Dog coats – is your dog happy wearing a dog coat?
In the autumn and winter months you will often see pet owners taking their dogs for a walk. Nothing wrong with that you might say but dogs in fluffy coats seem to be taking over, especially in the cities.
Clothes for dogs are on the increase with sporty coats, weather proof ‘Macs’ and the humble sweaters hitting the pet shops and markets in a variety of colours.
To pet owners, clothes on a dog may look cute but is your dog happy wearing a coat just because the weather outside is cold or wet?
There appears to be a difference of opinion amongst vets as some say it cannot harm a dog while others think a dog who is out on a long walk in the park will love the difference in temperature.
Vets however agree that if a dog is running in a heavy coat and he or she becomes too hot then they could become ill from heat stroke. Cold weather will not see your dog catch a cold or end up in his dog bed with a sniffle.
Dog coats are usually worn quite tight around the neck and middle area of their body and some breeds of dogs will hate the pressure thrown on them, because in the wild another dog would stand over them to dominate them. Some dogs can see the pressure of the dog coat over them as your attempt to dominate them, and some are uncomfortable with this.
Naturally, each dog is different and so long as your dog is healthy and happy then whether or not he wears a dog coat is up to you.
Picture courtesy of spoilurpets.com
