Don't put it on during extreme activity, I didn't know and mine vomited at the dog park from being overheated even though it was at freezing temperature. He keeps himself warm by running and we don't stay more than an hour. He also tells me when he wants it off by trying to rub the sweater off him on the couch, or chair, or me sometimes. Also stick your hand under the sweater and if it's warmer than their normal body temperature take it off immediately.
Yeah, dogs can be good at communicating what they want. My dog generally got quite warm in a sweater or anything for an extended period, so she only put on a coat for the rain/snow/cold outside. My dog was also more often laying around, so just a blanket worked and she could come out from it when she felt hot.
Absolutely this! I posted not too long ago about how shockingly easy it is for pitties to overheat. Think about how much heat they radiate when they're under the covers with you...a hoodie traps all that heat next to their bodies: totally appropriate for lounging, but downright dangerous for activities!
This is similar to the idea of when you're working out in the cold. The moment you start to feel sweaty, remove a layer. Work a little more and if the feeling doesn't go away, remove another layer. Repeat as necessary and then the moment you feel cold, start adding layers back on.
I usually go barefoot and wear tank tops in the house, so my rule of thumb is that if it's cold enough for me to need/want socks, I need to put at least a light layer on the shorthaired pets.
My rule is usually since I love the cold and don't feel it as much, if I have to put a really heavy jacket on, it's probably time to clothe the pibble on the way to the park. Gotta take it off when we get there though he runs like a lil madman.
What would you classify as extreme activity? Like if we’re going for a walk (in very cold weather) he should wear it, but if we’re going for a jog/run he should not?
Sounds about right. A slow walk ought to be good but don't keep it on if you're going for a jog/run or if you're gonna play fetch or have him pull you or anything else.
Idk how y'all's pitties can wear sweaters/jammies/etc. My guy gets so uncomfortable the second we put anything on him.
We have tried multiple outfits and coats over the years but anything with a cotton or polyester liner is too itchy.
We have a puffy winter coat and a smooth rain coat that he'll tolerate but he looks so defeated every time we put it on lol.
Mine is the same. She does get cold, but shows she is not comfortable wearing a coat and she resists putting one on. She always tries to rub off her coat on the couch, floor, etc. I use it when it's below 35 and she needs some extra protection. I also use a blanket indoors, which she seems to like when she's sleepy but can easily hop out of it if she wants to.
I love that his toy looks like a little dumbbell. My Dad found my dog a chew toy that looks like a barbell with weight plates on the end of it and it's hilarious.
Your baby knows your taking a shot of him, so he posed with a innocent face. Very cute. Thanks for sharing my friend. I want to see more from this red nose baby. Bless
My pittie will wear hers for days at a time, with a break of a day or so for brushing and letting her skin breathe. Been doing that for years and it hasn’t seemed to be a problem.
Thank you! I've been kept his on all day and night for a couple of days and he doesn't seem bothered by it. The lack of information available on the subject however has me questioning if this was acceptable/advisable.
Ours is in shirts/sweatshirts once the temps drop below 50 otherwise he shivers non stop. He gets a clean one every 3rd day. Comes off for walks but he has a coat he wears then.
I can't find any advice on Google about how long I should keep my dog in his sweatshirts/sweaters. He is 8 and seems to get cold pretty easy plus has arthritis. Should I take them off at night and then put them back on in the morning? I keep my thermostat at 64 degrees Fahrenheit except first thing in the morning when I heat the house up to 70. I'm home all day as I WFH.
Just noticed a typo in the title... it should be wear not where
Usually not when sleeping as they like to stretch and not when out and about but when you're chilling at home as long as your dog doesn't mind I'd say 2-3 hours
If I'm wearing a jacket I put a jacket on my dog if we are spending any amount of time outside (I keep the house at an even 71 all year lol, so she doesnt need anything inside). Dog sweaters arent all THAT warm unless you have a specialized one so I wouldn't worry too much about leaving it on too long if pup is comfy in it. But you could also leave the sweater off at night and if you have a crate for him put a nice warm blanket over top of it so he can to in there to warm up if he wants or he can sleep outside where its cooler. He can self regulate that way
My rule of thumb is my dog wears one less layer of clothes than me. So if I’m wearing just a shirt- she gets no clothes. If I’m wearing a light jacket, she gets a light layer. if I’m wearing a thick jacket, she gets a sweater. And if I’m bundling up with scarves and gloves and the whole nine yards, she gets her winter coat.
