Dog coat or not?

[LordHaveMurci]

Just wondering whether to purchase a doggy coat for my 13.5yr old working cocker?

Always seen them more as a fashion statement than a useful thing to have?

On the Vets advice he's just had a haircut & bless him, he's feeling the cold, probably will for a few days until he gets acclimatised! Forgot to ask the Vet at the time, seems a bit daft ringing them now.

[iphonedyou]

They can be a statement and functional.

Our miniature dachshund puppy can really feel the cold and gets on much better with a coat.

That said, she's been in coats since she was 9 weeks old - at 13 years old you might find your spaniel hates the idea.

[CAPP0]

My GSD has a heavy top coat and a heavy undercoat (both of his own!). He's from german stock/bloodlines originally, and if it's warm indoors at this time of year, he'll often ask to go out and just lie down outside for a while. The only time I ever put anything on him is a thin waterproof if it's absolutely tipping it down and I know that it'll be me who spends ages drying him before I'll let him back in the sitting room!

My GSD Cross (unknown) has a very light coat and was born in Spain, and she's clearly been feeling the cold this past week or so, so I'm going to get her something warm. They both spend a full day outside a few times a week working with MrsC, and I think she really does need it.

Conclusion: dogs horses for courses!

[xjay1337]

Yes, and post up a photo on here. I love cockers

[LordHaveMurci]

xjay1337 said:

Yes, and post up a photo on here. I love cockers

Here you go!

[xjay1337]

Awwwwwwwww.

Such a sweetheart.

When I was lodging, the family had a working cocker.
She had babies, i spent most of my time raising 7 beautiful puppies, they sold 6, kept 1, and she was a sweetheart.

They both melted my heart completely.

The mother, was so well trained. You could tell her to sit, say to get the ball ehem you count to 3, and she would wait until you said 3... you could go 1...2...5....6...2....3 and she'd know.

When we can get dogs, rental agreement says no -_- I want another cocker.

[oddman]

I use a neoprene coat for my working cocker

From Jack Pyke

[garythesign]

This is my little lad

9 1/2 and mad as they come

I just love him

[Pete Baraka]

Our lab has a very thin coat of her own & definitely appreciates an extra layer when it's cold or damp.



Pete

[xjay1337]

So many sweethearts! <3

[LordHaveMurci]

Visited our local independent pet shop on saturday, they had 2 or 3 different styles, we narrowed it down to 1 & tried it on him.

Safe to say he wasn't smitten but I'm sure he'd get used to it. Biggest issue was the design, the minute he's let off the lead he'd lose the coat in the undergrowth or get badly entangled.

Great for dogs walked on the lead, or those that chase balls in the park but for a working cocker, no use at all!

[moorx]

Have you thought about an Equafleece?

Jumper https://www.equafleece.co.uk/dogs/fleece/dog-jumpe...

or Tankie https://www.equafleece.co.uk/dogs/fleece/dog-tanki...

I can recommend the Tankie - six of my dogs have had them.

There is a chance that they'll get torn on undergrowth, but you'd get that with a coat anyway.

[oddman]

LordHaveMurci said:

Great for dogs walked on the lead, or those that chase balls in the park but for a working cocker, no use at all!

I use mine when he's sitting on the peg on a cold day like Saturday but take it off if he needs to work

He doesn't need to keep warm when he's hunting or retrieving

[chrisga]

We have various coats/jumpers for ours. All working dogs, not fashion. Basically we put them on when they are wet/cold/dirty. Partly for warmth but mainly so they don't shake mud all over the inside of the car! They all have an equafleece like this one:

IMG_0130 by Chrisga, on Flickr

IMG_0116 by Chrisga, on Flickr

and they also have towelling ones like this more for drying:

IMG_0669 by Chrisga, on Flickr

Our rescue springer who has arthritis and bad joints (nearest in the above picture) also has a pyjama type fleece onesie which we put on her when its really cold as she doesn't get to run as much as the others. They don't wear them when "doing" as they would get ripped to shreds/snagged. Only for before/after activity as they don't really seem to understand warming up/down.

Edited by chrisga on Monday 30th January 20:31

[CAPP0]

Been hunting since this thread started for a waterproof, but not especially warm, coat for the big lad. I need something which will fasten underneath him, that's the bit which picks up pints of muddy water and takes ages to dry. Really difficult to find anything thin and waterproof though. Any suggestions?

[chrisga]

Why do you need it to be waterproof? Are you thinking of him wearing it while out so it prevents him getting wet and muddy or for after to stop him dripping in the car or whatever? Ours are allowed to get as wet and muddy as they want, then the fleece jumpers wick the water away from their bodies and go right round but they aren't waterproof as such. They are generally pretty dry by the time they get home wearing them and the mud sort of dusts off rather than drops off in clumps. Our boy struggles with his more than the girls for loo reasons even though it is cut a bit shorter......

[CAPP0]

I don't think he needs anything to keep him warm, as mentioned further up the thread he'll often ask to go out and lie outside when it's cold. It's just to keep the muck and wet off him on a "routine" walk, e.g. an evening when it's raining and it takes longer to dry him than the walk itself!