Do Dogs Need Blankets In Winter?
If your dog is outside a lot during the winter, they should always have blankets available outside.
This way, they can protect themselves from the cold. Moreover, a blanket may not be enough in some temperatures, and you may need to get a dog house with a heater to provide proper shelter.
Keep in mind. It is recommended to avoid leaving your dog outside for long periods of time during harsh winters.
If you do have to keep your dog outside during the cold weather, you absolutely should invest in an insulated dog house (with plenty of blankets inside) and maybe install a dog house heater, too, so your pooch has somewhere to hide.
If you live somewhere, that doesn’t get very cold. It isn’t too big of an issue.
However, if you live somewhere where it’s regularly cold or snows, hypothermia is a risk. Hypothermia occurs when your dog’s body temperature drops below a certain degree, typically when it falls below 99-95 F.
Hypothermia can lead to many complications and even be fatal to dogs.
How Much Fur or Hair Does Your Dog Have?
For dogs, fur and hair are similar to the clothes we wear and provide some protection from frigid weather conditions and colder temperatures.
Dog coats are generally made up of an outer coat (the guard hair or primary coat) and an undercoat and can largely differ in density and length depending on the breed.
Guard hairs vary in texture, length, and thickness and not only safeguard the dog’s skin from minor topical injuries, but also serve as extra insulation from cold weather.
The soft and fluffy undercoat is nearest the skin and is a dog’s primary protection against chilly climates.
Most breeds have a double coat, meaning that they have both an outer coat and an undercoat. However, the length and density of the hair in each layer is what determines your dog’s vulnerability to colder temperatures. Some breeds only have a single coat. The Pumi, for example, only has an undercoat while a Whippet only has a primary outer coat.
Naturally, thicker coats will provide more protection to cold winds and temperatures, while thinner coats are more permeable to such conditions. A Greyhound, for example, with its short hair and non-existent undercoat, does not have the type of fur to survive cold nights in a wintry tundra, whereas a Siberian Husky would fare just fine.
So, depending on whether your dog is single or double-coated and how long and dense the hair is for each layer, a blanket may certainly prove to be a necessity.
Common Questions about Keeping Your Dog Warm in the Winter
Dog owners are responsible for keeping their pooches warm, no matter the time of the year.
From blankets to winter, here are answers to some of the most common questions about keeping your dogs bed snugly in the cold.