Do People With Full Coated Breeds Use Coats In Winter?

[Guest donatella]

The reason I ask is because this is Lucys first winter and she has never slept with me ever (her own choice) but recently now it's getting cold she's been jumping in my bed and snuggling right up in my neck. I wondered if I should be getting a coat for her or if her regular coat was warmth enough?

It's Queensland so it's not like it's freezing but its not like her to sleep in my bed, she's not a cuddler.

[Bjelkier]

Ah no, she'll be fine.

I have Sammy puppies in - degree weather and they are fine.

Enjoy your snuggles while you can. ;)

[Guest donatella]

Yeah I thought a coat might over heat her, but it's so unlike her to come and sleep with me I thought she must be freezing if she needs to do that :laugh:

I'll enjoy the neck scarf for now then, thanks for the tip :)

[mita]

My Tibetan Spaniels don't like wearing dog coats here in the Brisbane winter. They seem to make them uncomfortable.

But what they do like in winter is access to their soft crates that have a pillow and baby blanket inside....and also a baby blanket thrown over the top. They take themselves into their soft crates at night and I can see brown eyes looking out at me from the warm 'cave'. When they come out, they feel as warm as toast. The soft crates are lined up in the bedroom at night... Looks like little motel rooms! :)

[Jumabaar]

Nope although I do hope to buy a light weight rain coat for my Lappie in the near future...... :laugh:

[Lady Flying Furball]

Yeah I thought a coat might over heat her, but it's so unlike her to come and sleep with me I thought she must be freezing if she needs to do that :laugh:

I'll enjoy the neck scarf for now then, thanks for the tip :)

I don't know how long you've had Lucy but I found Tonka gets more and more cuddly... After having him for about a year he really started to mellow. Now he still may sleep off the bed but equally may choose to sleep against my back and definitely is a true cuddler now!

[Guest donatella]

Yeah I thought a coat might over heat her, but it's so unlike her to come and sleep with me I thought she must be freezing if she needs to do that :laugh:

I'll enjoy the neck scarf for now then, thanks for the tip :)

I don't know how long you've had Lucy but I found Tonka gets more and more cuddly... After having him for about a year he really started to mellow. Now he still may sleep off the bed but equally may choose to sleep against my back and definitely is a true cuddler now!

you could be onto something. she's 14 months old now and i've had her since she was 3 months old. she's definitely formed a very very close bond with me but has only very recently started to sleep in my bed now its cold although her other favourite hidey hole is under my bed. i hope she's getting cuddlier, nothing like fluff ball cuddles

[Simply Grand]

Saxon has gotten more cuddly as he's gotten older too. He started sleeping on the bed at 7 months but used to sleep off to the side not touching me. Now, at nearly 3 he seems to always want the rest at least his head, if not all of him, on some part of me. It's cute :) although I do feel bad if I move and disturb him

Oh and I leave them blankets and things to burrow into during cold weather too, like you said they may get too hot in a coat.

Edited June 1, 2012 by Saxonpup

[SparkyTansy]

setters don't get coats, and neither do my short coated weims. they deal with it by snuggling, but I think i'll get getting coats for the weims this year.

[RiverStar-Aura]

I've tried coats with Zeus and have been through what seems like hundreds as he continually chewed them off. I've finally come to realise that poor boy probably got too hot and could only chew his way out of them. It's been far more cost effective to stock up on fluffy blankets!!

I am interested in investing in raincoats for them both though as they love to play in the rain!!

[Gretel]

Nope although I do hope to buy a light weight rain coat for my Lappie in the near future...... :laugh:

What and spoil all her fun?! :laugh:

[jr_inoz]

no coat for the sheltie here. She seems to like the cold, but she'll curl up on blankets on colder nights.

[fuzzy82]

MY JRT x gets really cold, probably because he lives inside so he doesn't grow a thicker coat in winter. So on the coldest nights I put a coat on him for walks, and where our obedience classes are also gets really cold in winter, so he wears a coat for that too. He gets an extra blanket in his crate, but he doesn't wear a coat around the house.

[Saffioraire]

MY JRT x gets really cold, probably because he lives inside so he doesn't grow a thicker coat in winter. So on the coldest nights I put a coat on him for walks, and where our obedience classes are also gets really cold in winter, so he wears a coat for that too. He gets an extra blanket in his crate, but he doesn't wear a coat around the house.

There might be something in that for those with young enough coated breeds. My dogs have been forced to stay outside all day on the non-rainy days leading into winter to grow their coats out. It's worked a treat they are huge and fluffy and seem to be pretty warm around the clock now. Meanwhile they were not impressed that they haven't been allowed inside by the heater as they please throughout the day, but now they have coats they don't really want to be!!

ETA: During the day. At night they still come inside.

Edited June 1, 2012 by Saffioraire

[Perry's Mum]

Perry has a long fur double coat and she definitely would not wear a coat outside - although she finds it fascinating that other dogs do. She sleeps inside in a warm room on a bed covered with sheepskins and she hates having a blanket on top of her even when it is -8. I would love a dog who came and cuddled with me but I don't think it is going to happen with this one.

[Mim]

I've got corgis so thick double coats and come cold weather, they will seek out their warmer beds (eg, crate instead of the floor :laugh: ) but we did notice our 12.5 year old foster seemed a bit too chilly so we got her a thin polar fleece coat. She's quite comfortable with that on now, I think it's just right :)

[Lady Flying Furball]

HAving such a little dog you may enjoy knitting a snuggly blanket for her :D I am doing Wrap with Love through my social work placement and have ended up knitting a little blanket for one of the client's dogs (homelessnes service). When I finish it I shall knit one for Tonka's bed as they are really good for winter and with a little dog a little knitting goes a long way

Edited June 1, 2012 by FlyingFurball

[BC Crazy]

Both of mine have a unlined rain coats for walks when it is raining heavily or sometimes they like to be outside during a rainy day. But really a double coated breed wouldn't need a coat for warmth IMO. They would get to hot.

[MavericksMission]

Maverick is fine in the cold, he loves lying on the cold concrete rolling around on his back..

I put a polar fleece coat on Willow, her he is very fine and wispy :)

[aussielover]

My lab doesn't seem to have as much coat as other labs? She has quite a thin/sparse undercoat. She seems to get cold at night and doesn't object to having a blanket placed over the top of her (my aussie shep would get up and walk away if you did that) and lies by the heater and tries to snuggle up to you. Not that it is even that cold in sydney at the moment...

I don't worry too much as she is still jumping in to the ocean which is quite cold (to me anyway :laugh:). She is fine when she is out and about, its just at night she seems to seek warmth.

It seems a little silly to put a coat on a breed that is used to retrieve game from freezing waters etc :laugh: