Dog coats are also recommended if you live in an area where the mercury drops below zero or if your dog spends a lot of time outdoors in the winter. This applies even to large breeds that are accustomed to the cold: remember their bellies have no fur and are exposed to the elements. Likewise, dogs recuperating from an illness or injury may also be more sensitive to frigid temperatures, as are older dogs and puppies.
Veterinarians recommend against dog sweaters for long-haired larger breeds because these dogs are naturally predisposed to survive cold temperatures. Dog coats and sweaters come in a variety of materials, although wool and fleece are most common. Water-resistant fabrics, such as those used for people parkas, may be better if you live in a snowy area.
Whatever fabric you choose, make sure it is easy to care for. To adequately protect your dog from the cold, a sweater should fit snugly and completely cover your dog's stomach except with a male dog and end at the base of the tail, keeping his legs free so he can walk, run, and relieve himself. Coats with full-length "sleeves" for the legs may be harder for your dog to adapt to and may inhibit his ability to move normally. If possible, try the sweater on your dog to make sure it fits him comfortably and is easy to get on and off.
Most sweaters come in small, medium, large and extra-large sizes. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads.
Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Warning Certain fabrics may cause allergic reactions in some dogs. The 6 Best Dog Jackets. Featured Video. Related Topics. Article Sources. The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Read More. Your Privacy Rights. One dog may sit right against the heater while another can be outside chewing a bone in the rain. What finally changed my mind for good was watching dogs under anaesthetic. As part of routine monitoring, we measure core body temperature. Needless to say, we always use Bair-Hugger-type warmers and body wraps.
Put those three together and you can see why Chihuahua breeders used to say that their puppies reacted badly to anaesthetics. A common mistake I see is letting the coat of a Poodle cross grow out over winter. First, I stress the importance of washability. Second, the fit is important. Too loose and it turns into a skirt. The best temperature to wear a coat will depend on the dog and the situation.
I advise a coat for cold-sensitive breeds when it gets below 14 degrees celsius or 57 Fahrenheit. If a dog will be in the wind or rain, that number should be more like 18 degrees, whereas if the dog can bask in the sun, it could be down to As the temperature drops further, even breeds considered to be cold-tolerant will eventually need coats. On the right dog you can usually see when they enjoy wearing a coat. What about those dogs that keep taking off their coats?
Some of them will just be telling you they feel fine without them. Then there are the other dogs that benefit from coats but still take them off or destroy them. It can get quite expensive, not to mention frustrating. Even if your dog fits the description above, there are alternatives.
Related: Can Dogs Live Outside? Have something to add? Comments are welcome below and will appear within 24 hours. These articles are from a series regularly posted on email and Twitter.
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