When temperatures dip during the winter months, it can get pretty cold, even in Arizona and especially at night. There\u2019s nothing better than a toasty sweater to get warm. From knits and cotton to V-necks and turtlenecks, there\u2019s so many from which to choose. But wait, what about your dog? Does your furry family member need a sweater? How do you know?<\/p>\n
There are tons of cute sweaters and coats for dogs. However, does your dog really need one? It really depends on the dog. \u201cIf you are concerned about your dog being cold, there is certainly no harm in putting clothing on him,\u201d according to the article, \u201cDo Dogs Need Sweaters in Winter?\u201d at petMD.com. Dogs do have their own \u201clayering system, but some dogs have lighter layers of fur than others, and some are not genetically suited to the environments in which they find themselves transplanted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Typically, it\u2019s the smaller dogs, toy breeds and light bodied breeds with short or thin hair that do well with sweaters, the article said. It makes them feel better when they go out for a potty break or when on a walk. It\u2019s even OK for them to wear around the house.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ll be getting a sweater for your dog, the article offers some things to take into consideration:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Choose material that is washable and doesn\u2019t itch, such as a cotton or acrylic blend.
\n\u2022 Measure your dog for a good fit that is not too tight or too loose.
\n\u2022 Ensure you measure around the neck, the largest part of the chest, and distance from neck to waist. Make sure to leave the lower belly free.
\n\u2022 Make sure the armpit area and neck is not too tight or too loose.
\n\u2022 The sweater should be easy to put on and take off.
\n\u2022 Be careful of parts such as zippers, buttons, tags and hooks that can pose a danger.<\/p>\n
For those dogs who are larger and fit for the colder months, sweaters are typically not necessary. For instance, \u201cif you have a healthy, young Siberian Husky or Alaskan Malamute who\u2019s acclimated to the cold and has the glorious coat common in the Northern breeds, you likely won\u2019t have to invest in canine clothing for walks in the snow,\u201d according to the article, \u201cDo Any Dogs Really Need Sweaters or Coats?\u201d by Dr. Marty Becker, DVM, at Vetstreet.com. Dr. Becker said there are generally three types of dogs who benefit from sweaters or coats:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Small dogs
\n\u2022 Older dogs or chronically ill dogs or both
\n\u2022 Dogs with a thin body type to include, Greyhounds and Whippets<\/p>\n
According to Dr. Becker, these dogs all have a harder time \u201cgenerating and retaining enough body heat on their own.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dogs with arthritis benefit from sweaters and protective clothing making it more easy and comfortable for them. Additionally, according to Dr. Becker, having a coat at home just in case won\u2019t hurt your dog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When temperatures dip during the winter months, it can get pretty cold, even in Arizona and especially at night. There\u2019s nothing better than a toasty sweater to get warm. From knits and cotton to V-necks and turtlenecks, there\u2019s so many from which to choose. But wait, what about your dog? Does your furry family member… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=304"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":305,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304\/revisions\/305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=304"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=304"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}