Flickr/chazferret
While you can bundle up to face the freeze, your pet just has their coat to keep them warm. Which brings us to the age-old dilemma: Should I put clothes on my pet because it is cold? We chatted with veterinarian Dr. Jill A. Richardson -- an expert in pet safety, vice president of My Dog Walks, a consultant for the Veterinary Information Network and an instructor for the Penn Foster Vet Tech Program -- about her medical opinion on the pet-iquette for dressing doggies in the winter.
Big dogs seem to hate wearing clothes of any kind. Do larger dogs need protection from the cold?
Most dogs have a good fur coat that will give them natural protection against cold weather. Some that have a thin coat, especially those native to warmer clients, may need a little extra protection when the temperature drops. However, it's very important to pick out pet clothing with safety in mind. Make sure that the clothing does not obstruct the pet's vision. Avoid buttons or accessories that could be chewed off and ingested by your pet.
Do smaller dogs require extra cold-weather protection?
Very small dogs, for example the toy breeds with thin or short hair, will need some extra protection. Toy breeds with thick fur do not need extra warmth from clothing in normal situations.
Why don't we have to be as worried about our big dogs in the cold?
Bigger dogs are less likely to have issues with colder weather, especially those with thick or longer fur. Of course, any sized dog should never be left outside during cold weather unsupervised and without a shelter for warmth.
If we are cold does that mean our dog is cold too?
It depends on the dog and how long and thick their fur is. In general, dogs have a higher body temperature than humans.
How can we tell if our dog is cold?
A cold dog looks like a cold person. They shiver and shake.
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I WOUD SAY, IT IS UP TO THE PERSON! IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE DOG WITH SHORT HAIR, WHY NOT, GO FOR IT. I HAVE 3 BIG DOGS AND YESTERDAY WAS FREEZEN OUT. I HAD TO LAUGH AT THEM, ONE TIME DURING THE DAY IT WAS SO COLD WHEN THEY WENT OUT, THAT AS SOON AS THE AIR HIT THEM, THEY BOLTED BACK INSIDE. SO I WOULD SAY GIVE THEM A FAKE FUR AND A PAIR OF BOOTS ALSO. (BABY IT'S COLD OUT THERE!)
HAPPY NEW YEARS FOLKS AND ALL BE SAFE!
LOVE K.C
I have 2 dogs, Calvin a smooth fox terrier "Hates" clothes, and Maggi a small beagle/rat terrier "LOVES" to wear sweaters. She get's excited when I ask her if she wants to put her sweater on. She seems to get cold easily, so I bundle her up like a lil kid when she goes out in the snow :) I only put booties on them when it's bitterly cold. Then even Calvin puts up with it. I never thought that I'd be one of those people who dressed up their dog.
I have greyhounds (rescued racers) and they need coats for very cold weather!! When we adopted our first 2 greyhounds, we were told "if you need a coat, so do they" So, all these years later, every new arrival starts a browse thru the online catalogs for the perfect color for each hound!! Lots of fun! Zeke is gorgeous in his bright camo jacket, as he is black!! An 80 lb fashion plate!! Desi Lou is white with small tan patches and enjoys her hot pink zebra-striped jacket! When my Vinnie Ray passed at 14, we retired his sunshine yellow coat. It is a terrific way to show off your dog and keep them warm!!
We have 2 dogs a bichon and a boston terrier. The bichon loves the cooler weather, and I let him grow out a bit more in the fall so he has a natural winter coat which works for him cause he HATES clothes, but the boston she hates the cold, and the only time she's "naked" is when temps are 65 and up, she even likes to wear her doggie wrap in the house and is always up for curling up with anyone under a blanket. The only time she has an issue with clothes is when she's "in season" cause we make her wear a diaper and a onesie, we call that her "Honor Defense Gear". She has many cute little sweaters and even dresses and a pink polka dot life vest for boating. The kids call her my little Barkie Doll. LOL
You obviously care about your dogs. PLEASE spay you Boston Terrier!!
I dont think there is anything wrong with dressing up your dog. I have a long haired dog, short haired and two inbetween. All 4 love wearing clothes on cold days. Inside they have pjs depending on if im home and the heat is up higher they would be in lighter cotton pjs and if not home heat is very low they would be in flannel pjs. Even with their pjs they still want to curl up under blankets. I make and sell all sorts of dog clothes and accessories. I have found that there are many many people out there that love to dress up their dogs and cats.
Our two dogs, Chrissy, a minature schnauzer; and Baby's a beagle collie mix will not even go off the porch in cold weather! And if there's snow on the ground...forget it! Coat, sweater, boots, I don't care. They are like...I'm not going out in that! They don't mind sweaters or coats, but what's the use if they play 'chicken little'! Baby's loves to sleep under the covers, while Chrissy likes to sleep on top of them.
I have a Schnauzer who is 14 yesrs old. He has a nice coat of fur and is taken better care of than me. When its cold outisde he seems to notice that. I will cover him with a towel or even a piece of clothing I have worn that day. He loves it, when I wake in the AM he is still laying there, fast asleep with his cover on. When he has to r un out in the rain he comes right back inside and expects to be dried off and I use the hair dryer on him , just spoiled and I will not have it any oher way.
I have 2 dogs & 1 cat.I live in northern NY state where its often below 0 & snows alot.I had to buy boots for them cuz when its that cold they walk about 25 feet & cant walk any more.Their feet freeze.
