# At what Temperature to Coat



## Keneomac (Oct 12, 2010)

We live in Massachusetts and it is just starting to get cold some nights and we have coats for Darwin, but I am not quite sure when he actually starts needing to wear them. What is everyone's experience who live in a cold climate? At what temperature do you start coating your dogs? He doesn't seem to care what the temperature is when he is running around, but some nights when we take him out to go the bathroom he is definitely not warm.

On a related note, we normally turn down the thermostat in our apartment to around 58 degrees during the day when we are not home, but don't know if that will be too cold for Darwin to handle while he is crated. Do you all leave the heat on at 68 to 70 degrees for your dog?


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## doglover (Aug 4, 2009)

It has been in the 20-30's in MN. Clyde has been wearing his coat outside. As for indoors, he has been sleeping under the covers in our bed all nice and toasty warm ;D


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

I am wondering the same thing. My puppy is very young (almost 11 weeks), and I don't keep my house super warm. He has a blanket keep him warm, but he usually just curls up into a ball. I have never seen him burrow like others say their dog does. He feels warm when I pick him up, but sometimes I think he is shaking/shiver (or maybe it's just from being carried).


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## Keneomac (Oct 12, 2010)

Kobi,

We just sent an email to Darwin's breeder to see what she says and I will post her reply for you as soon as we get one!

K


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Copper has been shivering ever since the temps dropped below 45 degrees. I just got him a Lands End coat yesterday. Not bad for the price, and it actually fits him pretty well ;D.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

I've never put a coat on any of my dogs, but the winters in CT. are pretty mild by comparison to other places like Minnesota.
I have had them in flotation vests for duck hunting and chest protectors for upland birds, but no coat.
Our dogs have always stayed in the house with us, and during the day we normally have a woodstove going that keeps the whole house at 70 degrees +. I don't make them stay outside or anything like that and once their done doing their stuff, they're pretty good about letting me know that they want back in.
If I'm outside working in the yard in the fall, I watch them and make them go back inside if they start to look uncomfortable, or indicate they want in. So far though, if I'm outside Gunnr has no inclination to ever go back in the house. She loves being outside.


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Good to hear! Living with 3 women must be getting to me. They keep saying it's freezing out there...Look he's shivering. I say....he's a dog! They just keep saying he's cold, he's shivering : : : :


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

Linescreamer said:


> Good to hear! Living with 3 women must be getting to me. They keep saying it's freezing out there...Look he's shivering. I say....he's a dog! They just keep saying he's cold, he's shivering : : : :


 
You do have to watch him though. He's only got one coat of hair, so he can't trap any heat next to his body. He'll get cold pretty quickly if he's unable to generate his own heat. Make sure you always have water for him. It's just as important in the middle winter as the height of summer.
They're very rugged dogs and will suffer quite a bit quietly. You have to be their "barometer".


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

We live in MA too and we send Rosie to daycare (outdoor playgroup) with her fleece sweater on if it's 35 or under. She's pretty active at daycare, though, otherwise she might need it at slightly warmer temps. If we're with her, we can tell if she's too cold because she shivers. We plan to get her a real coat for this winter (water repellant outer shell). It will be her first year at her full grown size. At night, she gets under the covers (we keep the house around 67 or 68), so I can imagine a crated dog would appreciate being given a small throw they could burrow under or a fleece sweater to wear if the house is chilly.


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