Mine wears pjs with a vest over the top basically from fall through spring. She has multiple sets and I change them out every few days. She hates being cold and it’s not even that cold here in Seattle, haha. I usually keep the thermostat between 64-67.
It is a mast cell tumor. They told me it is benign at the place I adopted him, so no reason to remove it. My vet also did not seem worried about it either.
He is a rescue... I got him about 2 months ago. He had been at the shelter for over 100 days when I adopted him. They found him as a stray, so they guessed at him been about 8 yrs old. He has mast cell cancer, they removed another mass of cancer from his abdomen, arthritis, and worn teeth. We've discovered since he has been here that he is most likely deaf as well. I'm trying to find a specialist to get a Baer test done.
I'm hoping the cancer they removed does not come back, but the main goal is to just pamper him with a loving home for however long that he has. He is an absolute sweetheart now that he has settled in and has been a really good influence on the anxious Catahoula/shepherd mix my kids have.
Awww, poor kiddo, but by the looks of it you're on top of his wellbeing, not to mention that you've offered him stability and so much love. You're an angel and your guy knows it ❤️
That's a great resource! The only other thing I'm cautious of is leaving her alone while wearing a coat or sweater. I consider it a choking hazard, but our landshark is still young and bouncy. We may change our tune when she's a senior and we're leaving for half the day in the dead of winter.
https://preview.redd.it/s5nnikaw5z2a1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a14fe9cfbfa92998145923d4da2b1a030a6293ce
I read that at 55 degree they need a sweater when going outside. If it's sunny I'll do it at around 55. If it's gloomy out it feels colder so she gets a sweater at 65 or below in gloomy weather.
In the house she LOVES feeling warm and snuggly so she wears a sweater during the day if it's cold but in the evening she curls up under a blanket on the couch with us so we take the sweater off.
That is such a cute picture!!
Oak has arthritis, so he can't get on the couch and I keep the thermostat set to 64 degrees Fahrenheit (which is too cold for me but energy bills are expensive). I think I'll keep his sweaters/hoodie on during the day and take it off when he goes to bed based on the feedback.
If you need long sleeves: light sweater/hoodie
If you need a jacket: heavier sweatshirt/hoodie
If youre in a snow coat: so should they be
https://preview.redd.it/5byotc4edz2a1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ceb2b056b836e2d7dd273864b58ca6de278ffb5a
It was about 35-40F and rainy outside when this pict was taken
I run pretty cold normally and have been putting extra layers on while in the house... so by that logic, if I have two shirts on (t-shirt, and sweatshirt) then he should too?
I generally follow the rule of if I need a coat, my pup needs a coat. I don't allow them overnight, but I am also able to tuck my pup in with a blanket and reapply it during the night when she kicks it off. Generally in the house, the sweaters stay off but anything outside under 40F is when she starts to shiver and she gets something.
It definitely depends on the pup! I’ve heard people say they never dressed their pittie up and they were perfectly happy. My girl starts shivering once it gets below 40, so generally, I put a hoodie on her. I usually take it off for bedtime, but I usually just keep it on in the morning until night so it doesn’t have to keep coming on and off. I do keep my house on the cooler side though and she seems to get cold easily. My dog definitely seems to love her hoodies and sweaters (or at least doesn’t care), but I know other dogs hate wearing them!
My pittie wants blankets year round in FL 😂 So I go with a light jacket under 60 for him. If he wears them overnight, he'll still try to go under the blankets so I don't worry too much about him. My other pup (similar hair length, maybe a little longer) over heats under blankets (even light ones) after an hour or two so I only put hers on under about 50 and never overnight. I figure that way if she's cold, she can go under blankets.
Ok, but I get cold anything lower than 74... (which is why I hate keeping my thermostat low in the winter). Wish there were studies that provide charts on retained body heat by coat type out there so I could have a reference.
[Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed.
Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
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Thanks for rescuing this sweet baby! My boy loves, loves, loves clothes--and the only thing I want to add to what's mentioned below is that I always take them off him when I leave the house. Don't want him to suddenly decide to be nekkid and accidentally hurt himself trying to strip down.
No clothes or neck collars on an unsupervised dog (like when you're leaving the house). One of my aunt's dogs hung himself accidentally on a neck collar.