I have two dogs, Coco and Diva. Coco is a Pit Bull. She was always cold natured and wears her Fido Fleece all winter inside and outside. This is the best coat I have found, snuggly warm and comfy with velcro up the back. I just ordered her another one. She also sleeps under the covers, toasty warm. Diva is a lab mix and rarely seems cold, but loves to wear a bandana.
I've got 3 little dogs and one big dog. Baby, our big dog there is no way in hades you'd be able to get clothes on her and I don't think she'd appreciate it so we keep her inside during winter, unless it's pretty balmy that day. Now my three littles, all three love to wear sweaters inside and outside. My chihuahua, Jose loves to look dapper in his sweaters, you put it on and he will prance and pose and grin at you lol. Mirabelle, my papillon-chihuahua mix loves to wear pretty things as well. She's been my 'pink girl' ever since she walked into this house so, her little bubble coat and sweaters both have pink in them. [She has a wardrobe of cute clothes though. pink halter and blue-jean skirt, pink panties for her time lol, countless pink tee shirts and dresses.] and then there is Penny Blue, my pureblood papillon. She has long hair but she still gets cold and loves to wear a sweater so we dress her up in light sweaters when the house is drafty. Penny likes other colors but she likes to do whatever Mirabelle is doing so she gets pink too sometimes lol. My Penny Blue has one brown eye, one blue eye so she's extra special. I gave up on dressing them in booties though. I had a hard time getting them on Mirabelle's paws and then I set her down to get ready for our walk and she flips them off two feet in the air haha!
I work in a dog boutique and am the proud mom of 3 large dogs. You really can't just generalize that big dogs stay warm and little ones don't. A dog in a utilitarian jacket is not dressing up your dog, it is protecting it from the elements. Dogs with undercoats tolerate cold much better than dogs without. All 3 of my dogs are long-haired. Only one, my rough coat collie, has undercoat and he is just fine in the cold/snow/sleet. My golden retriever mix has long, soft-curled hair, but no undercoat. He is a large (70+ lb), muscular, athletic dog, but he needs a fleece in cold weather.
If your dog has short hair, long hair without undercoat or low body fat (like a greyhound), they need some type of coat/fleece/sweater. If your dog looks cold or shivers, get him a jacket. This is not spoiling your dog or making it look "fru-fru," it's taking care of him and his health. :-)
Deborah,
I agree with you whole-heartedly. I have one dog, Robbie, a beagle/basenji mix.
His hair is short and believe me, he gets cold.
He has a raincoat w/hood for rain or sleet; a winter coat w/fleece lining and a hood to use during cold weather and snow. I have never had a problem putting this type of clothing on him. The only thing he won't wear are boots (he does a walking kick). I use a product called Musher's on his feet. It doesn't allow ice to cling to his paws. Then after his walks he knows that I will wipe his paws and dry him thoroughly. Then, I wrap him in his blanket and cuddle him until he warms up.
We have been doing this for most of his life. It's good for each of us ... we both go for our walk, he stays dry, and we get to spend the warm-up time together.
I have a Jack Russell that needs a sweater and a shih tzu who rolls in the snow at every chance.
Why take a chance with your loved dog's health and comfort? Put on a coat or sweater.............................If YOU need a hat or gloves ... think of them.
Warren
It seems to be to be a simple matter of common sense. Your dog will tell you if he/she is cold, and you should dress or not accordingly. We have a little teacup chihuahua pup that has next to no fur on her tummy and since she has such a short fur coat, she will shiver and snuggle into you when she's cold. She has a coat that we put on her, and even though she hates it at the moment, she'll learn to love it and the warmth it gives her (not that we have to take her out very much since we have puppy pads for her to use).
I HAD TO EUTHANIZE MY BASSET HOUNF TWO WEEKS AGO BUT OH HOW SHE HATED SNOW AND HATED CLOTHING WORSE. SHE WAS SO FUNNY IN SNOW BECAUSE SHE HAD SUCH SHORT LEGS.
I have a Miniature Dachshund & she received a nice quilted-type coat for Christmas. As she is very short on legs, the coat has velcroe(sp) to fasten it beneath her body. She doesn't mind it. She just hates going outside PERIOD.
hi everyone.please keep your pets indoors and have shelter for outside dogs.out of the rain and snow.put yourself in there place if YOUR COLD so are they. unless they are huskies. and even the huskies need to be watched while there outside so that nothing happens to them!! make sure they have love and kindness.there are some stupid people out there who think animals shouldn't have warmth of any kind.they think people like myself who put coats on all of my pets,need children. my pets are my (animal pack) family Like Ceaser Millan feels..... love all all animals!!!put yourself in there PLACE.show that you care.
My first visit to this website....what fun for all of us crazy dog lovers!!! Growing up we always had dogs.......labs!!! Two sisters Petey & Tidey then Snoopy ( a rescue black lab)......Beezy(mix black lab).......Sarah(a rescue yellow lab)......Rosey (yellow lab).....Emma.....(a beautiful black lab)......and now our precious Lucy "the Goosey" shiny black lab who has become another child, as our two "real" children are married with dogs! Our Daughter has a pug named Doug! He is a rescue!!! Our son has a black lab named Beezy (13) and a brown lab named Beanie (2) What would we do without our best friends?!?!?!?!!?