Are you a dog owner, and did you wake up this morning to find it is -5 centigrade and you find yourself wondering, should my dog be wearing a coat?
Darach the Labrador Retriever enjoying the snow
My name is Rachel Rodgers, I’m a Clinical Animal Behaviourist and cold weather advice for dogs is something I have been asked to comment on a lot over the last few weeks for various different dog companies, including Canine Cottages.
You can read some of the pieces that have been picked up in The Scotsman, The Liverpool Echo, and Dogs Today Magazine by clicking the links.
There are some people who strongly believe a dog should never be dressed up and wear a coat, fleece or jumper however our weather is sadly changing and becoming more extreme. The Highlands of Scotland had temperatures as low as -15 last night and it hasn’t gone above -4 for several days! These are extreme temperatures, even for dogs who are accustomed to them, like Darach the lovely Black Labrador above.
Ultimately, it depends on the individual dog and their individual life style. The temperature they are normally housed at and the conditions they are regularly exposed to. Darach regularly spends his time running through the snow with his human, as they certainly get a lot more than most of us! He manages well without a coat and will probably be absolutely fine, but he has acclimatised to these conditions!
If I look at my two dogs though, they are very different. They are both small dogs, they are older, and they have health conditions (hip dysplasia, and arthritis) which put them at a greater risk of struggling with hypothermia (having a lower body temperature than normal). The cold actually aggravates arthritis and can cause flare ups of pain, so yes, my two dogs wear coats outside in this weather and actually Maisy regularly wears a jumper in the house too to help keep her warm and arthritic flare ups at bay.
Rachel with Rico a 7 year old kokoni wearing a fleece under his harness
Acclimatisation is something that I am well aware of being an avid open water swimmer. Last week I went for a swim in Buttermere, in the Lake District. The air temperature that day was -6, the water temperature positively warm by comparison at 2 degrees C. However for the vast majority of people getting into that water in nothing but a swimming costume sounds ridiculous, never mind dangerous!
Yet, because I do it regularly, my body has adjusted, I cope and actually find it enjoyable. So much so that I went and broke the ice to get in for a dip at Hanmer Lake this afternoon.
Acclimatisation has helped the lovely black Labrador I mentioned to enjoy his time in the snow, and myself with my wild swimming but the vast majority of pet dogs are not regularly exposed to these temperatures. They are fortunately used to be snuggled up in the house in the warmth with blankets, bedding and the heating on! That means that going out for normal length walks in these temperatures, the ice and the snow that many have experienced will for a lot of dogs be VERY cold.
It may seem dramatic and over the top, but sadly hypothermia is very serious, and dogs can die from it if they do not get the right care, quickly. If your dog slows down on their walk, is cold to the touch, slows their breathing or worse, collapses you must get veterinary attention for them urgently and in these situations they need to be warmed up gradually so hot water bottles and heat pads should not be used.
Minnie the Yorkie on her walk
So does your dog need a coat to help keep them safe?
Well firstly I would suggest considering if they are at higher risk.
Dogs at greater risk of struggling to keep warm in the cold weather include:
- Puppies
- Small dogs
- Old dogs
- Dogs with health conditions
- Dogs with thin coats, and low fat reserves
Then you should consider how comfortable your dog is at wearing a coat, fleece or jumper. Is having items like this put on very distressing for them? If they run away, cower and show signs of being scared then perhaps a better option for them as an individual is to stay at home and miss their walk. You can always do some free work or training instead. No dog has ever died from missing one walk, but they have from being forced to walk in extreme temperatures.
Perhaps you could find a jumper that goes on differently, like a fleece that they step in to wear and is zipped up along their back instead of being pulled over their head which they would be able to tolerate better.
If you do need to take your dog out on a walk to encourage them to go to the toilet, then walks could always be kept shorter. Their food allowance can be increased slightly to give extra calories as they will burn more trying to stay warm!
Ultimately, the decision is yours, and you need to do what is right for your individual dog and keep them safe and warm this winter.
If you have any questions on keeping dogs warm then do leave them in the comments for me!
Just a final side note, yes wild swimming is fun but in these temperatures it is classed as ice swimming and is an extreme sport. If you have not been regularly dipping in cold water or had appropriate training please don’t go and try it!