Do Dogs feel the Cold?

Many people believe that dogs don’t feel the cold like their human friends do; it’s something we get asked a lot here at Treat Your Dog. I thought I’d explain more around the subject…

On asking our local vet whether dogs feel the cold like we do, he answered of course they do! Just because they have a fur coat it does not prevent them feeling the cold on an icy wintry or windy day.

Small and medium breeds of dogs are particularly susceptible to feeling the cold and further on I will share the breeds to be careful with. If we feel cold it is likely your dog is doing too. Anything below 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) and your dog will start to feel cold. Anything below 0 degrees C (20 degrees F) and they shouldn’t be left outside for long periods of time.

Make sure you research your breed of dog to understand how they tolerate cold and wintry weather. There are a few breeds of dogs that can tolerate the cold, many of these have a double coat but even these breeds when young or when old can feel the cold.

Breeds that can tolerate the cold

The following breeds can tolerate the cold much better than most dog breeds:

Akita

Bernese mountain Dog

German Shepherd Dog

Newfoundland

Saint Bernard

Siberian Husky

Tibetan Mastiff

Breeds that feel the cold

The following breeds tend to feel the cold more due to the type of coat they have and these will need support from you as a dog owner to get them the right warm coat, jumper or fleece:

Greyhounds

Whippets

Chihuahuas (short haired)

Yorkshire Terriers (Yorkie’s)

Staffordshire Bull Terriers

Jack Russel

Saluki

Miniature Pinscher

All puppies

Older dogs

 And many more.... check your own breed to be sure!

How does a dog act when it is feeling cold?

Your dog when it is cold will act like us humans and dog owners would. Dogs shiver but before they start this you can check whether a dog is cold by feeling their ears. If these are cold particularly on the tips you know to act. Whether this is to take them back indoors or put a warm and waterproof padded dog coat on, is up to you.

What can I do to stop my dog feeling the cold?

The obvious thing to do if your dog has got very cold is to take them back indoors. However, if you want to finish a walk, or your dog loves being outside then you can look at finding the appropriate fitting dog clothing or dog coats for your breed of dog. Take a look at our choices here and if you have any questions please get in touch.