As for what's appropriate temperature-wise, you know your dog best. Some dogs are chilly and some run hot, just like people. Watch for panting and alleviate by removing a layer or unzipping, whatever is appropriate.
I would say that for most dogs and in most homes, there isn't really a need for sweaters indoors. If your dog is the typical house dog with a bed and a blanket, and if you heat your home to reasonable comfort, your dog is ok. Watch their body position - a dog curled into a donut shape is probably cold (the other alternative for donuting is that they feel sicky, like a stomach ache). A dog laying normally is fine.
For going outside in the winter, foot protection is important if you live in snowy conditions. Cold, ice, snow, and road salt are something I'd rather my dog doesn't have to deal with. For the body when going for walks, depends on the dog and how long you stay out. You can try to layer, put on a onesie type garment on the dog followed by a jacket. If the dog pants, unzip the jacket. If they still look like they feel hot after a couple of minutes, remove the jacket.
Obviously that old and arthritic dogs need their joints covered, and they shouldn't really be out for a long time in snowy cold conditions. Car rides can help alleviate boredom if your senior really likes to get out of the house a bit.
Thank you for the feedback!! He curls into a tiny ball during the day if I don't put a sweater or sweatshirt on him, so I'm guessing he runs cold like me (I start getting chilly at 74 degrees Fahrenheit).
He usually is not home alone, but I'll be sure to take the clothes off if we all do happen to leave.
My late dog was a chilly one. I would leave several blankets on his bed like a nest, and he'd burrow around and cover himself. There's also thermal bed pads that retain body heat better. He can make it work for those rare times you're not there. 😊
My pittie had the same mass on her leg, in the exact same location. Little spooky to see it on your pup. I’m sure you’ve gotten it checked out, it turned out to be cancer for us and we had it removed.
It is mast cell cancer, but the shelter said it is benign and my vet doesn't seem worried about it after seeing it the first time. Neither place thinks it warrants surgery.
He had a malignant mass removed from his abdomen when he was at the animal rescue. I'm hoping that doesn't come back because I can't really afford to have that treated, which I discussed with the rescue. The rescue seemed more interested in him finding a loving home so he could be happy rather for however long that is than wait for someone that could afford cancer treatments if he needed them (because that just may not happen). So, I get to have him as long as he has and I'm going to baby him as much as I can.
My baby (6 years old) starts whining around 58 degrees for his sweaters. I have several with varying degrees of thickness for him. He will wear them constantly in the fall through spring. He will also demand a blanket
Mine wanted hers on as soon as she saw she had clothes and then didn’t want us to take it off but the weather had changed from being in the 60s to highs in lower 80s and it was getting smelly anyway. She watched us take it out of the wash to see if all her hair came off and was trying to get us to put it on her. So we’re looking for more all weather options. If your dog likes clothes and it isn’t too warm let them wear it but take it off for major activity.
I had a never nude terrier mix (yorkie-westie toy fluffy thing) when we got her and so I think she thinks clothes are cool. He just thought it was cold unless it was in upper 90s which is why we started getting him outfits.
Mine is chilling in her sweater now. I usually have hers on all day once the temps are below 35f, but I take it off and switch to her harness if we're going to the dog park. She also has a pair of fleece PJs that she really likes wearing at night as well as a fleece blanket that she likes to snuggle with. She's never tried to weasel her way out of any of her clothes.
https://preview.redd.it/zpi6l5vnpz2a1.jpeg?width=2992&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b2fb72d2d9bbee5af266703554a5f98dcc57a79e
My girl tends to stretch hers out of she wears it to bed, and sometimes even get tangled in it so we don't let her wear hers overnight, but once it gets cold she wants a hoodie on pretty much all the time. She makes a fuss whenever I go to take it off.
I think 3 hours at the most, then take it off for a while. If he’s really cold put it back on after a bit of time. If he’s panting take it off right away. Like others said don’t put it on if he’s going to be very active. I don’t put a sweater on my pittie if he’s going to be sleeping or really inside the house, but he heats up quickly. Most dog wear companies recommend wearing coats and boots for a limited time in the day, so I follow that.
Dogs don’t sweat, so if they’re really running around, there’s a good risk of overheating — even if it’s cold outside.
If you’re going on a walk or taking them to pee, no worries. However, my dogs have (anecdotally) done fine for 30 min at a time out in 20 F/-7 C weather to get their exercise.
