As a vet working in Melbourne’s north side, Dr Kate Golaszewski says: We see a lot of dogs dressed up – and running a fever – coming into Lort Smith Animal Hospital.
“Most of the time, the dogs I see wearing coats don’t need them,” she says. “You’ll get a fluffy Maltese wearing a coat—he probably doesn’t need it because he’s covered in fur.
“It is rare to find a dog who enjoys wearing clothes and accessories. [And] “They don’t particularly like to have their heads covered with a hood.”
Fashion can be a touchy subject for some dog owners, who find it hard to resist cute dog clothes (the global pet clothing industry has been It was worth US$5.56 billion last year. It is expected to reach $8.97 billion by 2032).
As temperatures drop this winter in South Australia, it’s only natural for dog owners to be concerned about their pets’ comfort.
But Golaszewski says dog owners should consider the dog’s breed, size, age, coat thickness and activity level before putting a vest on him.
“For small breed dogs with short fur — like Italian Greyhounds, short-haired Chihuahuas or Chinese Cresteds — it’s certainly not unreasonable to have them wear coats on really cold days,” she says.
“They have a larger body surface area.” [to mass ratio] For this reason, they are more prone to heat loss than dogs of large breeds.
“But for most dogs – for example an average Labrador – [they] They shouldn’t need to wear coats unless they are really old and not very mobile, and if they are really thin. [they] They can be more susceptible to heat loss if all they do is sit in the backyard.
Does my pet have to wear a coat when going to the dog park?
Dogs don’t need jackets when running around the park in Australia, and that includes greyhounds, Golaszewski says.
The exceptions, she says, are older dogs with poor mobility. Her Italian Greyhound, a pet, would go without a jacket when he was a baby. “Now, she’s 15, and her walk is so slow that all she does is sniff and sniff, so she wears a coat on some of her walks,” Golaszewski says.
“But the problem with coats is that you have to make sure they don’t get too hot, too wet or too sweaty.”
How do I know if my dog needs a jacket?
You can tell if your dog is cold by watching his behaviour, says Dee Evans, chief scientific officer at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Australia.
Obvious signs include uncontrollable shaking, cold ears, and “huddling in a very tight ball.”
“When they bury their noses under their hind legs, they reduce the surface area exposed to the cold temperature,” she explains.
Larissa Hubbard, Adoption Manager at the Greyhound Adoption Program in Victoria, has specific advice for Greyhounds because they have thin skin, thin coats and low body fat. “We often tell our adopters, ‘If you’re cold, your dog is probably cold’… We recommend they wear a coat when they’re outside in the winter.
“If they are having trouble maintaining their weight… or if they suddenly start urinating indoors at night after previously being clean, this could also be a sign that they are feeling cold.”
On nights when temperatures drop below 10 degrees Celsius, Toni Donnelly, president of the Greyhound Adoption Society of Western Australia, recommends that greyhounds wear pyjamas or coats indoors to help regulate their body temperature.
“Some of [these outfits] “They have legs, some are underwear, some are coats with ties in the back. They can look very elegant.”
Small, long-haired dogs, such as West Highlands Terriers and Maltese, generally don’t need to be covered, but their owners should let their hair down in the winter, Evans says. “The most dangerous time for them is when they get their hair cut,” she says.
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For most breeds, Golaszewski says, “If they’re indoors and have a basket and a blanket, there shouldn’t be a need for coats.”
Is my dog cold in the backyard?
A dog that is cold will exhibit “shelter-seeking behavior,” Evans says.
They will seek shelter somewhere out of the wind – in some bushes or under a house if there is space there. If there are two [dogs] They may huddle together, and sometimes they may burrow into the ground… they make a bed in the ground to keep warm.
Golaszewski advises pet owners to provide their pets with a cage and blankets if they spend long periods of time in the yard in the winter.
How do I know if my dog is comfortable in his jacket?
The first time you put a jacket on your dog, it’s important to make sure it’s a “positive experience,” Evans says. “Give them treats and reassurance, and make sure it’s not too tight or too loose.”
The fabric should also be taken into account: soft on the inside and waterproof on the outside.
Golaszewski is more cautious: “I don’t think I saw a single dog present. [at the animal hospital] With hypothermia because he was not wearing a coat.
She says a dog with a high temperature will show obvious signs of stress. “Most dogs will immediately try to rub themselves [the jacket] “Or they scratch themselves or pull it out with their mouths.”
Others will “pant, not be as active as they normally are, lick their lips and yawn.”
A dog with a high temperature may lie down and stretch out “in an attempt to increase body surface area to dissipate heat as quickly as possible,” Evans notes.
My dog is afraid of getting wet. Does he need a rain jacket?
Not all dogs like to walk in the rain – and most dog owners don’t like the smell of wet dogs either.
But are rain jackets the obvious solution? “Rain jackets are good,” says Golaszewski., But warnings: “Again, most dogs will find them very warm once they start moving.”
