Does my dog need a coat?

archieboy

I am wondering if my dog needs a coat to wear outside in the winter.

I am also wondering if I should knit my dog a warm coat to wear overnight in the house.

We live in a pretty cold house and although we have the heating on in the rooms we use for a short time in the evening during winter months, the house soon cools down overnight. My dog is coming up to 1 year old and sleeps overnight in his dog bed in the kitchen. This will be his first winter with us and I just worry he will be cold. He is a cross jack russell/pug with fairly short hair.

Caroline_a

I'm of the opinion that dogs lived without coats for many years without them, and for the most part think they look a bit daft. Certainly I wouldn't knit him one for wearing inside! Up to you of course, but cross breeds are usually very hardy.

lostinrates

Ask your dog!

Is he warm, does his coat stare at all, is he warm, is he reluctant to be us curled from being in a tight ball, or will he uncurl. Are his ears warm? Is he healthy and a good weight? Does he seem happy?


Of my three dogs, one wears coats, one has a water proof one because its a sissy and doesn't like getting wet and we are outside a lot, and the other ALMOST never wears a coat! ( but has one so she doesn't feel left out, she's as hardy as she should be.

The further disadvantage with coats is they are a risk. By choice I would opt for better bedding or heating to leaving a dog unsupervised with a coat on in most cases. Its not risk free.

Hedgehog99

Our second dog had a coat for winter walks when he was older. Our first dog would have wrestled one off if we'd tried! I think older dogs do benefit from a coat - after all, we acclimatise them to our homes and heating, so they don't grow the same winter coat of their own that they would if they lived in a kennel. Quick test before you go shopping - will your dog allow you to dress him in something & will he then leave it alone? No point in buying him a coat if he won't.

ka7e

I had a Lab that slept in an unheated conservatory and she just grew a super-thick coat each winter.
Unless your dog is shivering, he's probably OK. Give him some nice fleecy bedding he can snuggle into. Have a bed with deep sides to keep out draughts. If he doesn't dog or chew his bed you could cut a piece of polystyrene and put it underneath for insulation.

fairy_lights

If you do decide to knit your dog a housecoat then we need photos as proof, lots of photos.

alleycat`

Depends on the dog and the breed.

Dogs with little bodyfat, i'm thinking greyhounds as an example, would be something I'd seriously consider a coat on if walking in winter.

It's not something I'd consider for indoors at all.

trolleyrun

Pipsqueak has a coat, only to be used in the car in winter if the car doesn't warm up in time (such as doing the shopping before walkies). She hates it. Really really hates it. It's like pressing the pause button on a remote control - hilarious for me, but she does give me evil looks and refuse to move. She's had temper tantrums to put a 2yo child to shame before, throwing herself on the floor - the lot.

I doubt I'll use the coat again unless it gets really cold this winter. Pipsqueak is much hardier now (she's a rescue and was very skinny when I got her) and she copes better with the cold these days. That's not to say that she loves sleeping under my 15 tog duvet or under a fleecy blanket in the sofa

teddysmum

I would only use a coat for a dog that was ill or had little body fat and coat.


In an online discussion, a vet said that a coat could actually make a dog feel colder , as it would flatten the hair and so remove insulating pockets of air. Also, she said that regular use of a coat could cause the dog's own coat to reduce in quality.

lostinrates

alleycat` wrote: »

Depends on the dog and the breed.

Dogs with little bodyfat, i'm thinking greyhounds as an example, would be something I'd seriously consider a coat on if walking in winter.

It's not something I'd consider for indoors at all.

My grey is the one that wears a coat. Her breeder thinks its hilarious, none of hers have worn coats ever. They have heated kennels when they aren't in the house.

Mine however is outside a lot, often stationary or pootling ( active dogs should keep them selves warmer) I usually take it off while she is running around.


A over heated dog is not healthy either.

lostinrates

trolleyrun wrote: »

Pipsqueak has a coat, only to be used in the car in winter if the car doesn't warm up in time (such as doing the shopping before walkies). She hates it. Really really hates it. It's like pressing the pause button on a remote control - hilarious for me, but she does give me evil looks and refuse to move. She's had temper tantrums to put a 2yo child to shame before, throwing herself on the floor - the lot.

I doubt I'll use the coat again unless it gets really cold this winter. Pipsqueak is much hardier now (she's a rescue and was very skinny when I got her) and she copes better with the cold these days. That's not to say that she loves sleeping under my 15 tog duvet or under a fleecy blanket in the sofa

Yep, car is another place we use it, our car has dodgy heating and sometimes we use it in fields and the dogs take a break in the car. Stationary in the car on a bitter day then are more likely to be cold than when being active.



The other really good reason for some form of clothing though is to add more hi viz for people who walk outside full visibility hours.