As the greater DC area accumulates our first significant snowfall of this winter tonight, you may wonder if your dog needs extra insulation against the chill.
On Tuesday the Wall Street Journal took on the question in an article by Gwendolyn Bounds, “Ready for the Dog Days of Winter?”
The article confirms that short-haired, inactive or elderly dogs should be protected from extreme temperatures. But young, active dogs with a sufficient amount of fur should be just fine for a romp in the snow.
Think about it. As this story from ABC/Good Morning America points out, the Siberian Huskies that run the Iditarod don’t wear coats.
But one benefit of putting your pooch in a poncho happens when you come back indoors. Snow melts. So while your dog’s health may be just fine, you have to deal with a wet dog, or a vigorous toweling-off. If you’ve invested in even the thinnest coat, all you do is take it off, hang it up to dry, and enjoy your clean, warm, dry dog.
Two Dog Tales 
Leave a Reply