My local specialist dog shop (The Dog Hole 😯 ) has 40% reductions on Hurtta dog jackets. Some of them are mighty fine looking things. Molly’s not covered in an insulating layer of fat, being the lithe beauty that she is – but then again, she is a Border Terrier and her natural coat seems well insulating.

Is it just vanity and over-protecting on the owners’ part and should dogs just DTFU in the wind and rain?

Maybe when they get old…..

When my wife got a doggy coat for our dog, we put it on her once (with me complaining about it in the background) and then my wife took it off when they got home. Our dog instantly pounced on it and started tearing it to shreds.

I think that tells us the dogs opinion on the thing.

Most definitely DTFU

Our Parsons Russel is a right radiator hugger inside
but out in all weathers and not bothered a bit even when it was down to minus 15

If its short haired then yes.

Our Boxer is 12 years old with 2 knakcered legs, one full of metal so she wears a coat.

DTFU and MTFU, Kala loves the warm but is happy to play in the snow. Possibly the only thing better is the towel down when she gets back home to get the excess water off.

Oh please: DTFU!

I can’t understand how people decide their dog needs a damn coat. Wish someone would enlighten me.

I’m not upset at the OP, I’m disappointed…

In his heart of hearts, he knows the truth

Dogs don’t need coats, they have their own that will keep them warm when they are out.

However… I do have two fleece “pullovers” (for want of a better word) that I put on our two spaniels when it’s cold and they are soaking wet after a walk. The fleece wicks moisture away from them and keeps them warm when they are in the back of the car, so that when they get home they are mostly dry and haven’t half-frozen after stopping exercise.

I’m not upset at the OP, I’m disappointed…

In his heart of hearts, he knows the truth

😆

I’m only asking the question FFS. Wasn’t quite sure after seeing Molly shivering her arse off when out for a walk one cold wet morning.

I think if the dog is shivering then it would appreciate a coat

some dogs need coats if the breed has been bred to have minimal fat layer – whippets lurchers greyhounds. i’d like to see some of the stw lot riding their bikes at this time of year without their customary fat layer….endura and goretex sales would go through the roof.

agree a border terrier is probably weather proof, low surface area to volume ratio also 😉 should be pretty tough…..but why not by her a coat that brings out the colour of her eyes like you know you want to 8)

I’m only asking the question FFS. Wasn’t quite sure after seeing Molly shivering her arse off when out for a walk one cold wet morning.

You went out when it was cold and wet enough to make her shiver? Bastid!

My dog has no fat and not much hair. You can really see him shiver when its cold,so the mrs got him a coat. He looks stupid and the harder dogs laugh at him, but if it makes him comfier where’s the problem? 🙂

PS, how’s Molly?

It’s amazing that dogs ever survived before doggy coats were invented.

I can’t understand how people decide their dog needs a damn coat. Wish someone would enlighten me.

Allow me.

I have 2 labs – young one (he’s 10) is big and strong and has dense thick lab fur. Hillwalking in -20C in December. No need for a coat.

Old one – had his spine rebuilt twice. Very bad arthritis in both front elbows. As a result he can’t run about to make himself warm. Main thing though is that 5 years of heavy steroid use for pain relief and anti-inflammatory has made his fur very thin. Labs have 2 layers of fur and his undercoat has never grown back due to the drugs and being completely shaved for his 2 spine ops. So yes, he needs a coat especially in the kind of weather we’ve had up here before Christmas.

Dogs are pretty varied, ours, with a thin fur coat will wear a BA in the canoe, partly so if we cowp in the middle we can worry about everything else, and partly cos it can be a bit chilly out there, and hes got no opportunity to generate heat running about.
So far weve only bothered on camping trips but I work on the basis that if im out there for a week its better to have the coat and not need it, than the other way round.

some dogs need coats if the breed has been bred to have minimal fat layer – whippets lurchers greyhounds.

We have a retired greyhound who has a coat for the winter months, as she has very little body fat to help her keep warm, but the Staff/Lab cross we have will go out in all weather without complaint. The only time I’ve seen him a little bit cold was when it got down to -16 just before Xmas. Then again he’s built for it.

i’d like to see some of the stw lot riding their bikes at this time of year without their customary fat layer….endura and goretex sales would go through the roof.

😆

Our GSD has a waterproof coat, it has nothing to do with keeping her warm. She is a total mud magnet. Its less traumatic for all concerned to try to keep her clean than spend forever chasing her round the garden with the hose. (She’s not keen on baths)

She does get a few funny looks as she rustles by………..

Thank you dazzlingboy. That sounds (almost) like a case where a coat is needed. I’m sure a lot of the dogs (owners) don’t have that kind of excuse though. Scottie dogs for instance, loads of fur. Boxers I’ve seen, must be so embarrassed..

If I’m not mistaken, dogs (like all other land mammals bar humans) don’t store fat subcutaneously as an insulator so they’re totally dependant on their fur plus their mass to surface area ratio and metabolic rate to stay warm. And if, like my mother, you’re curiously fastidious at keeping your dog shiny and white (he practically has his own bathroom…) then their fur loses most of its water-repellency so without a coat they’d freeze on a cold wet day.

Horses wear coats too, even though you see tiny ponies in Shetland half covered in snow and not in the least bit bothered by it. But they have a natural winter coat which hasn’t been clipped.

chief is correct. Fat does not keep you warm, it’s there to draw on as energy.

no idea about coats, but “The Dog Hole” is the best (worst) shop name I have ever heard.

😀

I did get a bit cross with a group of walkers with a (naked) greyhound on top of Skiddaw in temperatures that were around 10 to 20 below zero.

They all had about five layers on but laughed when I pointed out that the dog looked a bit chilly.

Completely irrelevant, just wanted a rantette becauise I’d forgotten abotu it until now.

no idea about coats, but “The Dog Hole” is the best (worst) shop name I have ever heard.

You couldn’t make it up could you?! 🙂

This thread is useless without pictures. Show us your dogs in jackets!

You couldn’t make it up could you?!

My mind is still boggling.

I had to google it and I can see what they meant by the name now, but that’s not what I thought of.

Like I say, its a BA really

For Mrs Toast.

He doesn’t really like wearing it, but his Mum’s a bit of a fuss-pot when it comes to Her Boy, which is why he’s also got his Polar Buff on here… 🙄

And for the really cold days, he’s got a home-made Buffalo-esque fibre-pile jobbie. Still not happy about it though…

Border Terriers = tough as olde boots. Other dogs would laugh at your dog.

Rather than buying a dog coat, why not bring the money to the Bike Jumble on Saturday and buy some bits?

There’s no such thing as too cold, only inappropriate dogs.