Temperature

by **pitbullmamaliz** » October 24th, 2008, 4:52 pm

I have a silly question, I know I will get laughed at. However, I'm curious!

For a dog like Inara, with 0% body fat and no winter coat of her own, what is considered too cold for her to be? I'm doing my damnedest not to turn my heat on until November (almost there!) so it's pretty chilly in here - upper 50's, lower 60's. If I'm home we're snuggled under a blanket or in front of the space heater, but when I'm gone she's stuck in her crate. She has a bed, but it's not like she can cover herself up. Do I need to worry about her getting TOO cold?

Yes, I know I'm paranoid and she's spoiled. But I can't possibly be the only one to worry about this!

Edited because I'm an asshat that put the wrong month in.

by **Marinepits** » October 24th, 2008, 4:53 pm

Liz, it IS October. :wink:

by **pitbullmamaliz** » October 24th, 2008, 4:55 pm

Bite me! You knew what I meant.

by **Marinepits** » October 24th, 2008, 4:58 pm

Ours dogs are crated in the finished basement and we keep the heat around 55 or so. They seem fine. Shorty is ALWAYS cold, so she has an old blanket on top of her smooshy bed. There have been a few times when I've come home to find her buried under the blanket completely and she won't come out.

by **TheRedQueen** » October 24th, 2008, 5:49 pm

Mine (except Rip) wear coats if they're going to be in a climate under 50 degrees for any period of time. Xander, Inara and Sawyer have little undercoat, for Aussies...and of course Score is considered "naked" in this house. My rule of thumb is 50 and under...that's when Xander starts to shiver...and when my basset used to shiver too. None of them have an ounce of fat, so I help them with keeping warm...it's the least I can do, when I'm bundled up to my ears.

They get left in the car sometimes during the winter months (flyball tourneys with no indoor crating, outside at flyball practice, etc...) so I keep their coats in the car starting next month!

by **BullyLady** » October 25th, 2008, 12:48 am

We try not to turn our heat on until December, so I know what you mean!! Sirius has his own blankets, one with each of his beds scattered throughout the house. So when we are in a room and he settles into his bed I cover him up with the blankie. Since Shelby gets up on the furniture and bed she just cuddles up under whatever blanket we are using. If it gets around 50 in the house Sirius will start shaking since he's still a little under weight. :sad2:

Poor guy! Oh, he also has a nice waterproof fleece lined jacket for outside, he's not outside for very long at a time so he will probably start wearing it next month. Shelby didn't seem bothered outside last year, but if she does this year we will get her a jacket, too.

You aren't paranoid you're a good momma. :mrgreen:

by **Malli** » October 25th, 2008, 12:53 am

under 70 or so and Oscar gets cold...

He is a conniseur of warmth and has arthritis, so I try to keep him dry and warm, but he has spent nights in the car where it got pretty cold, I just don't think it's ideal all the time...

can you get a space heater and plug it in by her crate? (I'm assuming you have central heat...)

by **BullyLady** » October 25th, 2008, 12:57 am

Malli wrote:can you get a space heater and plug it in by her crate? (I'm assuming you have central heat...)

The problem with a space heater is that then, if Inara gets too hot, she doesn't have anywhere to move away from the heat source.

by **SLS61185** » October 25th, 2008, 1:38 am

I always wondered the same thing... But, Patch, is like a space heater himself.

by **pitbullmamaliz** » October 25th, 2008, 1:44 am

Once I turn my heat on for the winter it'll vary between 62 and 64. It's just not when I'm holding out that it gets a little brisk in here. I don't want to leave a space heater on when I'm not around. I did that once last winter 'cause Inara had a high fever and was shivering like crazy.

50 seems to be the magical number, so I will assume she's fine as long as it's over 50 in the house. Thanks, all!

by **Malli** » October 25th, 2008, 2:44 am

BullyLady wrote:
Malli wrote:can you get a space heater and plug it in by her crate? (I'm assuming you have central heat...)

The problem with a space heater is that then, if Inara gets too hot, she doesn't have anywhere to move away from the heat source.

there are some that will "click on" at certain levels, so you can set the temperature

by **nicole** » October 25th, 2008, 9:32 am

Please don't keep a space heater plugged in while you aren't home, they are a HUGE fire hazard!

Inara is young and healthy, a few blankets and maybe throw a sweater on her while she is crated and she'll be fine. I think 50 is a bit low, but thats only b/c I'm always freezing! I caved in and turned my heat on this week.

by **Malli** » October 25th, 2008, 2:15 pm

actually, since I used to use them to heat my entire house, I've learned that there are some that are quite safe now. Otherwise, I wouldn't have suggested it

by **Leslie H** » October 26th, 2008, 8:11 pm

Soleil has no body fat, but I fatten her up for the winter. She's already been wearing her coat when we walk early in the am. She's got 2 blankets in her crate, I keep my house very cool 50-55 while I'm at work. I've got blankets on the sofa for her and Xanny, and I cover Soleil up w/a blanket at bedtime.

by **SisMorphine** » October 26th, 2008, 8:18 pm

Under 60 degrees I used to bundle up Wally . . . or at least let him snuggle under the covers.

Teeny seems to do okay until about 50-ish, then she turns into a bit of a weenie. My mother is making the dogs coats for the winter. I'm also probably going to get them some sweatshirts. Though I'm not normally a fan of dogs in clothes, I don't want to freeze my pups because of that

by **Malli** » October 27th, 2008, 4:37 am

oh hush, you know there is nothing funnier then a dog in clothes ! :lol3:

by **lellis34** » December 12th, 2008, 3:57 pm

SisMorphine wrote:Under 60 degrees I used to bundle up Wally . . . or at least let him snuggle under the covers.

Teeny seems to do okay until about 50-ish, then she turns into a bit of a weenie. My mother is making the dogs coats for the winter. I'm also probably going to get them some sweatshirts. Though I'm not normally a fan of dogs in clothes, I don't want to freeze my pups because of that

I had to read/revisit this thread because I was thinking I was being stupid to buy Roxy doggie clothes. She has the one sweater but it's HE-UGE on her so when I was at Petco, I saw some on clearance for like $3. Hubby just shook his head at me. :crazy2:

She's hardly got an ounce of fat on her body, her fur is very thin (you can see her skin through it), and she shivers like a nervouse little rat dog. Am I wrong to put clothes on her to keep her warm? And to think I made fun of people who dress up their dogs. Now I'm one of them. :shake:

by **BullyLady** » December 13th, 2008, 1:11 am

lellis34 wrote:She's hardly got an ounce of fat on her body, her fur is very thin (you can see her skin through it), and she shivers like a nervouse little rat dog. Am I wrong to put clothes on her to keep her warm? And to think I made fun of people who dress up their dogs. Now I'm one of them.

No, I don't think you're wrong at all!

Sirius also has VERY low body fat and fur that is thin enough to see his skin so he has a jacket that he wears outside in the wintertime. People think it's silly, but I swear to you he will shiver for HOURS after being outside, so he wears that jacket and it really seems to help. You know what's best for your dog.

by **BigDogBuford** » December 13th, 2008, 11:54 am

Space heaters *can be* quite dangerous and are not meant to be left on when you're not around. My husband is an electrician so I hear it a lot.

by **Tubular Toby** » December 15th, 2008, 1:17 am

I guess it's time to get Toby a sweater! We went walking today and it was freeeeezing outside! And very windy. Poor Tobes was shivering anytime we weren't on the move. =(

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