Dog coats

[stuartmmcfc]

My Labrador is fit and healthy and we go for 4-5 miles fast walks every day.
I wrap up warm (hat, gloves scarf etc) but to put it in context I’m in my electric wheelchair so I don’t move much when we’re outside.
Everyday a “walkies acquaintance” tells me that I ought to get her a coat.
I think it’s not necessary for an active big dog but what do you think?

[Chester draws]

Tell them your dog is wearing a coat already! And it's a breed bred to retrieve from icy waters or fields and lakes!

Unless your dog is old, or the weather is well below freezing, I'd say it's unlikely it will need a coat.

[monoloco]

totally agree with Chester on that -labradors in particular really don't need coats as they've got one of the thickest and best already. I've got a German Shorthaired Pointer which, as the name implies, has the exact opposite -his coat is no more than a couple of mm thick -you can see every muscle and sinew through it, but even so we only put a coat on him in the coldest, wettest weather -ie sub 3/4degrees and rain/snow etc.

[hondafanatic]

Chester draws said:

Tell them your dog is wearing a coat already! And it's a breed bred to retrieve from icy waters or fields and lakes!

Unless your dog is old, or the weather is well below freezing, I'd say it's unlikely it will need a coat.

Ooooooo...I have one of those. Having a swim in Morecambe Bay. It was painful to put my hand in the water it as that cold but could I get her out?

[Challo]

We have an equafleece for our Cockapoo. I suspect he doesn’t need one but we got it for a couple of reasons.

1) He loves running through the mud, puddles, play fighting and with his fleece on I only need to wash his feet and face.

2) It’s waterproof and keeps him dry in the pissing rain

3) We got him a bright orange which is handy for him to wear at night, as he is jet black

[Who me ?]

I often wonder if certain breeds need them. I admit that six years ago, I bought one for Shona. She had been a breed bh at a puppy farm and her coat was not what I'd expect a cairn to have. It was more like an old lady of 60+ with a lot of bald patches, so keeping her warm was a priority.
My groomer was horrified at scalp condition. Next year, Shona sported a Cairn coat- fit for all weathers . it took a few months of good feeding and love. I always laugh at Cairns & Westies with a coat. Cut them for summer- that's OK, BUT in winter, let thm grow a coat fit for the worst weather in the UK-that experienced in the west Coast of Scotland.

[spookly]

Depends on breed, coat thickness, age, activity level.

My older Dane has her coat on when it gets cold. My younger Dane doesn't usually wear his until it's below freezing as he never stops running about long enough to get cold.

[hotchy]

I'd say no but mines wear one purely because they dont get in as much of a mess. Even if you try to keep one on a path on a horrible rainy cold day, turn your back for one second and hes already rolled in a magic black puddle of mud. Infact even on a dry day and I turn around and hes still somehow a complete mess haha.

[moorx]

spookly said:

Depends on breed, coat thickness, age, activity level.

My older Dane has her coat on when it gets cold. My younger Dane doesn't usually wear his until it's below freezing as he never stops running about long enough to get cold.

Agreed. Most of my dogs have been sighthounds with short coats. They don't have much fat and can't regulate their temperature well. We don't tend to have the heating on very much at all (just a woodburner in one room in the evenings). So they have Equafleeces or fleece house coats for the cold weather and waterproof coats for wet walks.

[Daveb257]

We’ve tried a couple of different coats and he either goes nuts or goes into a shiba sulk and stands there frozen solid so have given up, his own coat will be fine

[moorx]

Daveb257 said:

We’ve tried a couple of different coats and he either goes nuts or goes into a shiba sulk and stands there frozen solid so have given up, his own coat will be fine

He is a very handsome boy