Thoughts on coats or jackets for our fur babies.

We have raincoats - though my shepherd's is fleece lined. I only use it camping in the evenings or when we have an event like walking Christmas Tree Lane or riding the Polar Express train event at Christmas. He is walked on a pretty solid fleecelined canvas harness due to his skittishness to make sure he can't pull out so that helps too.

Melli has a raincoat I have her wear in the car so when she drools and is carsick it doesn't get all over her fur. It's the slicker kind. It also worked as a lick deterrant for when she cut her paw.

Not seeing Bella need clothing.
 
I support rain coats for Shelties if you are going for long walks in rain or snow, but they really should not need sweaters or heavy coats.

The Sheltie undercoat works as an insulator against cold and heat. If you take away their ability to build up their immunity to the weather, then, you will always be a slave to coats.

My dogs both seem to be immune to cold weather. Indy parks himself in a snowbank, looking for trespassers and Bacca roams around obsessed with eating snow....yes, even in -20C weather. I have to yell at them to come back inside!!!!

So, I would say, no coats for your dogs. Boots maybe though if you are dealing with salt and slush.
 
My Buddy doesn't wear coats or sweaters. With all his hair we just never put him in one. However my rescue pug (Pugsley) has a coat & t-shirt. He doesn't like the T-shirt because it fits so snug. The coat someone sent to him & it just attaches by his neck & under his belly. The rest of the bottom is open. He likes it.
Now Buddy he loves bandana's. He gets new ones from the groomers. Ge will wear as long as we let him. When we take it off,he gets real sad.
Pugsley doen't like the banana, but someone sent him a bow tie & he enjoys wearing it.
 
We live in Kelowna BC and Riley has a rain poncho, a rain coat, and a winter jacket. I bought the jacket when he was a puppy and didn't have much to keep warm. Now I primarily use the rain poncho to avoid wet dog smells and the slightly heavier rain jacket to offer a little protection when it is really cold and there is a wind.
 
We don't have the extreme cold that many of you guys have so I've never put coats on simply because it is cold. The exception to this was when Yogi was shaved extensively underneath and behind when he had his 'problems' and had to have scans etc. At that time it had snowed and was cold so I made him wear the coat but he hated it and really it wasn't covering up the bare areas so I gave up after a couple of days.

I do put coats on if it pouring with rain and I have to take them out (thankfully not often) and won't have time to dry them out. I don't mind them getting wet in the slightest but I don't like them sitting around wet, particuarly the older ones.

None of them really like wearing coats and are much happier going out and feeling the elements. I also think their hair grows thicker and is much better condition if it does the job it was designed for.
 
Still, You Have to Admit

THis Sheltie is stylin'!
 

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Absolutely yes on coats as far as I'm concerned. We too have had wind chills down to -25* recently. They were only allowed out for short intervals.

Since they live indoors with me, their little bodies are used to 73* just like mine is. So when it gets cold, they get coats on to go out.

We learned that they get cold from one of our fosters. She shivered a lot. We have 2 that are cold natured now. One wants to wear a fleece vest indoors! All the time! And when he comes in, he runs as fast as he can for his daddy. He jumps in daddy's lap and snuggles to get warm.

The other one has fleece throws on the floor to snuggle in when he wants.

One it totally impervious. He'd stay out all the time in rain, sleet, snow, cold. Nothing bothers him.
 
I would say yes for the coats! It has been freezing here in Montana! I do not want to leave them outside for more than 5 minuteS!
 
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