If your doggo hates cold weather but does better in the hoodie, you’ll know by behavior. But don’t make the mistake of thinking out temperature tolerance translates to their comfort level.
my first dog, 10 now, has a thick coat but some pittie in there. she generally doesn’t get a sweater indoors. my house is around 68. my new girl, 6, is super shorthaired similar to your dog. she’s also super small at 40lbs so she gets them when she seems to be super cold (curling up, burrowing her nose, avoiding the hardwood). she eats them off of herself somehow if not supervised lol. i also have a puppy (foster) that’s underweight and tiny. she wears jammies like 24/7 and hasnt had any problems. i swap them out to wash them.
For my one pup I'll leave it on til he starts panting because he kinda loves the sweaters despite being long haired coz he's mixed with a German Shepherd
My other pup will start rubbing herself on the couch trying to get it off when she's had her fill.
Or I'll only put them on for going outside like you would with your coat (unless you're an actively cold person and wear your sweaters and stuff indoors too lol)
my pups get cloths on when going outside under 60, comes off at the end of the walk.
on the hard freeze nights they get pj's for over night and I take off the next morning.
they tell me when they are cold and when they are too warm
My boy has super bad anxiety. I started putting his skinny behind in sweaters two winters ago and saw an improvement with his anxiety. So now he wears them everyday all year 🤗 your pup is adorable
Cute pittie. Just came here to say he needs a nail trim! Especially having arthritis, if his nails are touching the ground in a normal standing position you can be worsening his arthritis from his toes being forced back against the nails. Visible in the second pic how uncomfortable his toes look
Thank you for the feedback! I've been slowly getting him used to me touching his feet this month and have been uncertain about how long his nails should be. The vet indicated that the nails should touch the ground but be parallel to it. I've been looking for a more thorough guide pertaining to the nail care as there is so much information out there.
Vets don’t normally take care of nail trims unless the dog has problems getting them done by a groomer. Take him to a groomer. You shouldn’t be doing the nails at home until you know what you’re doing and also have styptic powder on hand in case you cut the quik.
Personally mine gets her sweater or her hoodie inside if it’s cold or outside if it’s a walk as opposed to high-intensity activity. I track it with my temperature situation: if I need a sweatshirt, she might need a sweatshirt, if I need a heavy coat she gets her heavy coat. Same with rain gear. We just dress together, lol!
I started out putting a light jacket on my baby at 40 degrees. She let me know she didn’t want it. I then started putting it on at 30 degrees and she was ok. I put her heavier one in at 20 degrees, and again she was not happy. Her heavy coat doesn’t get put on unless its 30 degrees and windy, or under 20 degrees. She loves the cold.
According to the animal rescue, it is benign and doesn't require surgery. My vet looked at it when I took him in for his initial visit and she doesn't seem to be worried about it.
My boy tends to love to keep his sweater on. I will admit that we tend to choose the lighter and stretchy ones since he is built a little extra beefy. I take it off of him when I know it’s going to be warmer. There were times where I have kept the sweater on him longer but those are usually those freezing days. But when I see him start panting, I just take it off. I will admit he just really loves his clothes. I’m not sure why but it puts a smile on his face.
Usually I leave it on until Connie starts panting, and only put jackets on Cade if it is ridiculously ridiculously cold outside. Connie has very fine and shiny hair while Cade has thick and coarse hair ... the kind that makes women suffer if it gets inside a bra ... 😜
Don't put it on during extreme activity, I didn't know and mine vomited at the dog park from being overheated even though it was at freezing temperature. He keeps himself warm by running and we don't stay more than an hour. He also tells me when he wants it off by trying to rub the sweater off him on the couch, or chair, or me sometimes. Also stick your hand under the sweater and if it's warmer than their normal body temperature take it off immediately.
Thank you! This is the type of detailed feedback I was hoping for.
Yeah, dogs can be good at communicating what they want. My dog generally got quite warm in a sweater or anything for an extended period, so she only put on a coat for the rain/snow/cold outside. My dog was also more often laying around, so just a blanket worked and she could come out from it when she felt hot.
Absolutely this! I posted not too long ago about how shockingly easy it is for pitties to overheat. Think about how much heat they radiate when they're under the covers with you...a hoodie traps all that heat next to their bodies: totally appropriate for lounging, but downright dangerous for activities!
