Wearing a coat

[ShellyF]

Our pup is six months and his coat is getting thicker and longer. However, our temps here are dropping fast!

Our last dog was short coated and older when we moved to this colder clime so we had a coat for her but she’d also show signs of not wanting to be outside and didn’t mind lounging inside doing nothing  

Our pup is acting up in the frigid wind today. I don’t know whether I should take him out for a decent walk anyway or get him a coat or do inside activities. 

When the temperatures really drop here we have to keep the dogs inside as they can damage their pads on the frozen ground. In those situations the vet reminds us all with warnings. 

I guess i’m just trying to figure out if he’s acting up in the wind because it’s a new experience for him or if it really is too cold without his full undercoat ???

The ‘feel like’ today isn’t too bad (-5c or 23f) but it’s penetrating in the strong wind. 

Would appreciate opinions from those living in cold places please. 

[GentleLake]

A feel like temp of 33F is above freezing, so I wouldn't worry about it much. Take him for his walk and watch for signs of shivering, which would be an indication to turn around and head home.

Dogs, like, people, will have individual tolerances for cold or heat and often contrary to what their coats would lead you to think. I've never kept my house very warm in the winter (usually no more than 65F) but my first border collie, whose undercoat was never very full, preferred to lie outside the back doors in the winter than come inside. My presumed border collie/spitz-type mix (Am. Eskimo?) had a ridiculously dense coats but surprisingly didn't tolerate cold well at all. So as is so often the case, the answer is to know your dog.

My dogs have always had pretty sparse undercoats when they were young but tolerated central PA or upstate NY winters easily. Undercoats thickened as they grew older and still I never saw the need for coats for any of them. But a lot of it will depend on how long you're outside and how active the dog is when out. Leash walks won't generate a much heat as free running or work.

 

[ShellyF]

I may have my conversion wrong into Fahrenheit. It’s -5 so yes, below freezing haha! 

We get pretty cold up here in Canada. 

But you make a good point. I’ll take him for a ball game so he can run around instead of a leash walk. 

Thanks  

[ShellyF]

39 minutes ago, GentleLake said:

 

A feel like temp of 33F is above freezing, so I wouldn't worry about it much. Take him for his walk and watch for signs of shivering, which would be an indication to turn around and head home.

 

Edited post - as it should have said 23f haha! 

[brihop]

Hi ShellyF,

My dog is six months old today and we live in Western Scotland. The weather is starting to get cold but really nowhere near as cold as parts of Canada. My wife lived in Toronto for a couple of years and the Winnipeg for one. She tells me she has never know cold like in Winnipeg. I think the coldest day last year here was around -9. I have not considered putting a coat on him and will wait and see how he reacts over the coming months. He is still long legs and skinny so will have to see how it goes. Not a great fan of walking in freezing weather myself so probably won't expose him to too harsh weather.

I never put a coat on my previous dog and he seemed fine. Although cold, windy and sideways rainy nights were never either of our favourite walks.

Brian

[ShellyF]

I hear ya! Who the heck likes that sideways stuff lol! 

I think I will hold off on a coat then. We’ve just played ‘hunt the kibble’ in loo roll middles which we both prefer to frigid walks

[islandboy]

Merlin was born on a farm and experienced snow and cold (to -6C) prior to joining us at 8 weeks old.  Summer weather slows him down.  Cold merely amps him up - loves it.  Mind you we live in Victoria (Canada's mediterranean).

[ShellyF]

2 hours ago, islandboy said:

Merlin was born on a farm and experienced snow and cold (to -6C) prior to joining us at 8 weeks old.  Summer weather slows him down.  Cold merely amps him up - loves it.  Mind you we live in Victoria (Canada's mediterranean).

How cute! Our pup is called Merlin too

We are on the East coast lol! 

[Lawgirl]

Not entirely sure if I envy or pity those of you who live in the very cold places.  Where I live it might occasionally dip below freezing in the middle of winter for an hour or so on a few days, but never any snow.  I do not do so well in hot weather, especially when it is humid.

[Maralynn]

I start putting coats on my dogs in driving snow/sleet conditions or if temps/windchill gets in the single digits (Fahrenheit). If the dog is particularly skinny or old then I’ll put them on before it’s quite that cold.

 

 

[PaleRanger]

I just wanted to chime in and let you all know it's a beautiful 70F something day here in Florida! 

[Hooper2]

Even if your dog doesn't need a coat, you might consider getting him protective boots.  If your dog is running around and active he may well be generating enough body heat to feel plenty warm enough (or not.  As others have said, dogs vary in their cold tolerance).  But even strenuous activity doesn't protect the dog's feet that are in pretty much constant contact with frozen ground, and frost bitten toes can be a real hazard for dogs that are outside for extended time in frigid weather.

[ShellyF]

59 minutes ago, Hooper2 said:

Even if your dog doesn't need a coat, you might consider getting him protective boots.  If your dog is running around and active he may well be generating enough body heat to feel plenty warm enough (or not.  As others have said, dogs vary in their cold tolerance).  But even strenuous activity doesn't protect the dog's feet that are in pretty much constant contact with frozen ground, and frost bitten toes can be a real hazard for dogs that are outside for extended time in frigid weather.

You are right. When it gets that cold we can only take our pets onto the snow to do their business and then back inside. So lots of indoor ball games and big sniffy exercises haha! 

[jami74]

6 degrees celcius isn't cold?

*creeps off to Amazon to remove the dog coats from basket.

[CptJack]

When I use coats depends on the dog and dogs condition (and natural coat) as stated but also what they're doing.  Running around and active it has to be very cold - single digits cold. Crated at a dog trial for several hours - so not moving around much at all?  I'll smack coats on at 40-45 degrees.  Those temps being ones they would be ENTIRELY comfortable, even overly warm being very active in.

[GentleLake]

9 hours ago, jami74 said:

6 degrees celcius isn't cold?

It's well above freezing, almost 42F.

When I was younger and my thyroid worked better, my favorite temp was right around freezing. I'd put a warm jacket on but the winter coat stayed in the closet till it got a lot colder than that.

Of course when I went to Arizona one February several years ago, they were complaining about what a horribly cold winter they were having. The temps were in the low 40s during the day. I laughed, but I guess a lot of it's what you're used to.

[Lawgirl]

On 11/3/2018 at 1:47 PM, GentleLake said:

It's well above freezing, almost 42F.

When I was younger and my thyroid worked better, my favorite temp was right around freezing. I'd put a warm jacket on but the winter coat stayed in the closet till it got a lot colder than that.

Of course when I went to Arizona one February several years ago, they were complaining about what a horribly cold winter they were having. The temps were in the low 40s during the day. I laughed, but I guess a lot of it's what you're used to.

Where I live, as I said above, it rarely gets below freezing, but it can dip below on a nice frosty morning.  My brother lived for years in tropical northern Queensland, and I went up to visit.  We had a barbecue at the beach for tea, a balmy evening, sea breeze coming in as the sun set, might have been 20C (68F) I did not have a single goosebump in short sleeves, my brother and his girlfriend were pulling out winter coats and scarves.

I can't remember the last time I put on a coat to keep any of my boys warm, but I do have a cooling coat for my agility dog.