Are you ready for another Michigan winter? How about your dogs? Are you having a hard time figuring out if your dog requires a coat or a sweater to keep them warm? Well hopefully this article should answer all of your questions for you!
Does My Dog Need Extra Warmth?
Dogs that have thick double coats really don’t need any help keeping themselves warm. Breeds with this type of coat include Huskies, Akitas, Alaskan Malamutes, Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers, just to name a few. Their coats are specifically designed to keep them warm by trapping in the heat in the layers of their fur. Putting a heavy coat or sweater on these types of dogs can actually make them uncomfortable or overheat them so if you want to dress them up strictly for fashion purposes, chose something lightweight and breathable.
If your dog naturally has a lot of fur but you chose to keep him shaved like the Poodle, Labradoodle or the Goldendoodle for example, than you’ll also want to give him a sweater or coat to keep warm.
It comes as no surprise I’m sure, that the dogs most in need of additional insulation during the winter months are small breed dogs such as Chihuahuas, Miniature Pinchers and Italian Greyhounds. Larger breed dogs with very thin layers of fur like American Pit Bull Terriers or dogs with both thin layers of fur and very thin body frames such as the Greyhound will need help keeping their body temperature up as well.
You may also want to consider getting your dog a warm coat or sweater during the winter months if your dog is a senior, has a weak immune system or suffers from a disease that causes impaired hair growth.
When should your dog wear a sweater or coat?
Obviously when your dog is outside in the elements they should have on their extra layer of clothing. However, many dogs would benefit from having a sweater on in the house too.
It may be difficult for them to stay warm if you keep your house temperature low. If you need a blanket or sweatshirt to keep warm, than your dog does too!
Leave a Reply