Ziggy Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Hi everyone... I was looking at Charlie doing a 'Bambi act' on our drive yesterday, the poor pup couldn't do one step without falling over, and I couldn't stop laughing, which OH (who to be fair was also out there on the ice while I was standing warmly inside) thought was a bit mean and cruel, when a thought occurred to me... Setters are nowhere near as skinny and lean as lurchers, whippets and so on, but they aren't exactly the padded type either, and I was wondering, as it is so cold, should I get Charlie a coat? That's one thing I hadn't thought about before, with my mind thinking 'he's a dog, dogs in the wild don't get coats, he'll be fine', but now that he's here with us and I see him outside when we are wrapped up in as many layers as we can pile up, I worry that the cold is just too much for him, with him being a slim dog and a young dog! Thought this was the best place to come and ask for advice! Am off to pets at home later today to stock up on things before xmas, so maybe if he needs something, I could pick something then... Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 I bought Henry a coat when he was a younger dog, he wouldn't wear it He'd pull at it until he got it off over his head, I never bothered after that and he has always been fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 I don't think I'd worry about a setter - they have similar coats to springers don't they? Mine only get cold if they have got wet and stopped running. In that case I have fleece/towelling drying coat that they can wear to warm and dry them. It only goes on once back home/in the car though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 We got Bracken a coat last year, she used to get a skin complaint after she got wet on her underbelly so we bought her a lovely rain coat made by this company : http://www.hurttacollection.com/home It has an under panel which protects her whole underside, so she stays dry and so does my house! I hasten to add she only wears it in extreme rain or cold, as she is a GSD so doesnt really suffer in the lack of hair department! It's a very good coat but was expensive (with matching collar of course ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Tali is quite a lean Lab and I did wonder about a coat......but then I decided she'd only eat it She seems fine without one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 That image makes me laugh too Ziggy. I'm generally against dogs in coats, but all skinny breeds like sight hounds do need them. Ruby has some knitted ones from the K9 dog charity, a fleece 'dressing gown' if she's been wet and a fleece lined waterproof camouflage coat. She has zero body fat and a fine, saluki coat, so is very susceptible to the cold. If you're worried, then get him a coat if he's not haring around to keep warm; setters have thin coats, so they don't keep them very warm. Pictures please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Our Irish Setter seemed immune to the cold. He would deliberately plunge into semi-frozen water, and come out with icicles on his feathers! It never occurred to us to get him a coat. I'm sure your dog will be fine, provided you dry the dog after it gets wet (setters always get wet, even in a drought!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted December 22, 2009 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 Thanks for the advice everyone... we haven't got him a coat yet and he seems okie, but might get one just in case and see how he gets on with it... With Charlie and getting wet, it's his ears that seem the most problematic... whether he's just having a drink from his bowl or playing around the garden, his ears dip into everything and seem to suck up water like sponges.... we are thinking of tying them up on top of his head 'ponytail' style to keep him dry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 you wouldn't be the first Ziggy.. my grandma used a clothes peg to tie up their spaniels' ears. Attached to the fluffy bits. You can get spaniel water/food bowls He'll grow into his ears and it'll be less of a problem then. As he gets tall, you may find that it helps to attach his bowls to the inside of his crate, tall dogs digestion works better if they don't have to stoop down to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Love those spaniel bowls! Mine don't have ears quite that long, but the tips of Candy's ears do dangle in the water bowl. Ruby's don't - instead she forgets to shut her mouth when she's had a drink and empties mouthfuls of water all over the floor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poached Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Ruby's don't - instead she forgets to shut her mouth when she's had a drink and empties mouthfuls of water all over the floor hi ziggy joey my 9 month old cocker spaniel pup has been cut on top quite short so for the moment has a coat for long walks over the park but his ears also et very wet so for christmas we are getting 2 spaniel bowls but Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Love those spaniel bowls! Mine don't have ears quite that long, but the tips of Candy's ears do dangle in the water bowl. Ruby's don't - instead she forgets to shut her mouth when she's had a drink and empties mouthfuls of water all over the floor Tali does that as well!! - I kept thinking she'd piddled yet again but then realised she was just a messy drinker Jazz is just such a neat and tidy Lab that it made a change to have a messy, greedy Lab I'm glad they haven't got long ears as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 We have a fleece lined waterproof coat for our lurcher cross. She has very thin fur and is quite bald looking in places, bless her. Most of the time on a walk where she's running about she doesn't need any extra help as she's always on the go and keeping warm (Or rolling in something stinky). In fact she loves the snow and it doesn't seem to bother her (I was even thinking about doggy boots to stop her toes getting frozen) But if we walk into town we put her coat on as when she's waiting with one of us outside a shop she can cool right down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
