I have NEVER gotten her a coat.
I know Harley will not once he's filled out some and right now I think
a coat on a newfie albeit a skinny newf would be silly and be hard to
find...

BUT I've never thought a dog needed a coat...

Hannah is short coat (she's lab/pit cross) and HAIRLESS on her
belly...

she loves to be outside
she loves snow
she never seems to complain about the cold, does not shiver, does not
huddle on me, does not try to turn back.. busy sniffing and
visiting... and walking

WE don't often get below freezing.. (32F) during the day and if it's
wet or windy trust me I won't be out either.. but a day like today
where its' about 40 and sunny and not too windy.... If I was to take
her for a long walk.... (I can't right now she's still SICK) would she
need a coat...

am I being a dog abuser by not putting a coat on her?


(can you tell I personally have never liked coats or sweaters on dogs)

Best Wishes,

Nessa
----
Dog Mom to:
Hannah age 6.5 Pitador rescued age 9 weeks
Harley small shaggy cow that I love and adore (landseer Newf rescued 10/08)
(Angel) Bagel went to Rainbow Bridge 9/18/08 my Newfandstuff age 8.5

Nessa wrote:

I have NEVER gotten her a coat.
I know Harley will not once he's filled out some and right now I think
a coat on a newfie albeit a skinny newf would be silly and be hard to
find...

BUT I've never thought a dog needed a coat...

Hannah is short coat (she's lab/pit cross) and HAIRLESS on her
belly...

she loves to be outside
she loves snow
she never seems to complain about the cold, does not shiver, does not
huddle on me, does not try to turn back.. busy sniffing and
visiting... and walking

WE don't often get below freezing.. (32F) during the day and if it's
wet or windy trust me I won't be out either.. but a day like today
where its' about 40 and sunny and not too windy.... If I was to take
her for a long walk.... (I can't right now she's still SICK) would she
need a coat...

am I being a dog abuser by not putting a coat on her?


(can you tell I personally have never liked coats or sweaters on dogs)

Best Wishes,

Cooper, my JRT, gets cold easily. Even running around like a maniac it
only takes maybe twenty minutes in 32 degree weather for him to turn
into the incredible vibrating terrier. Putting his polartec jammies on
him extends that by maybe 15 minutes.

The BCs can tolerate much longer spans of cold weather, especially when
allowed to run around, as long as they stay dry.

My solution to the disparity between their cold tolerances is to bundle
Cooper up in his jammies and take them only maybe a quarter mile down
the trail to play in the woods. They can run around to their hearts
content and when Cooper gets cold I pull the waist drawstring on my
parka tight and stuff him in there against my chest with his head
sticking out at the neckline.

Finding a place to play that's not too far from the van also allows me
to evacuate promptly if anybody breaks through the ice and gets wet.

On Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:10:45 -0600, Kathleen
wrote:

My solution to the disparity between their cold tolerances is to bundle
Cooper up in his jammies and take them only maybe a quarter mile down
the trail to play in the woods. They can run around to their hearts
content and when Cooper gets cold I pull the waist drawstring on my
parka tight and stuff him in there against my chest with his head
sticking out at the neckline.

Finding a place to play that's not too far from the van also allows me
to evacuate promptly if anybody breaks through the ice and gets wet.

can I tell you how much I love the idea of putting a small cold dog in
your coat...
Best Wishes,

Nessa
----
Dog Mom to:
Hannah age 6.5 Pitador rescued age 9 weeks
Harley small shaggy cow that I love and adore (landseer Newf rescued 10/08)
(Angel) Bagel went to Rainbow Bridge 9/18/08 my Newfandstuff age 8.5

Nessa wrote:

On Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:10:45 -0600, Kathleen
wrote:


My solution to the disparity between their cold tolerances is to bundle
Cooper up in his jammies and take them only maybe a quarter mile down
the trail to play in the woods. They can run around to their hearts
content and when Cooper gets cold I pull the waist drawstring on my
parka tight and stuff him in there against my chest with his head
sticking out at the neckline.

Finding a place to play that's not too far from the van also allows me
to evacuate promptly if anybody breaks through the ice and gets wet.


can I tell you how much I love the idea of putting a small cold dog in
your coat...
Best Wishes,

Oh, he's a great fan of shared body heat. He sleeps under the blankets
with me, which is fine, but given half a chance and a quarter of an
opportunity he'll crawl up the back of my t-shirt to sleep against bare
skin, which is decidedly not fine.

For one thing, he's got an itchy, prickly broken coat, and for another,
I need to be able to change positions when my back starts to ache.
You'd think being cussed at, dumped out and shoved off the bed might
make an impression, but so far it hasn't.