Hey Woofa’s,

Winter this year in Sydney, NSW has hit with a vengeance : 0

Anyone who knows me knows I don’t like cold weather.

If it’s cold I prefer to be inside by the log fire or in a nice warm bed with a mountain of blankets on me, all nice and warm.

What’s this got to do with our dogs I hear you ask?

Well, with winter here we do tend to wonder if we should be putting jumpers on our dogs.

The answer to this question is – it will depend on your dog’s coat, where your dog resides and sleeps etc!

For example – Our house is cold as it’s 90% tiles, when Billy is at home with no fire on, yes we put a jumper on him.  He has short hair and he feels the cold.

Does he love having a jumper put on him?   He’s okay with it but more importantly he doesn’t try to take it off.

The question remains :-

DOES MY DOG NEED TO WEAR A JUMPER DURING WINTER?

There are a number of things to take into consideration before answering this question!

1. Is your dog long haired or short haired?  Why does this matter?  If your dog’s natural coat is already long and thick then it would be like putting a jumper over a dressing gown!  However, if your dog is short haired then yes you could try putting a jumper on them because they have less natural coat.
2. Will your dog actually wear a jumper and keep it on?  Some dogs do not like wearing jumpers and that’s okay.  Just make sure they can stay warm in other ways, as in a nice warm bed and bedding.  Or do they have access to the sun out in the yard or around the house etc?
3. Is your dog an inside dog or outside dog – or both?  If your dog is mostly inside where there is a heater or air conditioning on, then no they probably won’t need a jumper no matter what their hair length.  If they are outside in the elements and are short haired, then yes try them with a jumper.  Billy is 90% inside so if the fire is on, his jumper is off.  If there’s no heating, then yes he has his jumper on and plenty of blankets to snooze under.
4. Do you walk your dog in the cool morning frosty air or the cooler evening night air?  Again, if your dog has a full thick coat then I would not put a jumper on them while walking.  Walking will cause them to be warm naturally.  If your dog is a short haired coat, then try starting out with a jumper on but keep monitoring them to make sure they don’t over heat.  Personally, I wait until the sun is up and there’s some warmth before we walk Billy and he doesn’t walk with a jumper on.
5. If your dog does wear a jumper – do you take it off and brush them in-between wearing?  I get some dogs that come into the salon in the middle of winter and they’re matted messes!  This is purely because a jumper has been left on them, it rubs up against their hair and it causes knots.  The owner doesn’t think to take the jacket off and brush their dog’s hair, so this causes matting.  I hate shaving a dog off short in winter, but that’s the better option than keeping the matted hair on.
6. If your dog sleeps outside during winter – then if they’ll wear a jumper I’d put one on them to sleep in.  Then you could take it off during the day if it’s going to be a warmer day.
7. If your dog sleeps inside during winter – then probably not, because no doubt the house will be nice and warm and they won’t need to wear one.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE!

Give your dog jumper free time!

A coat can be restrictive at times, so allow your dog to play and run around without it on.

Billy doesn’t wear his jumper when the fire is on, nor does he wear one to bed as he snuggles in under the covers.

We don’t want to over heat them and make them uncomfortable.

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR DOG IS COLD?

If the weather is cold, it’s important to know your dog’s behaviour for tell tale signs that they are cold.   Some dogs are affected by the cold more than others.

Some signs to look out for –

1. Is your dog shivering?
2. Is your dog curled up in a tight ball?
3. Feel your dog’s belly, if it feels warm then they are fine.
4. Is your dog reluctant to come out from their warm bed?
5. Tail is tucked under, they are hunched and can’t seem to get comfortable.
6. Your dog tries to snuggle into you to get your body warmth.
7. Is your dog reluctant to walk out into the cold or step onto the cold ground?  Billy doesn’t like sitting on the cold tiles or the cold ground when outside.

If you know your dog’s behaviour they will give you signs that they are cold.

It’s up to us to listen to them and make them comfortable.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

With the cold weather it’s important to make sure our dogs have a nice warm and dry place to be.

If your fluffy dog wears a jumper, make sure to take it off and brush them each day.

Regardless of coat, if your dog wears a jumper make sure to give them jumper free time.

Don’t worry if your dog won’t wear a jumper, just make sure they have a warm place to reside in during the cold weather.

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – BILLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW – IF YOUR DOG WEARS A JUMPER OR NOT?