Should I Dress My Dog Or Not?

This is a jacket we just bought most of our crew from Poochtini.com (They didn't have Risa's size in stock at the moment. Natalie was kind enough to bring the coats over and have a play date with her Rex. It was fun and the coats are great. They will help save the coat, protect from ice balls and cut your time down in grooming - well worth it - in my opinion.

When you live in a city or suburb, does your dog really need a jacket and pair of boots?

If you think it's cold outside, consider whether your dog shares your shivers. This time of year, many dog owners put coats and other rugged outwear on their pets before heading outdoors.

Like their humans, urban dogs grow accustomed to a warm house. Their own coats may not be as thick as their rural cousins' coats might be, making it more difficult for the animals to adapt to the cold.

Footwear may be necessary in some cities to protect tender paws from de-icing salts and chemicals. We opt for the no boots route except for our show dogs on show days but if your dawg is a city dawg, if you go the 'no boot' route, you need to clean the salt and chemicals off their feet. You should also take care of their pads.

If you're not sure whether your city dog needs a coat, look for shivering during or after exercise. Just how cold are we talking? How long will the dog be out for? How typically active is the dog?

What is shivering? Muscular activity that increases as your dawg works to keep their body temperature up.

If this is your first winter with your Havanese, the snow when wet - that nice heavy snow - well it sticks to their hair, forms snow balls and downright is cold for them and painful. Put your stomach on snow bare and leave it there. Then tell me how it feels.

Plus - it's not fun to take out. You have to dry it or wash it out or brush it out but if left you will have an amazing amount of mats. Some can be prevented by shaving their tummies down but you still have to protect that bare skin.

Bottom line? Pay attention. Your dog's behavior will likely tell you when and whether he's uncomfortable. That's your cue to act.

If you're at all embarrassed by the notion of dog outerwear, it's typically the toughest of dogs who wear boots and coats. It's not just your fou fou dogs. Police and military K-9's and search-and rescue dogs all need foot protection. Search and rescue dogs that brave the elements use coats. Plus agility and games people suit their dogs up after a hard day on the run.
Real dogs do wear coats.

It's Bloody Snow Time Havanese!

Okay, this is not a Havanese but the human who thinks its 60 below zero.

She is getting ready to dress the dogs in coats and get them conditioned to having something on. How long will it take?

Well the way Fiona is looking - it may take a very long time.

This is her first year in a coat and after having this experience many times over - by a week they are acting naturally. So persist. Will it take Fiona a week?

Fiona looks up at me and says - what the hey is this thing?

Well, Fiona got a new jacket - a poochtini jacket and the legs for her are a tad long so we will be tacking them up. I could have bought one size down but it would have just fit her and she is still growing so we decided to tack up the legs and allow growth. It's important to get the right fit. Abigail's needs nothing done to it.

But we went out the door. Fiona got her foot out and I went argh. I took my gloves off, got snow in them, put the leg back in, rolled up the legs and then gave her a tug on the lead as she thought she couldn't move. Kat already is used to the coat thing but even he went - argh coats but two houses down, they were bouncing all over the place acting as if they had nothing on and enjoying the weather immensely but guess what?

We got home. Took jackets off and they were DRY - yes DRY - just wet feet. So, we are getting more coats from them this weekend. I am going to love not having to wash their whole tummies, body etc.

Look for all of them stylin' when we have their coats. Plus Linda brough Treasure a sweater and blanket. Now how cool is that? She will be stylin' too!