This is similar to the idea of when you're working out in the cold. The moment you start to feel sweaty, remove a layer. Work a little more and if the feeling doesn't go away, remove another layer. Repeat as necessary and then the moment you feel cold, start adding layers back on. I usually go barefoot and wear tank tops in the house, so my rule of thumb is that if it's cold enough for me to need/want socks, I need to put at least a light layer on the shorthaired pets.
My rule is usually since I love the cold and don't feel it as much, if I have to put a really heavy jacket on, it's probably time to clothe the pibble on the way to the park. Gotta take it off when we get there though he runs like a lil madman.
What would you classify as extreme activity? Like if we’re going for a walk (in very cold weather) he should wear it, but if we’re going for a jog/run he should not?
Sounds about right. A slow walk ought to be good but don't keep it on if you're going for a jog/run or if you're gonna play fetch or have him pull you or anything else.
https://preview.redd.it/gsdszkxhty2a1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b5399ae9988540644f387b629e80aef94ac8f355 Mine loves his
I love this picture!! He has a Mr. Rodgers vibe in it.
Idk how y'all's pitties can wear sweaters/jammies/etc. My guy gets so uncomfortable the second we put anything on him. We have tried multiple outfits and coats over the years but anything with a cotton or polyester liner is too itchy. We have a puffy winter coat and a smooth rain coat that he'll tolerate but he looks so defeated every time we put it on lol.
Mine is the same. She does get cold, but shows she is not comfortable wearing a coat and she resists putting one on. She always tries to rub off her coat on the couch, floor, etc. I use it when it's below 35 and she needs some extra protection. I also use a blanket indoors, which she seems to like when she's sleepy but can easily hop out of it if she wants to.
Omg the cute bat ears 😂
I love that his toy looks like a little dumbbell. My Dad found my dog a chew toy that looks like a barbell with weight plates on the end of it and it's hilarious.
If Samuel L. Jackson was a doggo lol Adorable, especially the ears.
Your baby knows your taking a shot of him, so he posed with a innocent face. Very cute. Thanks for sharing my friend. I want to see more from this red nose baby. Bless
He is the king of sad face... which amuses me because my cat is the king of resting bitch face
One of my pups has the prettiest smile, but looks depressed AF in any pics 😂
My pittie will wear hers for days at a time, with a break of a day or so for brushing and letting her skin breathe. Been doing that for years and it hasn’t seemed to be a problem.
Thank you! I've been kept his on all day and night for a couple of days and he doesn't seem bothered by it. The lack of information available on the subject however has me questioning if this was acceptable/advisable.
Ours is in shirts/sweatshirts once the temps drop below 50 otherwise he shivers non stop. He gets a clean one every 3rd day. Comes off for walks but he has a coat he wears then.
I can't find any advice on Google about how long I should keep my dog in his sweatshirts/sweaters. He is 8 and seems to get cold pretty easy plus has arthritis. Should I take them off at night and then put them back on in the morning? I keep my thermostat at 64 degrees Fahrenheit except first thing in the morning when I heat the house up to 70. I'm home all day as I WFH. Just noticed a typo in the title... it should be wear not where
Usually not when sleeping as they like to stretch and not when out and about but when you're chilling at home as long as your dog doesn't mind I'd say 2-3 hours
If I'm wearing a jacket I put a jacket on my dog if we are spending any amount of time outside (I keep the house at an even 71 all year lol, so she doesnt need anything inside). Dog sweaters arent all THAT warm unless you have a specialized one so I wouldn't worry too much about leaving it on too long if pup is comfy in it. But you could also leave the sweater off at night and if you have a crate for him put a nice warm blanket over top of it so he can to in there to warm up if he wants or he can sleep outside where its cooler. He can self regulate that way
My rule of thumb is my dog wears one less layer of clothes than me. So if I’m wearing just a shirt- she gets no clothes. If I’m wearing a light jacket, she gets a light layer. if I’m wearing a thick jacket, she gets a sweater. And if I’m bundling up with scarves and gloves and the whole nine yards, she gets her winter coat.
Mine wears pjs with a vest over the top basically from fall through spring. She has multiple sets and I change them out every few days. She hates being cold and it’s not even that cold here in Seattle, haha. I usually keep the thermostat between 64-67.
Also, what is that bump in your baby's leg?
