Cold weather coat

[Roxanne Ochs]

Since my dood CeeGee doesn't have an undercoat (when you pull back her coat, you immediately see skin!), I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with their doods during really cold weather. Do they manage to stay warm, do they need a coat or sweater or do they become house dogs in the winter? I've decided not to have CeeGee clipped so her hair is about 3 1/2-4 inches and hope this will afford her some protection as we like to xcountry ski, hike.

Roxanne

[Adina P]

It took -30 degrees F for our Thule (our most labby doodle, but no undercoat) to give evidence of being tooooo cold to be outside (we were traveling through Utah after Christmas) and could hardly stand walking on the ground. But until then they were all fine. So I suppose it depends on HOW cold it gets where you are and what you will do with the dogs. For Thule it seemed it was her paws that were freezing. And Rosco's beard would freeze too! We've never needed coats, etc in Walla Walla, WA--but we don't get thaaaaat cold. Plus mine are always inside.

[Richard Crowe]

I have to be prepared too! In the depth of winter; it sometimes dips below a frigid 50 degrees during the day here in San Diego County. But, most often is in the 60's and some December days reach the 70's.

Seriously, we do have snow in San Diego County each winter in our mountains. We have the most diverse micro-climates of any county in the USA. You can drive up to the mountains to play in the snow and then drive home, strip to your shorts and flip flops and wash your vehicle.

I am anxiously waiting to introduce our Holly to snow. if she enjoys snow as much as she likes swimming, it should be fun! We will leave her coat longer for the winter than we have it in the summer.

[Tamara & Giada]

Giada LOVES cold weather! We didn't get her until March of this year, but where we live it is still Winter then ( infact when we picked her up from the breeder we went through a Blizzard....remember Trina), and she would sit on our deck in 20 degrees and less with the snow all around her. I would actually see her get too hot inside, and NEED to go out :) So, I think my Doodle is perfect for our climate!

[Patty Barnes]

My doods love to chase and play in the snow. None have undercoats, and I have never dressed them in cold weather geer. However, I do not leave them outside longer than ten minutes in cold winter weather. When it is below zero (as happens sometimes in Maine), I only let them out long enough to potty then it is back inside.