Dogs usually seem to always be warm due to their incredibly warm fur coat that can either be a single coat or a double coat.
They are certainly warmer than humans that’s for sure.
But do dogs need blankets to increase their body warmth?
Do dogs need blankets during the winter?
Yes, they do. Dogs require blankets when cold like humans. It does not have to be a literal blanket.
It can be something shoal-like depending on how cold it is where your dog stays. An instance is if you stay in places with snow and your dog does not sleep in the house; it would be recommended to get them a blanket they could use.
The main reason is that, scientifically, dogs are also warm-blooded animals meaning their bodies retain a constant body temperature thus their bodies get affected by the external temperature of stimuli.
The whole fact is that dogs are warm-blooded mammals thus the temperature of their bodies always works like humans.
When it’s cold, they feel cold and when it’s hot they also sweat on their noses.
Below is more on why your dog may need blankets especially during the winter and other cold seasons.
Why do dogs need blankets?
Contrary to the belief that dogs are warm and do not need help in keeping warm, they may need some blankets here and there especially when the temperatures become extreme and even go below zero degrees or even negative values.
Dogs require blankets in the same way as a human you would want to carry an extra jacket to wear when it gets cold.
This is even more of a requirement if your dog sleeps outside may be due to whatever special reason.
There times it gets really cold, so investing in a doggie blanket would be doing your dog a huge favor especially because dogs cannot speak for themselves and say how cold they are feeling.
Does that mean their fur is not enough?
Their fur is not always enough but does the job most of the time.
As a dog owner, you will have to know that their fur may sometimes be enough on days with regular temperatures but like us, they do require a bit of additional warmth to keep them from freezing.
This is especially evident in small dogs whose fur coat is usually not enough as you think.
They often struggle with low temperatures as compared to bigger dogs.
This could be because they don’t have many fat reserves in their bodies as other bigger dogs do.
Fat reserves in the body store body fat that generates heat in the skin in both dogs and humans.
Bigger dogs are likely to have more fat reserves than smaller dogs.
This does not mean that bigger dogs do not feel cold but it means that it is easier for them to use the fat reserves in their bodies in colder weather than for smaller dogs.
Also for older dogs, they tend to experience cold in more extreme ways.
Especially the dogs that experience arthritis and other forms of joint pain.
Extremely low temperatures such as those of blizzards and winter in general affect dog joints and thus older dogs with arthritis need to be kept warm.
It is preferred to keep in the house or if not, make them a dog house with a heater, a blanket, and a dog bed (if not a dog bed, consider putting warm types of flooring.
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How do you know if your dog is feeling cold?
The simple trick to know whether your dog is feeling cold I to ask yourself whether you are feeling cold.
If you are, your dog will probably be freezing as you are. This can be simply explained by the fact that both your dog and you are warm-blooded.
This simply means that your bodies have a constant body temperature and cannot change to adjust to the temperatures outside your body.
So when it is cold and your body is naturally warm, you are bound to feel cold.
What are the other measures to be looked out for in keeping your dog warm?
Apart from blankets, there are other ways how to keep your dog safe from the cold temperatures that are inexpensive and quite thoughtful for your dog.
Below are some of the other measures that you could do for them to ensure your dog is warm:
- Getting your dog a proper kennel would be fitting especially if your dog does not stay in your home. A proper kennel technically means that the kennel should have proper floors, well built with material that doesn’t allow rainwater or any other foreign materials into it. It should also be lined with a window or a ventilation system. Last but not least, it should have proper floors that are warm, not the floors that tend to absorb all body heat and are just cold.
- Get your dog a heater. A heater is the equivalent of you having a warm fire burning next to you. The heater is essential for winter seasons especially if you live in an extremely cold area or generally cold house.
- The last point would be, if possible, to keep them in for winter seasons if it’s a possible solution for the warmth and also for the company; to avoid them feeling lonely when it snows outside and they are alone in their kennels.
Do all dogs need blankets?
Last but not least, it is always good to find out whether all dogs require blankets when it is cold.
For this question, getting them a blanket would be recommended but forcing them to use one is not necessary.
What this means is that dogs generally have ways of generating heat especially bigger dogs and dogs with double fur coats.
Especially dog breeds that were originally bred in colder areas such as Akitas and Malamutes.
The essence of knowing this information is to avoid forcing heat for your dogs when they may be able to generate enough heat for themselves in that time.
Conclusion
When you start to feel that chilly breeze when it is cold at whatever time of the day, always make sure to remember that your furry friend feels it too and as you get warmer.
You should consider them too and add them a blanket or two for the cold.
