You may think that your dog has a fur coat and therefore it doesn’t need any assistance in keeping warm, and whilst in some circumstances this may well be the case, for a lot of dogs this may not be enough. With the cold weather drawing in, the change in temperature can affect a multitude of dogs such as puppies and seniors who may not have the same abilities of maintaining their temperature. Short coated breeds such as Weimaraner’s and Whippets may not have enough fur to keep them warm. Athletic dogs such as those maintained for high impact sports such as Flyball may require some extra assistance in maintaining warmth.

By keeping your dog warm, you are maintaining their wellbeing and keeping your dog happy! Bracken has an exceptionally short coat, along with bald patches under her armpits and in her groin. She is also kept in trim physical condition as she trains and competes in flyball so she does not carry much (if any) heat keeping fat on her body. Bracken is also a sun worshipper and there is nothing worse to her than being cold and wet, so to keep a happy Bracken, we make sure she is kept wrapped up!

One tool that can be used is a dog coat. There are plenty of different options on the market, and it is important you choose a coat suitable for your dogs needs. We have the Jaegr Supreme Coat for Bracken, it is fully adjustable (which helps as being a cross breed, Bracken is an unusual shape!), it comes with a harness and collar hole in the coat to allow the lead to be clipped to either with ease. It has reflective strips meaning its great for those dark and dingy walks and a range called the Supreme Highlighter which come with brightly coloured stripes! The coat also has rear leg straps and a tail cut out which prevents the coat blowing open in the wind! If this sounds like the coat for you – you can purchase one here 

Another option we use especially within the flyball environment is a dog onesie. These help to keep your pooch warm as they cool down after exercise. By practicing a slow cool down you are ensuring that the muscle fibres have chance to cool down and less chance of cramps occurring. Bracken has a collection of onesies (we call her Pyjamas!) that are made to measure by Margy from Made of Kent – if you’re interested please pop to her facebook page here 

A final tool for keeping your pooch snug as a bug is one of Handmade by Hayley B’s very own Blankie Bandanas or Snoods! The blankie bandana is a fleece backed bandana which slides onto the dog collar, it helps give a little extra warmth on their chest and neck and we think looks mighty fetching too! Our newly launched double sided snood is designed to go over their head just like a human snood and sit on their neck. It helps keep some warmth in and we think they look super duper cute! Bracken didn’t want hers taken off when she first wore it! As these are made to measure, they are sure to fit your dog. They can even be used to pop those spaniel ears inside of and stop any snowballs or muddy water weighing them down!

I hope you have found this article interesting and helpful when considering the benefits of keeping your dog snug as a bug!