Cross Breeds

Dog Clothing can be functional. ?

This really isn't a question, it's generally my opinion. I own two miniature toy mix poodles, both under 10 pounds (they're rescues, in case you were wondering about the weird mix) I live in Ontario Canada, I if you're unfamiliar with the climate in this area, the temperature ranges anywhere from 0 degrees Celsius (32 Fahrenheit) all the way down to -40 degrees Celsius (-40 Fahrenheit) within the months of October to March, sometimes April. The rest of the year temperatures are much warmer, in the Summer months we wear tank tops and shorts.Anyway, unless you're a snowman, I'd consider this kind of winter pretty damn cold, especially for two small dogs. I'm an avid dog walker, I love walking my dogs, and they love it to, but I make sure they are appropriately dressed for this type of bitter winter. In the milder winter temperatures (when I need a jacket and a sweater) My dogs wear a knit sweater. They don't mind, they appreciate it, otherwise they would be shivering, I've seen them do it. In the dead of winter, they wear a knit sweater with a winter jacket for dogs. Also, they haven't protested with this, I'm sure they appreciate it too. My dogs love to walk, and love to walk in extreme cold because they can't feel it for the most part, they're wearing appropriate clothing. My older dog loves to run, I take her to the park (on her 26 foot flexi leash) and let her run in the snow. Mind you, it is sometimes 6 inches deep, sometimes 10 inches. But she loves it. When she isn't dressed, she shivers, cries out, wants to go home. When she is wearing her jacket and her boots (yes her boots) she can go on forever. I can't deny my dog this pleasure, she looks amazingly happy running in the snow and I love to watch her have a great time. She doesn't protest to her boots, they're comfortable and I made sure of that. She understands what her boots mean, whenever I take them out she gets very excited, because she knows we are going to run in the snow together. Anyway, this is my blurb on what I think is appropriate dog wear. Some people but light rain jackets on their dogs when they walk in the rain, and I understand this as well. I think weather related dog clothing is functional, and that's how a dog should dress. I don't see a need for clothing in a place like California, that wouldn't be functional. Items like Doggles, dresses, pants, and t-shirts are the real problem. So when people talk about dressing their dogs for the winter months, I find it silly when I see people commenting back about how their "abusing their dogs" by making them wear these clothes. Sometimes it is necessary, given the circumstances. If I owned an Alaskan Malamute, a Lab or even a Standard Poodle, I'm pretty confident I wouldn't dress my dog, but because mine happen to be small and lean, they need the extra padding. Thanks for reading, if you did, just getting my point across. If you tl;dr, I pretty much said, winter is cold my dogs wear jackets.

Public Comments

1. I also live in Ontario. My short-haired dogs do not have coats. EDIT: woerden - here in the Ottawa area it DOES go down to -40 We consider Toronto to be in the "banana belt" of Ontario
2. I agree; I think that dog coats or sweaters are sometimes a necessity on long walks, for short-coated breeds. I know several dogs with very short fur that are shivering and miserable without some form of insulation. I hate the little T-shirts and tiaras and whatnot that some chihuahua and yorkie owners torture their dogs with; it's cruel and unusual torture.
3. I agree. My 4lb Chihuahua wears a a sweater outside in the winter. That is the only "clothes" she has. I have a problem with people that dress their dogs up like their people.
4. NO dog...whatever size,breed color gender name...EVER needs clothing,shoes prom dresses... Tying a dog to a tree in SUB-ZERO weather w/out shelter 24/7 is the ONLY excuse for "pwaying dwess-up" w/a dog. NO,dog -clothes are NOT "functional" for dogs...only for the besotted owners.
5. I lived in Saskatchewan last winter. I had boots for my dog for those -35 days. They made the difference between going out just to pee, and going out for a 30 minute walk. Dogs can get frostbite, especially from bare pavement and sidewalks. Also, a lot of S&R dogs wear boots to protect their feet. Other than that, I see no need for clothes.
6. I agree, I have a Yorkshire Terrier who only weighs 8lb and she has a basic coat, the same as you would put over a horse or pony in the winter otherwise she gets to cold. I walk in all weathers and want my dog to enjoy walking to. However if she gets too wet or cold she might get a cold or pneumonia. She has already had a cold and the vet suggested she wear a coat. I don't agree with Doggles either or tiaras, nail varnish, trousers or t-shirts that say top bitch etc. I also have a cocker spaniel and she doesn't wear a coat because she doesn't need it.
7. Sorry... I just have to ask where in Ontario does it get down to -40C? Kapuskasing? Kenora? Timmins? At my cottage, near Sudbury, it does sometimes go above 40C (humidex) in the summer. On this date last year, even way up there, it was still 5C. They may go as low as -15C occasionally, in the heart of winter. I live near Toronto, and even -5C is brutally cold. (It's 4C now, and that's below average for this time of year.) My Great Dane begins shivering at 10C...hence the need for a coat, and boots for the ice and salt. Thankfully, I don't expect daily temperatures to remain below freezing for another few weeks yet, and we'll be back on the plus side by the end of February. In the 20 or so years I lived in Toronto, we had snow on the ground at Christmas...what? ...2, 3, 4 times? -40C? Really? Huh. EDIT: I have to say that those who say no gear is ever needed by a dog, they must have egregiously-limited experience with dogs. My Dane, for example, not only is visibly cold well-above freezing temperatures, but she walks like an old lady in bare feet, when there is ice and salt on the ground. Put her boots on, and she's back to her normal self, if not even more carefree. (I've actually thought she might hurt herself, given the chances she'll take when she's wearing her boots, when compared to when she's not.) When it's cold, there's just no comparison. And even in the summer, when the weather is good, we use boots to protect her feet from sharp rocks when hiking and swimming. Same thing goes, though. She carefully ambles around in bare feet, but with her boots, she's nearly fearless. There are benefits to gear like coats and boots. As in previous posts of this kind, I make the distinction between those items meant to improve the dog's comfort and safety, and those meant merely for the owner's enjoyment. EDIT for Bassett: You wrote, "EDIT: woerden - here in the Ottawa area it DOES go down to -40" Just so you know...According to Environment Canada, the lowest temperature EVER RECORDED in Ottawa was -38.9C in 1933. Average January temperature is -10.8C. I'm just commenting on the Asker's claim, "I live in Ontario Canada, I if you're unfamiliar with the climate in this area, the temperature ranges anywhere from 0 degrees Celsius (32 Fahrenheit) all the way down to -40 degrees Celsius (-40 Fahrenheit) within the months of October to March, sometimes April." Uh...that isn't even close to accurate. It's above freezing where the majority of Ontarians live right up to December, and it it's back above freezing by February...early March at the latest. Sure, there can be cold snaps even below -20C. But to suggest that -40C is a typical low temperature is ridiculous, or that the highest temperature during those months is zero. I don't know where people get this kind of stuff. They must be very imaginative. ;-)
8. I own an American Hairless Terrier and he has to wear clothes. Even when it is not that cold out he at least wears a t-shirt because he gets cold so easy. In the hot sun I have him wear a white shirt to stay cool. He absolutely does need to wear clothing (and boots when it snows or rains too). If I would wear a jacket outside, he wears his too. I always have trouble finding clothes for him that are functional though. Most are made just to be cute, not to be warm. I wish there were more places that had functional clothes for dogs.
9. I agree with you. I live in B.C. It was -8c here this morning, and cold. I have 2 Yorkies that wear sweaters in the winter. It helps keep them warm, and if other people don't like it, or feel it's not necessary, than so be it. I don't give a s*it what other people think.