Recomendation for the colder days - Coat Yes or No?

Hej everybody!
Winter has arrived, and I would like to give you my perspective about dog-coats. ​

​​To make it short, yes I find dog-coats are usefull and not just a fashion item. We have Siberian Huskies who enjoy spending half the day in the house and half the day outside. This means they are not making a great wintercoat (as they would if they were out all the time). 
So, as soon as air hits Zero, our dogs wear blankets when they have to be in the outside kennel. Even with all their hair, I can see that they feel uncomfortable when left out to long without a coat.
Of course (like with us humans), some get cold faster than others.
Just the other day, one of my dogs was shaking until I put a warmer coat on her. 
And just because we think they have so much hair and can endure the cold, it does not mean that they feel good doing so...
(Little side note, our dogs cant choose, they depend on us to see their true needs.
I can go out with no jacket, if I walk fast I will probably be ok, but do I really want that....)

When my dogs are working they mostly do not have a coat on. But if it is getting below -20C or if it is very Windy or raining, then I will have them wear a coat even if they are moving. (But don´t forget I have super hairy Huskies)

So my main reason is, that I want the muscles to be warm so they can perform better (less tensing up/better blood flow) and the risk of injury goes down, and I dont want my dogs using up all their energy just to stay warm (in our sometimes extreme climate).  

But there are other health issues which I find make a strong "pro" dogcoat point. If your dog has any form of Joint issue like Arthrose, Spondylose... you will want to keep him warm. These kind of chronic issues often do very well with a little extra warmth from the outside (Acute inflamation needs different attention).

We have owend our share of dogs that have developed Arthrose in their back due to different reasons. But we have always given theme the best possible care and they all were still running infront of the sled up to a high age. When finally retired they hiked with us mostly for an other 2-3years. One important part of our care managment is, that we made sure our dogs did not get cold. 

So, lots of different dogs, different weather conditions and different occupations call for a lot of different coats...

Over the years I have given it more and more thought about how a blanket should fit our dogs:

• Blankets should always be designed for the movement your dog needs to perform with it. 
  Most important the Shoulderjoint should not be blocked by a coat (or Harness for that matter). I like coats that are either super stretchy or better they have a designed slit right up infront of the shoulder joint to allow full Range of Motion. 
• Looking from the side I want the shoulder and the hindlegs and the butt to be covered well. But the dog must be able to go to the toilet with out any issues. 
• I like if the coat will just sit perfect without me having to use elastic bands around the hind legs. (They can rub). 
• Blankets should cover the Belly as well, especially in short haired dogs. 
• A hunting dog will have more special needs, because you do not want the danger of your dog getting caught on a branch. The coat must fit tight but be flexible and it should not soak up water. Neopren is what i would look for. 
• If running, your dog will need a different blanket then when resting (you don´t want your dog beeing to warm, when working)
• The material should not go out of shape after using it just a few times. 

Here are some coats I have become fond of over the last few years:

1. JumppaPomppa
   Great for warming up, or if you need to keep it on during training in the cold season
2. Other coats from Pomppa Finnland
   I like the cut they use for their other coats as well. 
3. Back on Track
   I like these coats for resting (ex. waiting in the car, or standing arround outside)
4. ManMat
   I like this coat because it always sits, it covers the belly and my dogs like wearing it (they dont like all coats). It is functional when the dog is running. But, I would like it even more, if the shoulder would be covered better (but nothing you cant optimize yourself)
5. Nonstop Raincoat
   I have never tried this one but it looks like it has extra space for the shoulder to move
6. Hurta Rambler Vest
   This Vest might work for some hunting dogs, but it would be nice if it would be just a bit longer in the back and if the the shoulder part were desinged a bit different. 

So these were just some examples of coats that popped into my head, most important is:
What do you need the coat for? How will you dog be moving in it?
So next time you buy a coat, dont only go for the color ;)
​(Of course I also think it´s great if they look good!)

Have a great Start into Winterseason!

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