It gets quite chilly here in the winter time (chicago area). Some
nights the wind chill is well below zero but its usually warmer than
that for most the winter. We have 2 beagles and like them to stay warm
when we let them out for bathroom breaks.

We have been using the regular doggie sweaters but for christmas we
received a lands end fleece coat with velcro. It appears to be a
quality fleece similar to my polar fleece coat and it has sturdy velcro
straps. Its much easier to put on than one of the sweaters but
doesn't have quite as good coverage. I know to stay away from anything
cotton for myself or dogs because it soaks up water and is not as warm.

I was curious how big of a help these are to dogs? I think one of our
beagles is going to turn out with very short hair and she really needs
something. My parents have chihuahuas and you can tell they don't
handle the cold well. I'm going to order a small size for them.

I have always thought the boots were a bad idea because most dogs just
tear them off. With a good coat I would think it should help keep
everything a little warmer. What does everyone here do for their dogs?