We have a bichon-poodle mix. She weighs 12 pounds. We let her hair grow longer in the winter. Does she need to wear clothes and boots in the winter when she goes outside? I know she needs boots when she walks on sidewalks that have been salted, but what about when she goes in the backyard? Does she need a coat to stay warm? At what temperature and windchill should you dress a little dog, if at all?
I know it sounds silly, but she is my baby.
Winter and dressing your dog- do you need to if it is a small dog?
If she has a lot of fur, and she is not outside for an extended period of time, then you don't Need clothes for her. I have a 50 pound dog, and she has Very short fur. She doesn't wear a shirt when she goes outside to go potty or play in the back yard. But if it is really cold and we are going outside for an extended period of time I will put her sweatshirt on her if she starts shivering.
Dog's have been domesticated for thousands of years from wolves. Wolves don't need a coat during the winter because they have fur that helps protect them from the cold. Some of the dogs Man has created through selective breeding can get cold in the winter months if they are out for long periods of time. Dogs like Chihuahuas, Besenjis etc. are not meant to be left out in the cold for long periods of time, their fur just doesn't protect against that.
Winter and dressing your dog- do you need to if it is a small dog?
I won't, but then I have a double coated Pomeranian. If she has fur then she won't need it any more than a standard big Poodle, just check to see she isn't shivering x
Winter and dressing your dog- do you need to if it is a small dog?
She doesn't need anything. She really doesn't even need boots as long as the roads and sidewalks are not heavily salted and she will do some walking on the grass as well.
Winter and dressing your dog- do you need to if it is a small dog?
It's great that you're letting her coat grow warmer during the winter and no, she wouldn't need a coat just to go in the backyard. She might not even need a coat on walks depending on the length of your walks and the temp. I'd say if your walks are no more than 15 minutes and the temps. not below -10 C and there's little wind, she'd be ok without. But she'll let you know if she gets cold.
Winter and dressing your dog- do you need to if it is a small dog?
No. This whole idea of dogs "needing" coats is just so ridiculous. Dogs survived without man-made coats for centuries.
Winter and dressing your dog- do you need to if it is a small dog?
The key is if your dog is a shorthaired warm climate baby I put a coat on her. I do not walk mine on sidewalks with salt so she does not have boots. I have noticed that she likes to play in the snow but when she is cold and or wet she wants in. She gets her coat on when I wear a heavy coat and seems happy with that. Its not silly, better pampered pet than an abused one! Enjoy your baby.
Winter and dressing your dog- do you need to if it is a small dog?
I have a Basset hound and I put a coat on her throughout the winter if we're going for walks. If I don't then I can see her legs shake from the cold. People make fun of me and tell me that she's a dog and doesn't need extra protection from the elements, but she is short-haired and isn't supposed to live in a place that has really cold winters. It would be like taking a husky to the tropics...they just weren't made for that kind of climate and it can seriously mess with their health if they're not cared for properly.
Take your dog out and watch her, if she seems just fine and doesn't notice the cold (i.e. she's not shivering or wanting to go back inside) then she's probably fine. But if she starts to shake then just go buy a sweater or coat from a Petsmart or Petco; you can find them online too.
My dog is just that much happier with her coat on when she's out in the snow, so whats the harm? Plus she looks adorable!
Winter and dressing your dog- do you need to if it is a small dog?
Just don't leave her out for extended periods of time in the winter and you should be fine. I have a 16lb JRT mix and I put her out during the winter to play with my other dogs and to go to the bathroom and she is just fine. She runs around in the snow and acts like she does during the rest of the year. If you plan on taking her out for extended periods of time I would say to put a coat or something on her but otherwise she should be fine to be outside in her fur coat.
Winter and dressing your dog- do you need to if it is a small dog?
I have two short-haired mini-dachshunds, both about 11 pounds. I put either a sweater or a coat on them when it's cold and they have to go outside. I also put one on them if it is raining. I think it's necessary to keep them from getting unnecessarily cold. If I, a grown human, am cold, my dogs will certainly be cold if they are 10 times smaller than me and lower to the ground.
During the fall when it starts to get chilly, I'll put a sweater on them if I notice them shivering shortly after being out. In the winter, they don't go outdoors without something on.
For their feet, I bought a wax that you apply to the pads of their paws. It protects them from snow, heat, salt, sand...basically anything that would cause an abrasion or discomfort. It's called Musher's Wax and it was originally developed for the sled-pulling dogs. It's non-staining and it works really well.
Regarding the thought that no dogs need coats because they are animals, that doesn't hold when they are very small dogs who have been intentionally bred for their small size. Wolves and large breed dogs with thick hair don't need an extra layer of protection, but small dogs do.
Winter and dressing your dog- do you need to if it is a small dog?
.I have an APBT and she HATES the cold. where we live it gets COLD. She wears a coat that's made for active dogs. we train her a lot. she needs her coat and she loves it.
Winter and dressing your dog- do you need to if it is a small dog?
given the area you live in yes-small dogs have a difficult time maintaning their core temp
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