Keeping dogs warm in winter

[OhWotIsItThisTime]

I've got a yorkie. He's my first dog and I've only had him since the summer. My home is pretty cold in winter. It's drafty and I am not leaving the heating on for the dog.

So how do I keep him cosy at night? He's got a squishy basket. Should I get him a dog jumper? Bearing in mind that yorkies have quite thin coats.

How cold does your house get where the dog will stay? You might find the dog wakes early because he is cold so try to get a dog bed with high sides so he can snuggle down to avoid drafts. Blankets to snuggle under and maybe for the really harsh nights if your house is very cold look at the linings that reflect the dogs heat back at them.

Ours sleeps in the utility room and did wake up with the cold last winter. This year I've bought a Lakeland clothes airer to warm the room and dry clothes at the same time.

Keep him in your bed? 🐶

Hmmm.........your dog has a hairy coat that nature invented to keep him warm! He's a dog, not a human.

Yup, agree with school, keep him in your bed. He stays warm, you get a hot water bottle, job done.

Other than that, bed next to boiler, cosy jumper, blankets, another dog?

My house used to be freezing and the dogs all pile infront of wood burner. Mine are definitely happier when as cosy as possible. The smallest one actually looks at me in disgust if I try and take her out in the rain when it's cold. Sometimes she stamps her paw at me. She is actually a terrier and meant to be tough. Ha ha.

I've never slept so well as I have since sleeping with dogs!

I have Italian Greyhounds and they really do feel the cold. They wear jumpers in winter at night and have really nice tunnel beds. And they have each other to keep warm as well. But under the duvet is their place of choice

I would think a Yorkie would be fine though. Thick coat and reasonable amount of body fat.

Maybe I'm overthinking it! He sleeps on the landing, between our room and the kids' room.

I'll bundle extra bedding in his basket, then. His fur is pretty fine. I was worried he'd be chilly.

Yorkies are more prone to feeling the cold, hence why you see more Yorkies and similar dogs wearing coats.

Let him sleep with you, that'll warm you both up!

They don't have an 'undercoat' and their 'fur' is more like hair

How do you know though if your dog is cold?

We have a hairy cockapoo so I'm assuming her coat will keep her warm but I'd hate to think she was cold.

Cannothtinkofaname when mine is cold he curls up tight in a ball and starts shivering. However, this is usually when he has been wet outside so I just throw a blanket over him. Overnight if you dog starts waking early I would check the temperature of the room first.

Ok thanks. I've never noticed her doing that so hopefully her coat keeps her warm. Although I would quite like an excuse to buy her a little coat - much to OH's disgust!

When ours was very little we put a hot water bottle in his bed to snuggle up to

My thermostat is set at 15-18C so heating only comes on when it gets really cold (house maintains temp quite well), dog is fine at that temp, she also has a bed with couple layers of old duvet sewn into covers so she can lay on or under them if is chilly, but she seems fine with that. She also hangs out in car quite a bit if we're out on a search, including when it was -1C last winter, she again had duvets to burrow into if needed but also popped a fleece lined coat on her and she was lovely and toasty and happily slept through it all, so an extra layer is good if you tend to have thermostat lower than around 15C (obviously if oh have something really furry like a husky, then the answer would be different!)

My Cav spaniel sleeps on top of her crate on a pillow most of the time, but if it gets chilly she gets into the crate and snuggles into her duvet. I put a blanket over the (open door) crate and she stays in there.

Would an American Bulldog get cold in winter? I think he would look great in a jumper!