Does Your Doodle Get Cold Easily?

[Camilla and Darwin]

I haven't really heard a lot about whether or not doodles are good in the cold. I'm wondering because we just got about three inches of snow here, and Darwin played in it for hours. By the end of the day, he was wet and covered in snow clumps, but he didn't want to come inside and he wasn't shaking at all. How long do you let your doodles play outside before it's too much? Do you have sweaters for your doodles?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Dogs have their own fur coats, lol! Labs and poodles both have water resistant coats and Labrador Retrievers come from Newfoundland, where it's pretty cold and there's a lot of snow. Most dogs I've had (all poodles or poodle mixes) absolutely love the snow!
Dogs don't have pores like we do, so they don't lose body heat through their skin the way we do. (They also can't sweat like we do, to cool themselves.)Some people do have coats for their doodles, but they are more a fashion statement than a necessity.
They are also very smart dogs, and will let you know when they've had enough. I wouldn't worry.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, my small dogs were the same way with lifting up their paws when they got too cold. That's why I say they will let you know when they are uncomfortable. Boots help, too, and keep those dreaded snowballs from forming!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I don't think dogs need clothes except the really little dogs or some with very short coats. After all many animals live outside full time with just what nature provides. It is true that indoor pets are acclimatized to warmer conditions but I think they easily get overheated inside and out. My dog seemed to revel in the cold last year and certainly could take it longer than I could even though I was bundled up.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I know that dogs have "fur coats" so to speak. I was just wondering if they tend to overdo it. He had been outside all day and was wet, which then froze.... I was worried the moisture + freezing might be too much for him. I was a little worried that he might be a little too excited and not come in when he needed to. I know that when dogs are wet they can get colder than they normally would in whichever temperature.... good to know I don't need to worry, thanks.

[Karen & Lucy]

Lucy LOVES the cold. We live near Pittsburgh, Pa. and we get COLD winters BRRRRRR :-[ I hate the winter time, BUT Lucy loves it. She would stay out all day if I would let her. We have a wood burner and if we get it too warm in the house she wants outside, alot of times she will go out on the deck and just lay out there. Don't worry about Darwin getting cold.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

I don't think Doodles know the meaning of the word cold!! Though we live in San Diego and have to drive an hour to find snow which comes only a few times a year and melts within a few days. Gracie Doodle is always hot and panting. She slept with us when she was smaller but now she leaves us soon after we go to bed and goes to the limestone in the front entry. I also find her near doors where there might possibly be a draft. When it starts to get chilly and the wind has a nip in it, she really comes alive. Her nose goes up on the air and she has a bounce in her step. I'm still waiting for our colder weather. Here it is almost December and we are still in the 70s during the day!!! I'm sure most of you are thinking I am absolutely off my rocker and crazy. But, having lived her my entire life except for 3 years in Washington, DC, I really like seasons and wish we had more variation in our weather and temperatures. Sooooo, from what I can tell from Gracie, I think that Doodles probably LOVE the cold weather and the snow probably doesn't even phase them!

[Holly St Pierre]

Gunner LOVES the cold. If its over 70 degrees he is hot. My sister's doodle will stay outside until there are icicles hanging from her fur-no joke. Neither of us use sweaters. Most love to be outside.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I think you will find with Doodles you will have more problems when it is hot rather than cold. Our girls, like everyone elses, love the cold and snow and will stay out as long as I will let them. I do have a winter coat that I put on them, but it is more for when I just take them for a walk and it is snowing and I don't want them to get soaked and have to comb them out when I get back. However, Sophie will NOT walk in hers. You put it on and you cannot get her to move so my plan had a slight flaw! The biggest problem you might find with winter is if you don't keep the hair clipped off of the bottoms of their feet in between their pads, they will get a clump in there and it will hurt when they walk so they might start limping or acting strange!

[Sue & Willy Babe]

Wilson loves the cold and snow I let him for a quite a while I get cold before he does the only thing that bothers Wilson is the clumps he gets on his paws, with that I use a warm wash cloth to get them off He is not too fond of putting his paw in a bucket of warm water. He loves the snow No snow here yet in WI YEA just rain I too would not worry, Wilson will not be out long in the freezing below zero weather that he does not like

[Sandy]

Goodness no! Toby will go out and just lay in the snow. We were walking him when is was -20 C and below last year, and he loved it. Couldn't wait to go, didn't want to come home. He has a lot more trouble when it is 25 C or higher. He just lays on the ceramic tile and pants then.

[Camilla and Darwin]

That is really good to hear from all of you. i have been worried about letting him out to play in the backyard for over an hour or two... I guess I'll let him go until he drops! http://www.daneonline.com/