By Heidi Clayton
With the first snowstorm of winter upon us, you might be wondering if your dog needs a winter jacket or coat. Not every dog needs to wear a coat and booties, but every dog is susceptible to frostbite. Knowing when to limit their activities and dress them accordingly depends on a variety of factors.
Most dogs are able to regulate their body temperatures during cold weather. Breeds like Huskies, Newfoundlands, Golden Retrievers, and Labs were bred to have thick double coats to protect them from cold weather elements and allow them to still do their jobs. They won’t need to wear a winter coat.
This can not be said, however, for the doodle and poo mixed breeds who get their coats clipped and genetically have no reliability that they have inherited a double coat. Dogs with clipped fur, such as the Poodle, lose their natural protection from the elements when the hair is removed. They may benefit from wearing a winter coat. Of course, hairless breeds have no natural protection and should wear a coat or sweater when the weather turns cold.
As opposed to large breed dogs, short-legged and toy-sized dogs have a harder time regulating their body temperatures. They are perhaps the dogs I find the most resistant to going out into the colder temperatures and could benefit from wearing a winter coat. Dogs with short legs that have hair to insulate them like a Corgi or a layer of fatty skin like Basset Hounds could benefit from wearing something water-resistant as their belly tends to be very close to ground level when out in the snow. While coated large dogs do regulate their body temperatures better than smaller ones, high-energy, lean, short-coated breeds like the Greyhound, Vizsla, and Pointer also could benefit from wearing a coat as they expel their energy in freezing temperatures.
The most important feature of a winter coat or jacket is that it does not restrict the dog’s movement. Most coats are sized in inches. The measurements are of the length of the back and the widest part of the dogs’ chests. There is an endless supply of options when searching for winter coats for dogs. How thick of a coat your dog needs depends on how much time they are spending outdoors in the freezing cold. I use coats that are cut and fit like a horse blanket because my Bull Terriers have much broader chests than they do length of backs, making it hard to find a properly fitted coat. The horse blanket-style coat has an adjustable velcro chest opening and a strap that goes under the belly. This allows my dogs to fully extend their front legs. When fitting a male dog with a sweater or coat, always try to get something that won’t get peed on!
Whether to outfit your dog with booties depends on how long you will be outside and where you will be. I personally do not use booties since my dogs have short hair, which prevents snow from getting balled up in fur. I also don’t walk them where they are exposed to road salts and de-icing solutions. I am mindful of how long of a walk we take and of their feet being wet in freezing temperatures to avoid frostbite. If you are walking your dog in areas where their feet will be exposed to dangerous salts or taking them hiking, you might want to consider booties and consider getting a pair that have some sort of traction on the bottom. Most times, if you are smart about your length of time outdoors, and you keep your dog’s nails properly trimmed to help them maintain their balance, you won’t need booties.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