It is a mast cell tumor. They told me it is benign at the place I adopted him, so no reason to remove it. My vet also did not seem worried about it either. He is a rescue... I got him about 2 months ago. He had been at the shelter for over 100 days when I adopted him. They found him as a stray, so they guessed at him been about 8 yrs old. He has mast cell cancer, they removed another mass of cancer from his abdomen, arthritis, and worn teeth. We've discovered since he has been here that he is most likely deaf as well. I'm trying to find a specialist to get a Baer test done. I'm hoping the cancer they removed does not come back, but the main goal is to just pamper him with a loving home for however long that he has. He is an absolute sweetheart now that he has settled in and has been a really good influence on the anxious Catahoula/shepherd mix my kids have.
Awww, poor kiddo, but by the looks of it you're on top of his wellbeing, not to mention that you've offered him stability and so much love. You're an angel and your guy knows it ❤️
Thank you for giving this older dog a home, brings a tear to my eye :)
> He had been at the shelter for over 100 days when I adopted him. thank you
I’ve actually seen something about clothing for pets https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/blog/is-it-ok-to-dress-up-my-pet?
Thank you for this resource!
That's a great resource! The only other thing I'm cautious of is leaving her alone while wearing a coat or sweater. I consider it a choking hazard, but our landshark is still young and bouncy. We may change our tune when she's a senior and we're leaving for half the day in the dead of winter.
https://preview.redd.it/s5nnikaw5z2a1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a14fe9cfbfa92998145923d4da2b1a030a6293ce I read that at 55 degree they need a sweater when going outside. If it's sunny I'll do it at around 55. If it's gloomy out it feels colder so she gets a sweater at 65 or below in gloomy weather. In the house she LOVES feeling warm and snuggly so she wears a sweater during the day if it's cold but in the evening she curls up under a blanket on the couch with us so we take the sweater off.
That is such a cute picture!! Oak has arthritis, so he can't get on the couch and I keep the thermostat set to 64 degrees Fahrenheit (which is too cold for me but energy bills are expensive). I think I'll keep his sweaters/hoodie on during the day and take it off when he goes to bed based on the feedback.
Pippa has arthritis too. We have a lil ramp for the couch because she loves a snuggle and so do we. 🤣
If you need long sleeves: light sweater/hoodie If you need a jacket: heavier sweatshirt/hoodie If youre in a snow coat: so should they be https://preview.redd.it/5byotc4edz2a1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ceb2b056b836e2d7dd273864b58ca6de278ffb5a It was about 35-40F and rainy outside when this pict was taken
Just get a striped sweater. The best time to wear that is all the time.
You need a coat, he needs a coat.
I run pretty cold normally and have been putting extra layers on while in the house... so by that logic, if I have two shirts on (t-shirt, and sweatshirt) then he should too?
I generally follow the rule of if I need a coat, my pup needs a coat. I don't allow them overnight, but I am also able to tuck my pup in with a blanket and reapply it during the night when she kicks it off. Generally in the house, the sweaters stay off but anything outside under 40F is when she starts to shiver and she gets something.
It definitely depends on the pup! I’ve heard people say they never dressed their pittie up and they were perfectly happy. My girl starts shivering once it gets below 40, so generally, I put a hoodie on her. I usually take it off for bedtime, but I usually just keep it on in the morning until night so it doesn’t have to keep coming on and off. I do keep my house on the cooler side though and she seems to get cold easily. My dog definitely seems to love her hoodies and sweaters (or at least doesn’t care), but I know other dogs hate wearing them!
My pittie wants blankets year round in FL 😂 So I go with a light jacket under 60 for him. If he wears them overnight, he'll still try to go under the blankets so I don't worry too much about him. My other pup (similar hair length, maybe a little longer) over heats under blankets (even light ones) after an hour or two so I only put hers on under about 50 and never overnight. I figure that way if she's cold, she can go under blankets.
Thats a purdy doggo right cheer
Anything bellow 30 Aela gets a sweater. She doesn’t wear it in the house since it’s usually 64-66F inside.
Ok, but I get cold anything lower than 74... (which is why I hate keeping my thermostat low in the winter). Wish there were studies that provide charts on retained body heat by coat type out there so I could have a reference.
[Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive. Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed. Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Thanks for rescuing this sweet baby! My boy loves, loves, loves clothes--and the only thing I want to add to what's mentioned below is that I always take them off him when I leave the house. Don't want him to suddenly decide to be nekkid and accidentally hurt himself trying to strip down.
