So DH dressed her in his shirt I sew quite well, is there anywhere on this forum where patterns or crafting of dog jackets is discussed? It really doesn't get very cold here, about 10 degrees Celcius and we are thinking it is end of the world time but Harls has a short coat and she was all curled up and looked cold so I want to make her a few jackets.
OH is sitting next to me and said "that looks so wrong" I've been leaving the heat pump on low overnight for Xena (not anymore, last week's power bill was ouch) but you're thinking about going one better lol. From what I've seen on the forum our Labs don't need coats (exceptions for toweling robes etc notwithstanding), but you do you - can't wait to see what you come up with!
I really, really would be afraid my dog would overheat. Mind you, it's what they are used to. But at 10C we don't wear gloves, jackets either sometimes if walking briskly. We are facing a horrible heat wave today and tomorrow, 29C both days with humidex up in the 30s. It was 15C when I got up at 7:30 and I ran around and shut all the windows to keep the cool air in.
I really wouldn't put clothes on her. I suppose people living in climates where temperatures fall a long way below freezing may need to protect their dogs, but if it's as warm as 10c she doesn't need it and isn't going to be comfortable.
Its a no from me , sorry ! I truly don't think Labs need extra layers, unless they are poorly, recovering from major surgery or very elderly . Last year , Sam had some invasive surgery and had to wear an adapted T shirt of mine to cover the wound , just overnights. Not only did he hate it but he felt so warm and damp in the mornings . OK , so it looks hilarious , in a cute sort of way, but 10 degrees is nothing to worry about !
Oh no. My sister's whippet has 'coats' but I'd never put anything on Molly. OK, if she gets wet/cold/shivery, a good rub down with a towel and into her bed in the warm draft free room soon puts her right
That's so funny! I'm impressed you got her to keep it on! Stanley would've had that off & destroyed within 2 minutes!
10 degrees? A Scottish summer I use a Hotterdog fleece (the off the peg/cheaper version of the Equafleece) I bought it thinking it would help with reducing dirt and muck and traffic grime. Too much hassle. I DO use it for popping on after a shower (whilst still IN the shower) to reduce the chances of wet dog splatter all over the house!
I love her outfit. It's cold in Canberra too (getting close to 0 Celsius at night) and Obi has a coat on at night now. Even with the coat we wake up in the morning with him trying to simultaneously occupy both our pillows. We have our heating set to 16 Celsius but he still gets cold. Lying on the couch at night he likes to have a light blanket over him. I wonder if dogs become acclimatised to weather the same as us....don't see why not. To an Aussie dog temps in the high 20s would be ho hum. We would still compete in Flyball in temps in the low 30s for example (I would draw the line at 35). 10 degrees, in contrast, is chilly.
Just.... 'close to 0 C at night' - wow. Survival conditions there. I'm sure they must - they just get used to what is comfortable. I wouldn't dream of putting anything on my dogs unless they were wet and (UK) winter and they were going to have to settle outside or in a car with the boot up. And even if I do want to put a coat on them, they hate it. Both of them think nothing of swimming in the sea in January, and breaking ice on their favourite ditches. They both seem to 'run hot' all the time, and will seek freezing water to cool down even in mid winter. That said, if a dog doesn't mind being dressed up, I don't see anything wrong with it at all. Both of mine absolutely hate coats, so I only make them wear drying coats if they are wet and it is cold and they have to stay outside not being active. Charlie adores attention - if he liked coats and dressing up, which he doesn't (unfortunately I think), he'd love the attention getting dressed up brought. So if a dog is fine with it, I'm fine with it - so sew as many outfits as you like for a dog that doesn't mind.
Coats are a no no for me, sorry. The only time I would consider would be if it was -0c and depending on conditions. Even I struggle to wear a coat most days in the winter here. When I used to live in various countries in Europe I would only wear a coat on really cold and wet days. Any animal adapts too their condition I think. It is harder here in summer to keep them cool... OH on the other hand different story. She thinks it is freezing when it is 10c, admittedly it is a dry cold... Curious where you live @Harley Quinn that needs a coat
Tut - I'm a bit annoyed on behalf of the OP that wants to sew coats for her dogs. If her dog is comfortable in coats, then I say go enjoy sewing coats. And her dog looks fine and happy in a coat! My dogs hate coats, and I'm not convinced they need them in the UK unless they are wet and settling outside or in an unheated car after hard exercise (in which case they definitely do need them). But if a dog enjoys the attention of dressing up, then fine. There is nothing wrong with that. And having recently spent a small fortune on drying coats that my dogs hate, it would have been a bonus to have had the skill to sew my own - so kudos to those that have that skill. (At least then I wouldn't have spent so much money on coats my dogs hate ).
Agree. I'm sure the OP isn't going to overheat her dog..... And, as I mentioned in relation to my dog, some dogs are looking for a little bit of extra warmth at night when the temp drops to below what they're used to, even if that doesn't seem cold by some standards. Like I said, we put a light blanket over Obi on the couch. But if I had a sailor suit I'd put that on him instead
It dire! It's FREEZING. We had ICE on our duck swimming pool the other morning. And frost!! All you people in far northern climes, you can stop laughing now.
@Oberon we will soon hear the Northen hemisphere talk about a heatwave at 28c (I know it is a different heat). I think from memory that is when it makes the paper But I must admit OH always looks at coats when we are in a pet store...and the chill is a bit different, I think that is why Vanilla cuddles more into us at night now @Harley Quinn apologies I did not read your original post properly. Did not realise you actualy made it. Well impressed, as I have no idea where to start.
Hehehe On a trip some years ago to the Dorset coast we were amused to see whole families sitting on the stony beach in the howling wind and drizzle, huddling behind their portable wind barriers. No doubt that was a beautiful day to them.
I really want to buy this book, for the Dogzilla outfit on the bottom left of the cover! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Patterns-P...78&sr=8-29&keywords=dog+knitting+pattern+book I think it would be an awesome Halloween costume! Lucky wears a coat on walks in the winter because he feels the cold, maybe it's that bit colder here in Germany and he doesn't have that thick lab coat. He also won't go out in the rain without a coat on! We have a coat with a removable fleece lining, so the raincoat part is very thin and he doesn't overheat. He doesn't mind wearing it at all, but he's used to wearing a harness and doesn't mind that either. That said, he does know when he's being teased/made fun of - so I'm not sure he'd like the Dogzilla costume as much as I would!
Ahhh peeps, it really is okay. Harley is not walking around dressed up every day. This was last Saturday, she was in the lounge with us and it is a very big, cold space without heating or cooling - we have a fireplace, but it wasn't that type of weather yet. The flooring is natural stone and although she has a rug that she sleeps on she was still displaying "cold" behaviour. She was curled up, nose to tail and she never does that. She usually lays normally or is stretched out. We felt her ears and she was cold, so we took DH's shirt and put it on her. So @Sven I didn't make that shirt, but I do sew quite well. Harley happily wore the shirt, she even played silly b*ggers and had a zoomy in it and then when we went to bed, which is a heated space, we took it off her. We would never leave it on her for a prolonged period of time or unsupervised and if she displayed any signs of being hot it or of being in discomfort it would have come off immediately. As far as temperature is concerned, I think it is all relative. We have lived here all our lives, so for us 10 degrees C is cold and nights get even colder. However, we would only consider 40 degrees C + a heat wave. Harley's well-being is at the at forefront of our minds at all times.
