a liability two states away.