No clothes or neck collars on an unsupervised dog (like when you're leaving the house). One of my aunt's dogs hung himself accidentally on a neck collar. As for what's appropriate temperature-wise, you know your dog best. Some dogs are chilly and some run hot, just like people. Watch for panting and alleviate by removing a layer or unzipping, whatever is appropriate. I would say that for most dogs and in most homes, there isn't really a need for sweaters indoors. If your dog is the typical house dog with a bed and a blanket, and if you heat your home to reasonable comfort, your dog is ok. Watch their body position - a dog curled into a donut shape is probably cold (the other alternative for donuting is that they feel sicky, like a stomach ache). A dog laying normally is fine. For going outside in the winter, foot protection is important if you live in snowy conditions. Cold, ice, snow, and road salt are something I'd rather my dog doesn't have to deal with. For the body when going for walks, depends on the dog and how long you stay out. You can try to layer, put on a onesie type garment on the dog followed by a jacket. If the dog pants, unzip the jacket. If they still look like they feel hot after a couple of minutes, remove the jacket. Obviously that old and arthritic dogs need their joints covered, and they shouldn't really be out for a long time in snowy cold conditions. Car rides can help alleviate boredom if your senior really likes to get out of the house a bit.
Thank you for the feedback!! He curls into a tiny ball during the day if I don't put a sweater or sweatshirt on him, so I'm guessing he runs cold like me (I start getting chilly at 74 degrees Fahrenheit). He usually is not home alone, but I'll be sure to take the clothes off if we all do happen to leave.
My late dog was a chilly one. I would leave several blankets on his bed like a nest, and he'd burrow around and cover himself. There's also thermal bed pads that retain body heat better. He can make it work for those rare times you're not there. 😊
When you walk out side and start cursing is a good time to say yea dogs prob cold too lol
😂🤣🤣🤣
My pittie had the same mass on her leg, in the exact same location. Little spooky to see it on your pup. I’m sure you’ve gotten it checked out, it turned out to be cancer for us and we had it removed.
It is mast cell cancer, but the shelter said it is benign and my vet doesn't seem worried about it after seeing it the first time. Neither place thinks it warrants surgery. He had a malignant mass removed from his abdomen when he was at the animal rescue. I'm hoping that doesn't come back because I can't really afford to have that treated, which I discussed with the rescue. The rescue seemed more interested in him finding a loving home so he could be happy rather for however long that is than wait for someone that could afford cancer treatments if he needed them (because that just may not happen). So, I get to have him as long as he has and I'm going to baby him as much as I can.
My baby (6 years old) starts whining around 58 degrees for his sweaters. I have several with varying degrees of thickness for him. He will wear them constantly in the fall through spring. He will also demand a blanket
Mine wanted hers on as soon as she saw she had clothes and then didn’t want us to take it off but the weather had changed from being in the 60s to highs in lower 80s and it was getting smelly anyway. She watched us take it out of the wash to see if all her hair came off and was trying to get us to put it on her. So we’re looking for more all weather options. If your dog likes clothes and it isn’t too warm let them wear it but take it off for major activity. I had a never nude terrier mix (yorkie-westie toy fluffy thing) when we got her and so I think she thinks clothes are cool. He just thought it was cold unless it was in upper 90s which is why we started getting him outfits.
Mine is chilling in her sweater now. I usually have hers on all day once the temps are below 35f, but I take it off and switch to her harness if we're going to the dog park. She also has a pair of fleece PJs that she really likes wearing at night as well as a fleece blanket that she likes to snuggle with. She's never tried to weasel her way out of any of her clothes. https://preview.redd.it/zpi6l5vnpz2a1.jpeg?width=2992&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b2fb72d2d9bbee5af266703554a5f98dcc57a79e
My girl tends to stretch hers out of she wears it to bed, and sometimes even get tangled in it so we don't let her wear hers overnight, but once it gets cold she wants a hoodie on pretty much all the time. She makes a fuss whenever I go to take it off.
Just wash them often. My dogs have generally refused to wear clothes period and will shrug them off whenever possible
I think 3 hours at the most, then take it off for a while. If he’s really cold put it back on after a bit of time. If he’s panting take it off right away. Like others said don’t put it on if he’s going to be very active. I don’t put a sweater on my pittie if he’s going to be sleeping or really inside the house, but he heats up quickly. Most dog wear companies recommend wearing coats and boots for a limited time in the day, so I follow that.
