Dog Coats

blue_monkey_2

Both my dogs have got coats, Pets at Home do a good range but they will be selling out this time of year so you might need to be patient and keep on going in there.

Mine have got the Three Peaks coats as well, I got them in the sale last year, there is nothing 'fashion' about them but they have a padded bit that runs under the chest and around the tummy - I have 2 staffies and neither of them have much hair on their bellies. One hates going for a walk full stop (she has auto-immune disease) and the other shivers like crazy when she gets cold. We have the back door open during the day but they are just not dogs that like being in the rain and the cold - if I've got to put a coat on them to get them out of the house for a walk then I will do so.

As long as a dog is not being ill treated, has food and water and is given medical treatment when they need it then it does not matter if the owner puts them in a coat or jumper when they go for a walk IMO. Loads of people I know that have short haired dogs have coats for their dogs.

OP, can you make something to get you by? Have a look in Mothercare for a baby cardigan that will do as a temporary measure or something - your dogs will grow (not much I realise) but then you'll be needing new ones. Smallest ones I found were in Jolleys (not many of those shops around though) last year and we got one for our baby staff when she was 2 months old.

Honestly, I've 2 staffies both are absolute wimps when it comes to the cold weather!!

adouglasmhor

PS my dog looks very nice in his jim-jams and not stupid at all.

blue_monkey_2

adouglasmhor wrote: »

PS my dog looks very nice in his jim-jams and not stupid at all.

I agree, my friend has a night time jumper for her dog too as he house gets very cold.

I think some people forget that not all houses are able to be completely insulated and super warm all the time. We have no cavity in our walls and our house gets really cold, in some rooms, even if we have the heating on the room is cold.

Kinski

One of my dogs has a double coat and it's a sod to dry so he has a waterproof coat for when it's raining and only for then, my other dog at the moment has a very sparse coat and she will be wearing a warm one when the very cold weather hits. I make the coats myself and they certainly aren't a fashion item but purely practical.

Caroline_a

Person_one wrote: »

Caroline_a is usually a very sensible and knowledgeable poster but didn't seem to understand the point (obviously she wasn't as rude as crazy guy) hopefully now she does!

*wakes up from late morning snooze*

Thanks very much! :beer: It's very much dependent on the dog, climate, etc imho. I have seen people putting coats on dogs that clearly don't need them, resulting in dogs panting and being generally uncomfortable. So, for example, in my neck of the woods today it was damn cold, foggy and damp until about 10...then the sun broke through and it's now glorious. I personally wouldn't have thought any healthy young dog would need a coat today, it's around 14 degrees.

However, when we have those horrible cold snaps, then thin skinned dogs like greys, whippets, yes, absolutely. I once bought a coat for my old Dane... she was pretty thin skinned. She ate it.

I got my two t shirts for promoting the business in the summer - they did look very smart I have to say - ok ok so I was dressing them up :rotfl: - and I got those from Equifleece, who were brilliant at returning the first one that didn't fit right and swapping it out.

*back for early afternoon snooze now*

littlesnuggy

My pug has this waxed jacket
http://www.danish-design-pet-products.com/dog-coats/wharefdale-waxed-coat.htm
The main purpose being that we're onto cream carpet as soon as I come in my front door and the less of him I have to dry (whilst wriggling in my arms) the better for me, him and my house!

vicx

I've just been to Pets at Home again this afternoon, they mostly have the fashion coats which are not waterproof and loads of fleece's and jumpers. They had a few of these ones: http://www.petsathome.com/shop/small-black-nano-parka-69205 but were all large.

I have ended up with two from Wilkos! £5.99 , fleece lined and waterproof - cant go wrong! They will be getting a better coat when I find one though. http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/collars-leads+accessories/wilko-doggy-coat-for-small-dogs/invt/0303606/?htxt=zsS%2BTjl5NcJl7QBedW37qPoFX8cFJ2uCVgM2hnbAFIbJ4je5gcGCqERtdqqiNabl%2FrVIpKhVzU3R%0AIM7XYoipHQ%3D%3D

Person_one

Caroline_a wrote: »

*wakes up from late morning snooze*

Thanks very much! :beer: It's very much dependent on the dog, climate, etc imho. I have seen people putting coats on dogs that clearly don't need them, resulting in dogs panting and being generally uncomfortable. So, for example, in my neck of the woods today it was damn cold, foggy and damp until about 10...then the sun broke through and it's now glorious. I personally wouldn't have thought any healthy young dog would need a coat today, it's around 14 degrees.

My parents have a dog that doesn't strictly speaking need a coat, but you try getting him to walk in the rain without one.

He digs his heels in and uses all 25kg of his weight to pull you back towards home! Some dogs are just soft I suppose.

elsien

A soft-hearted relative bought mutt a waterproof coat once as she was being a mard (- this was in her younger, fitter days so I was more of the opinion hoik her outside and let her warm up by running round.)
She loathed it, froze to the spot and refused to budge till it came off again, however many times we tried. Not sure if it was the weight, the feel or what but she wasn't having any of it. I'd always try first now if I could so I didn't waste any more money.

krlyr

I volunteered at a rescue that deals mostly with Staffies and has many of their dogs in a kennel situation - they take in dogs that are literally a day or two away from being chucked out/put down so kennels are better than nothing. Some of the kennels are quite basic so not that warm in winter and all the dogs really benefited from coats - being small, short-haired breeds with no other dogs to curl up with, they probably felt the cold more than many other dogs.
Anyway, being Staffies, most coats that fitted lengthwise wouldn't do up around the chest or belly. A few people ended up modifying the coats to fit, so an alternative if you can't find a properly fitting coat is to get one that has the right size body piece and add or remove fabric from the straps to fit properly.
I imagine there are also many individuals who make custom coats, made to measure, and probably many at reasonable prices.