AIBU to wonder why so many dogs wear coats these days?

[DogCoat]

I am quite old, so in my day, you never saw dogs wearing coats. These days, a high percentage of dogs are dressed in coats to go out. What is this all about? Why did dogs not used to need coats, but now they do?

My dog's a mini aussie, with a thick lovely coat that keeps him warm in the cold. Hates warm blankets, will happily lie on freezing cold tiles and sleep.

I put him in a waterproof cape thing because he also takes hours to dry and ends up soaking the entire house!

But apart from that, it's probably a grooming thing, people shave their dogs' natural weather defences.

Ours have drying coats if they've been shooting - they get cold easy if they've been out all day and cold muscles damage easy. Apart from that they never wear them, they are a hindrance.
However not all dogs are the same. We did have coats for our greyhound due to his very low body fat and thin coat. I used to be very anti coats on them (and most of the time I do think they aren't needed) but I don't know the person or the dog so I'm not going to judge them.

However even a hardworking Gundog needs an appropriate Christmas outfit 😂

I expect many dogs did need them in the past, but owners weren't so inclined because it just wasn't done then.

Redpony1 gotta love an entire body wag 😂 every time he happens to see me again in the house (if I've snuck off for a wee!) I get greeted with it! I think he's now running at 95 mph not 100, just need the foot to recover properly then back up to spaniel speed!

They wear them now because they can, just like humans used to dress in fur because it was all there was before we learned too weave fabric.
They wear them because they look cute and keep them dry and clean and warm
They wear them because creative people with opposable thumbs can and do enjoy creating them.
They wear them because industrious professionals sell them for profit.
I make my dog full body suits out of recycled fleece tops from charity shops.
I enjoy making them, some have slogans on, they make people laugh.
she is small shaggy and low to the ground, the coats cover her legs and pits which if not covered end up full of sticks and leaves and dirt and because her fur is shaggy it takes ages to clean off when we get home.
Because contrary to what seems to be many peoples opinions on MN not everyone who has a dog wants or has a filthy house.
Any more queries on why people cover their dogs in fabric sometimes or give them names or hug them or call them baby?
Please do let me know won’t you.

My DM has one for her dog - she's had dogs all her life and has never used one until this dog.

It is partly because she's going even softer in her old age and has taken the fact that the dog obsessively lies in front of the fire or radiator to mean that he hates being cold, so needs keeping warm.

Mostly though, it's because it does keep him a lot drier so the house smells less of soggy dog when it rains.

I think it's because of the prevalence of the fluffypoo dogs, and what that sort of fur is like to de-mud. Lots of the coats will be Equafleeces, which cover the tummy, so mud removal is confined to paws and if unlucky faces.

DDog doesn't need a coat, and goes out in all temperatures (and snow) without one. Mud easily brushes off. Not all dogs have such easy to manage fur.

My whippet wore a jumper most days - even in the house. In the winter when we went out for a lead walk he wore - a onesie, a jumper, a coat and a snood, he was a skinny wee thing with very little fur.
I suspect he wouldn't survive a second in the UK climate. He was always very clear about his temperature needs, seeking warmth - you know your dog - a dog shaking with the cold isn't a kindness - it's neglect and dressing him in warm clothes is not treating him like a human it's responding to his needs. All dogs are different - a lab is unlikely to need clothing but an old lab might feel the cold more than a youngster.

I had a Phalene toy,they have no undercoat or oil,he needed a coat on in cold weather,a waterproof one in the rain, because he didn't shuck off water. I have an open plan bungalow,porch which is too small to dry dogs, straight into the living room,so my 2 borders have waterproof coats for the colder months.

I have a mongrel/street dog who is pretty hardy.

But he came from Southern Europe and lives in our cosy house. When it's below 6C he wears a coat. It's certainly essential when temperatures are hovering around freezing.

I first got coats because we had another dog who had bad arthritis in her hips. I noticed a coat meant she was happier on cold walks - in fact she would run around, which she never managed without the coat.

I suspect anthropomorphism is behind a lot of it, as you can see with the "humans wear coats therefore ..." style responses here. The distinction between dogs (or some other animals) and humans is humans evolved in the tropical regions and thus have poor resilience to cold weather, that is why we wear heavy clothes in winter. Animals are not humans so analogies with humans are not automatically valid without proper objective analysis. I accept there may be some smaller breeds of dog which are more susceptible to the cold and benefit from a dog overcoat.

My vets have just posted on their social media that elderly and sick dogs benefit from wearing coats, so I assume there's some medical benefit, as they don't sell coats, so have nothing to gain from saying that.

Personally, I clothe my greyhound because he's old and feels the cold. He'll often pick up a blanket or coat and bring it to me if he's cold. Never bothered with the other dogs I've owned, which have all been German Shepherds so have thick coats already.

Dogs have been wearing tartan coats since I was a baby. They just have more options now. Some dogs feel the cold more than others.

Most of the ones I see are of the designer mongrel variety. They're often overly clipped so probably feel cold.

I wonder why dogs feel the cold in winter and need coats but cats don’t seem to feel it? 🤔

I have a springer - she does wear coats and jumpers sometimes.

She doesn’t wear coats when out on walks - she’s running around a lot so doesn’t need one. Plus, she’s like a heat seeking missile where water is concerned and will get in any muddy puddle/stream/the sea/pond she can find so coats would just be soaked within seconds.

She has a towelling dressing gown type thing we put her in in the car when she’s wet as she gets really cold and it stops my car getting trashed.

She comes to work with me and our heating is shite and she gets cold if she’s just chilling in the office so has a jumper or a coat depending on the weather. Its ok today so she’s jumper-less, but it was bloody freezing last week so had a jumper on then.

Tell that to my cats! Mine barely leave the house in the winter. Or anytime if it rains.

They do feel it more than most dog breeds but it's not practical to put coats on them as they would get stuck if they are climbing trees for example. Cats also have free roam so they can find sheltered places to warm up whereas dogs are attached to a lead and will have to go where their owner goes.

Maybe depends on the breed/fur length… I had a Maine Coon, she would play in the snow!

Yeah none of my cats would wear a coat, they don’t even like collars , I suppose you’re right, I didn’t think of that, you do see cats sitting on car bonnets when they’re still warm to get cosy!

I don't believe in dog coats either!
But I have a little cockapoo that hates brushing/ grooming. As a result her fur is really short and I think it would be cruel not to put a coat on when it's cold & wet outside.

She has the classic tight curl Poodle coat which if kept a bit longer would be excellent in any weather!

My dogs wear coats quite simply because they feel the cold and it helps me keep the car cleaner after muddy walks . They have many coats from equafleeces to padded coats .

I think some people do it because they treat them like dollies. But, I do have a couple of basic fleecy ones for my elderly (11yo)short haired JRT. She doesn't like being cold or wet, and means she can manage a decent walk in the winter. My 3yo one bolts as soon as a coat comes out, hates them and doesn't need them yet. she is so small it's easy to rinse her off in the shower.

Big dogs - great for keeping them clean and dry when it's horrible out, they are not so easy to manhandle when washing and drying!

This for me too, and my Collie x Husky gets filthy in the woods and a coat is easier to wash!! I just need to towel her legs down.

I've got coats for my 2 dogs, they look so cute in them and my smaller dog hates rain and being rained on.
They only wear them in the rain, snow or extreme cold weather. Although the smaller dog occasionally wears a jumper around the house.