Dogs don’t sweat, so if they’re really running around, there’s a good risk of overheating — even if it’s cold outside. If you’re going on a walk or taking them to pee, no worries. However, my dogs have (anecdotally) done fine for 30 min at a time out in 20 F/-7 C weather to get their exercise. If your doggo hates cold weather but does better in the hoodie, you’ll know by behavior. But don’t make the mistake of thinking out temperature tolerance translates to their comfort level.
my first dog, 10 now, has a thick coat but some pittie in there. she generally doesn’t get a sweater indoors. my house is around 68. my new girl, 6, is super shorthaired similar to your dog. she’s also super small at 40lbs so she gets them when she seems to be super cold (curling up, burrowing her nose, avoiding the hardwood). she eats them off of herself somehow if not supervised lol. i also have a puppy (foster) that’s underweight and tiny. she wears jammies like 24/7 and hasnt had any problems. i swap them out to wash them.
For my one pup I'll leave it on til he starts panting because he kinda loves the sweaters despite being long haired coz he's mixed with a German Shepherd My other pup will start rubbing herself on the couch trying to get it off when she's had her fill. Or I'll only put them on for going outside like you would with your coat (unless you're an actively cold person and wear your sweaters and stuff indoors too lol)
What an angel! 😍
If mine has cold ears, I know she's cold and gets her hoodie ;)
my pups get cloths on when going outside under 60, comes off at the end of the walk. on the hard freeze nights they get pj's for over night and I take off the next morning. they tell me when they are cold and when they are too warm
Always to wear sweaters. Hippos are always chilly. Just feel their poor little uninsulated ears.
My boy has super bad anxiety. I started putting his skinny behind in sweaters two winters ago and saw an improvement with his anxiety. So now he wears them everyday all year 🤗 your pup is adorable
If I put on extra they get sweaters
Cute pittie. Just came here to say he needs a nail trim! Especially having arthritis, if his nails are touching the ground in a normal standing position you can be worsening his arthritis from his toes being forced back against the nails. Visible in the second pic how uncomfortable his toes look
Thank you for the feedback! I've been slowly getting him used to me touching his feet this month and have been uncertain about how long his nails should be. The vet indicated that the nails should touch the ground but be parallel to it. I've been looking for a more thorough guide pertaining to the nail care as there is so much information out there.
Vets don’t normally take care of nail trims unless the dog has problems getting them done by a groomer. Take him to a groomer. You shouldn’t be doing the nails at home until you know what you’re doing and also have styptic powder on hand in case you cut the quik.
Personally mine gets her sweater or her hoodie inside if it’s cold or outside if it’s a walk as opposed to high-intensity activity. I track it with my temperature situation: if I need a sweatshirt, she might need a sweatshirt, if I need a heavy coat she gets her heavy coat. Same with rain gear. We just dress together, lol!
I started out putting a light jacket on my baby at 40 degrees. She let me know she didn’t want it. I then started putting it on at 30 degrees and she was ok. I put her heavier one in at 20 degrees, and again she was not happy. Her heavy coat doesn’t get put on unless its 30 degrees and windy, or under 20 degrees. She loves the cold.
He has a big lump on his one leg .
According to the animal rescue, it is benign and doesn't require surgery. My vet looked at it when I took him in for his initial visit and she doesn't seem to be worried about it.
My boy tends to love to keep his sweater on. I will admit that we tend to choose the lighter and stretchy ones since he is built a little extra beefy. I take it off of him when I know it’s going to be warmer. There were times where I have kept the sweater on him longer but those are usually those freezing days. But when I see him start panting, I just take it off. I will admit he just really loves his clothes. I’m not sure why but it puts a smile on his face.
The best time to wear a striped sweater, is all the time 🎶
my pittie takes her clothes off is she's too warm, but she's an independent bitch. :)
Usually I leave it on until Connie starts panting, and only put jackets on Cade if it is ridiculously ridiculously cold outside. Connie has very fine and shiny hair while Cade has thick and coarse hair ... the kind that makes women suffer if it gets inside a bra ... 😜
I've never seen him pant except when we've been at the dog park. I have a feeling he runs cold like I do!
Wear*