Cold ears

Gail · Big Cheese

Cold ears

MojoTilly · Master

Afraid we definately fall into the "soft" category - Tilly has pyjamas. Well, I say pyjamas, Debbie bought a cheap fleecy throw from Ikea and made it into a sort of coat for Tilly - she loves it! Haven't used it yet this winter, but don't think it'll be long judging by how cold it was last night.

Gail · Big Cheese

Just realised that my post made it sound like i thought the "jammies" were over the top, so just so i don't get lynched at the next GAL event just wanted to correct how it sounded to say that it's only the ear muffs i wasn't sure about!!!!

Neo has a lovely green tartan coat for cold nights and sally has a matching red one and i have the knitting pins at the ready to knit a little snood for cold ears for them if anyone thinks it's necessary......honestly

Calatria · Master

Funny you should mention cold ears, cos that's how I check whether my dogs need the heating on or not! A quick feel of the ear flaps is all it takes. But I've found that if the rest of Belle is warm, she doesnt really need the hood of her jammies pulled up - but I do it anyway, on really cold nights.

Isla · Enlightened One

I must admit, my three are into their jammies already. They've all had them on the last couple of nights because Millie and Wills' ears felt cold. I worry lots about Wills because of the diabetes and, even with his jammies on, his ears sometimes feel cold.

Millie is my thermostat - if she's whining and we rule out all other options, I know it's time to put the heating on!

Anyanka · Master

This is an interesting thread for me as it'll be our first winter with a grey, too. I'm assuming that Piper won't need pyjamas as she sleeps on no 2 daughter's bed, and will presumably cuddle up to stay warm?

One of my concerns is the outdoor coat. Piper gets very hot when she runs; also the coat won't stay on when she goes galloping through the woods. Do you only put the coat on while they're on the lead?

max · Enlightened One

Cas and Sasha both have covers at night when they go to their beds, in fact Cas insists upon it. Ever since we got Cas she has to have a cover summer and winter and it must be right over her head, Sasha sleeps on daughters bed and only cares for a cover in the winter. They do not have PJs.

The outdoor coats I have just bought are padded and waterproof so they will wear them when it is wet and cold. They also have lighter coats for dry cold days and wear them off and on lead. If I feel they are too hot when off lead wearing their coats I take them off and put them back on when they go back on lead. Sasha will barley go out the door in the autumn or winter with out her coat as you see the fur rising with the cold and she starts to shiver, little mite, bless her. Nora

moptop · Master

We live in an old stone cottage and it is bloody freezing at night! Jack has jammies!! He has a wee light cozy fleece coat that we put on him at night. He sleeps in our room on a folded duvet on the floor. I must admit, when he does not have his jammies on, he gets up during the night and pads around the room. When the jams are on, we have a completely restless night!! so, I think jammies make a difference!!

P.S. Cats sleep in he kitchen with 2 heated electic beds!! Spoiled animals or what!

Marian

Isla · Enlightened One

Mine all wear their coats both on and off the lead. They have stood up to this punishment admirably as there have been numerous occasions when they've been worn whilst haring about in the trees.

I will remove the coat if I feel they are getting too hot and replace them if necessary. Millie loves being warm so will quite happily wear her fleece coat to bed and have a blanket tucked round her for extra warmth.

Pampered - yes, very!

yvonne · Master

Angus doesn't like wearing a coat of any kind, he won't even wear one outside on the really cold days, so at night he gets covered by a fleece blanket. Jenna ends up on my bed and i can testify that she is definately warm enough.

I was always told that dogs ears were their temperature guage, the colder/warmer the ears the colder/warmer the dog.

hugahound · Master

I did try Lenny with the indoor fleece but he didn't like it. When he sat down it tended to pull tight across his chest and he could never get comfy so gave up on that idea. For the last five years they've had an electric blanket set on low. The ones that are designed to stay on all night ok. It has a removable fluffy cover so I can wash it and works a treat. It's single bed size so it's getting shared between two beds. Some nights he stays on the bed and just snuggles in if he gets cold and it's Rosie who pops into the warm bed and vice versa. Ruby has a thick coat and doesn't feel it so much, maybe once winter really does come. Whoever has been on the elec blanket is usually all warm and cosy. Greys and some lurchers really do feel the cold at night during the winter. I know some of you wouldn't like to leave a blanket on all night. I'm in the same room so I don't mind but I must say if I weren't I may be a little more cautious. I bought a decent one and it does have a thermistat to stop overheating. Most of the time I set it at 1 but when it's -5 for example I set it at 2. This seems to be fine.

As for coats. I must say I don't put coats on mine as they are running around all over the place. This will probably be Lenny's 1st winter wearing a coat as he's really slowed down, but even then only when it pissing down etc. If they are off the lead and running around coats ony make them too hot and I've never known a coat to stay where it's meant to. In my experience ususally end up lop sided. He's not overly fond of coats and Rosie won't pee wearing a coat. She totally hates them so don't bother with her. She's a hunter and keeps hersef busy out walks. Ruby certainly won't need one, nor want one, with her wooly coat.

Calatria · Master

Isn't it strange how some of them won't pee when they're wearing a coat. Belle definitely won't. Even the indoor coat (her jammies) has to be removed first thing in the morning, so she can go outside and do her business. If I forget and leave it on her, she doesn't do anything .

And I'm getting a real kick out of people here saying they only use coats when it's bitterly cold or raining - I can't get her ladyship prised out of her basket by the radiator on days like that, never mind actually get her out for a walk.

hugahound · Master

Yes, I was told, and read, that greys don't like to walk in the rain etc. Total lies! Has never bothered Lenny. He has never refused a walk. Even when I've had to wait for the rain to improve he's eagerly been waiting to go. He atually liked rain and it would make him go all silly and dash through puddles etc. At 11 years not quite so silly these days but still wouldn't dream of not coming. Whatever the weather he wants his walk. No get out clause for me!

Calatria · Master

hugahound wrote:

Yes, I was told, and read, that greys don't like to walk in the rain etc. Total lies! Has never bothered Lenny. He has never refused a walk. Even when I've had to wait for the rain to improve he's eagerly been waiting to go. He atually liked rain and it would make him go all silly and dash through puddles etc. At 11 years not quite so silly these days but still wouldn't dream of not coming. Whatever the weather he wants his walk. No get out clause for me!

Our older dog is like Lenny. No weather is too bad for him to walk in, so we don't have the get-out clause either (more's the pity!).

FAJ · Enlightened One

Harry loves his walks, come rain, wind, snow or shine. Pearly is a moany little madam who hates to get her feet wet and often refused to piddle if it's raining.

Anyanka · Master

hugahound wrote:

Yes, I was told, and read, that greys don't like to walk in the rain etc. Total lies!

Piper the grey doesn't even seem to notice if it's raining. She likes to eat her pig's ears on a particular spot in the garden, and will do so even when the lawn is soaking wet and it's p***ing down.

Bonnie the lurcher, on the other hand, still gets the comedy look (sort of like Miss Piggy's "Moi?") whenever she's supposed to go out for a wee in a light drizzle... However, take her out into the woods or the park during a downpour, and she soon adjusts!

JENNY · Big Cheese

Vernon and Ziggy both have coats for the real bad weather and do their pees and poops with them on. No indoor coats as yet but I will be getting Ziggy one for definite this year.
Vernon doesn't mind the weather and loves snow.
However Ziggy HATES the rain and going outside in it so pulls to go back home once he's had a pee. Also noticed over the last few weeks that Ziggy doesn't like wet grass either and will only walk on the pavement in the park. BLESS