# How to tell if your dog is warm enough?



## Lizz1155 (Jun 16, 2013)

It's approaching winter, and getting colder at night, and I'm not entirely sure what temperatures the pup can cope with. He's my first dog and I've previously only had rabbits, which were able to live outside all year round. 

Currently he sleeps in his crate in the dining room, which is unheated at night ( the whole house in unheated at night). Would he let me know if he's cold? And as it gets more wintery, will I need to increase the amount of blankets in his crate/get him a dog bed so he's more snug? 

Are dogs able to pull blankets over themselves if they get cold? (I haven't seen him do this yet)

Also, if it's really cold or snowing, is it cruel to take him outside without a dog coat? 

(He's about 5.5kg, with a thick puppy coat which is slowly shedding to his adult coat, which looks less thick)


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## maxandskye (Jan 31, 2009)

I would say if you have blankets down for him & has a thick coat I'm sure he will be just fine.

If your still concerned then maybe try putting a wee blanket over the top & down the sides of his crate.

Hope this helps, it can be such a worry when you have a new baby.


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## Guest (Sep 8, 2013)

Lizz1155 said:


> It's approaching winter, and getting colder at night, and I'm not entirely sure what temperatures the pup can cope with. He's my first dog and I've previously only had rabbits, which were able to live outside all year round.
> 
> Currently he sleeps in his crate in the dining room, which is unheated at night ( the whole house in unheated at night). Would he let me know if he's cold? And as it gets more wintery, will I need to increase the amount of blankets in his crate/get him a dog bed so he's more snug?
> 
> ...


I think it depends on the individual dog a bit. My dog tends to feel the cold - probably because she's quite small and lean, and has quite thin fur.

At night I find she won't settle if she's cold, although she sleeps in my room so it's easy to tell. I've found that if the overnight temperature is going to be under approx 8 degrees, she needs a jumper on at night, but my room is very cold.

I have a fleece bed and 3 blankets in my dog's crate over winter, and I find she sort of pushes them around. I also cover her crate with one or two fleece blankets to keep the heat in.

Personally I think most dogs need coats in the snow, apart from very heavy coated breeds, or if the dog is going to be doing lots of running around and generating enough heat themselves (in which case maybe start off with the coat on and then take it off).


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

I figure if it's warm enough for me then it's warm enough for my dog. I've never had one seem to be cold in the house. None of mine have pulled blankets over themselves.

Only one of mine has ever worn a coat or jumper and that was Rupert. He was seriously underweight and was miserable in cold weather. He'd shiver and practically crawl on a walk without a jumper on. Once he gained weight he stopped needing it. Spen was running around in temperatures well below zero last winter without a coat on. In fact I'd worry about him over heating with a coat on since he always came back with toasty warm paws and ears and no signs of feeling the cold. Shadow and Wolf were the same, they showed no signs of being cold.


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

Chester pulls his blankets over himself every night , and in winter we have an oil filled radiator on low beside his crate , but he has a very thin coat and no undercoat, and sometimes will sleep in his equafleece.
Not sure what breed you have but looking at your pic, he looks like he has a fairly decent coat, so I would think he should be fine.

This is what I come down to every morning ...including summer


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

A dogs core body temperature is about 5 degrees more than our own. However I do have one that does feel the cold and she will nudge my back when it's bedtime so I can lift the quilt for her to snuggle under it. And during the day she sleeps with one of the boys, much to their disgust cos Jack's LH'd and hates being laid on and Lou just likes his space from her :lol:


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## Bobbie (May 3, 2008)

Oh I so love that pic


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## babycham2002 (Oct 18, 2009)

I just look to them to see if they are warm enough
With a coat like that I expect he will be fine but I would be tempted to still cover the crate with a blanket so as to stop drafts when it gets really cold 

Mine will cover themselves with blankets (the baldies) and love to snuggle in lots of them


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Tango does feel the cold, last winter she was virtually bald due to seasonal alopecia, so had lots of smart woolly jumpers. At night she sleeps at the end of the bed and I would loosely wrap her in a thin blanket so she could wriggle out if she got too warm. If she gets really cold she creeps up the bed and snuggles up to my back or tummy.
I've found a good test is to feel her ears, if they're cold I pop a sweater on her or cover her with a blanket. She also shivers quite visibly too.
I'm currently knitting her a cardigan, can't wait to finish it and take some photos 
Spoilt ? Naaahh !


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

SusieRainbow said:


> Tango does feel the cold, last winter she was virtually bald due to seasonal alopecia, so had lots of smart woolly jumpers. At night she sleeps at the end of the bed and I would loosely wrap her in a thin blanket so she could wriggle out if she got too warm. If she gets really cold she creeps up the bed and snuggles up to my back or tummy.
> *I've found a good test is to feel her ears*, if they're cold I pop a sweater on her or cover her with a blanket. She also shivers quite visibly too.
> I'm currently knitting her a cardigan, can't wait to finish it and take some photos
> Spoilt ? Naaahh !


That's exactly my method, feeling the ears. Ziggy, my older dog, has always felt the cold and sleeps under a blanket on all but the warmest nights and loves her bed by the stove. Kite's a much 'warmer' dog, seeks out cooler spots and often waits to be let into the (unheated) conservatory when the stove's lit in winter.


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## Charleigh (Nov 9, 2012)

Teddy has always felt the cold. If its daytime I feel her ears, she will also whine at me and shiver if she is cold. So then I will put a jumper/coat on her. Or if we are in the car or at home she gets a blanket/duvet. If its night time she will nudge/hit me in the back for me to lift the duvet for her to come under!


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

My dogs have never had heating at night or a coat on when outside until my current two who do wear coats if they are going to be hanging around in the yard during the winter.
My dogs that used to be kennelled outside never had or needed heating.


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## rona (Aug 18, 2011)

I walk a dog with the same mix as yours and she does feel the cold, only usually when she wet/damp though, unless it's extremely chilly.

I don't think she has any problem indoors unless she's wet


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## IncaThePup (May 30, 2011)

mine sleep on my bed..well Inca does..JJ likes to move around he'll spent some time having a cuddle then move over to his own bed (K9 bunk bed).

I use loose blankets rather than dressing them in clothes at night. If inca doesn't have a blanket and she's THAT cold she will wake me up trying to snuggle as close as she can or get under the covers..so i put a blanket over here losely she can move again then if she gets too hot and I've gone back to sleep so I'll do same for JJ.

only Inca will wear a fleece/jumper in the house if I haven't got heating on cos of her age now and keep her muscles warm as she has arthritis.


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## Bridget Rangel (Apr 4, 2018)

Options for Dog warm at night can be 
1) Pay attention to the floor covering
2) Go for heated pads
3) Provide warm beds 
4) Encircle the dog house
5) Place some straw
6) Make available the thick and soft blankets
7) Employ draft shields
8) Take proper care of diet
9) Arrange for proper dressing
10) Look after the grooming.
Easiest ways to make your dog warm


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

This thread is 5 years old.


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