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Went down to a beach yesterday to give the dogs a run before going out for a meal. It was dry but blisteringly cold. Both dogs enjoyed greatly - protected as they are by their designer natural fur coats. I have noticed though the increasing trend for owners to put little twee man made coats on their dogs....our dogs are out most days and regularly run off lead in the nearby forestry - they are in and out of puddles and ponds, seemingly to no ill-effect....not even visibly shivering, is there a proven scientific reason for getting them dressed up like little humans ?
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Some thin skinned hairless breeds, Greyhounds and Whippets for example, do get cold when wet and in the wind.
But then they are man made animal abominations anyway.
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The smaller the dog the larger the relative surface area to body mass and the more likely it is to get cold.
I guess that as with old people old dogs also tend to feel the cold more.
Not sure why a greyhound is any more of a man made abomination than any other breed.
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>> The smaller the dog the larger the relative surface area to body mass and the
>> more likely it is to get cold.
Thats a cockeyed theory.
> I guess that as with old people old dogs also tend to feel the cold
>> more.
They dont feel the cold any more than a younger dog. In fact with a much poorer circulation they are prone to overheat. But the cold, in general, will aggravate pre existing muscle and joint problems.
>> Not sure why a greyhound is any more of a man made abomination than any
>> other breed.
Ugly. Thats what. Supremely well bread to task, but Ugly.
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We had three Labrador bitches over a period of about 45 years (the first was trained for the gun) and they were never out of water if the chance came, summer or winter.
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ask me (and that Mark from Brazil/RLBS chap. I think his name is FMR2 these days) about the fun and games with Golden retrievers and swimming pools...
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>> Some thin skinned hairless breeds, Greyhounds and Whippets for example, do get cold when wet
>> and in the wind.
Neighbours look after old greyhounds and know their onions where these beasties are concerned. Hounds wear coats in cold weather.
OTOH friends who have a Dalmatian and a Spaniel own no coats.
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Greyhounds have to have a coat - it would be cruel to just paint the number on! (or to be more precise, cruel to take the paint off:)
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the blowtorch would warm them up tho?
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>> Some thin skinned hairless breeds,
Of which I daresay there are quite a few using this site. ;-)
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My R/Ridgeback hates this climate (the feeling is mutual) he comes from S/Africa for gawds sake!
He's 13 now (almost) and he loves the heat soooo much that he will stand within inches of the wood burner after I've lit the critter.
I call him goon face cos that's the face he makes when the stove is REALLY cooking and he looks like a dog would on a hot summers day (what ever that is)
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>> he looks like a dog would on a hot summers day (what
>> ever that is)
>>
They used to hev them in Rhodesia!
On the opposite tack, the Goldens get a decent Jessie Jay trim in November.
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What's the health of Goldens like Ian, I've thought about getting one for some time but I wouldn't want a breed that is always at the vets, spose I've been spoiled with the Ridgeback, he never goes to the vets, thankfully.
Ere's my aerial fitters Golden pup: www.flickr.com/photos/43576259@N04/6425490581/
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>> Ugly. Thats what. Supremely well bread to task, but Ugly. >>
Doh? :-) Perfectly streamlined and proportioned for its original role as you say - like the Comet, Concorde and Spitfire, beautiful to behold.
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Of course there's no real reason, only humans applying their own feelings to the dog.
Even with puppies, cold or wet won't cause them problems, although cold and wet certainly will.
Mine have heated kennel boxes ('bout 10C), but they will still spend most of the day out in the run, often asleep on the snow. The old springer that I gave away, and then took back again, spent the entire winter of 2009/10 outside free running and with only the shelter she could find herself, without any ill affects, it seems. That was a cold winter with at least 2 months below -5, and she was 10 years old.
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Had the lab out today for a 6 miler through fields and over golf course.
Reached a pond that he always launches into and sure enough, at freezing temp and a biting cold wind, he still ploghs into the water for a swim.
Of course when I got home he got hosed down , using the mixer tap to make sure the water isnt too cold.....
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It when they go launching in to break the ice that gets me. Mixer tap? noncy dog.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 24 Mar 13 at 14:09
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Lets just say it wasn't the dog that asked me to set the taps up!
Last edited by: BobbyG on Sun 24 Mar 13 at 19:40
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>> What's the health of Goldens like Ian.
pretty bad these days.
when we first got ours (ie the family) they were pretty unknown.
Later they became 'trendy'.
So if buying, make sure to research the line properly, as well as the breeder.
Too much inbreeding, and puppy-farming going on worldwide, IMHO.
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You need to get ones bred for working, not showing.
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I've never put a coat on a dog. If they look cold, chuck a ball for them, soon warms them up.
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>>You need to get ones bred for working, not showing. >>
Interesting, but not found to be the case with my family. The first was bred for gun work but the second and third came completely out of the blue over the years, the second being found lost somewhere in Cheshire.
All were equal in their ability to shrug off the effects of weather and thoroughly able to cover big distances as necessary...:-) In fact over the years I walked many, many miles with all of them and that also applied to a Sheltie (originally belonging to my daughter who moved abroad and taken over by me when he was nine), who had remarkable stamina and wasn't frightened of other dogs, including Great Danes.
He shot first and asked questions afterwards, something that once left a Rottweiler owner somewhat baffled when it backed off..:-)
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You lot are making me feel guilty now ! Been out on the bikes ( boy it was cold ) and now I'm about to settle on the sofa with the Sunday papers and a well charged glass of Grouse. Dog is looking at me in that "well, what about my walk?" sort of way...
Little ....
:-)
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Get a cat Humph.>:) Molly our second cat has been out for half a hr,back in to cold for her.Our old cat Lina won't go out in this weather all she does is eat.She is fifteen now a good age.
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>>pretty bad these days.
when we first got ours (ie the family) they were pretty unknown<<
As it is with so many thoroughbreds these days it seems, one bred for work would be a better bet as Mr Z says, but then he would want to be worked whereas Milo is quite happy to do nothing more energetic than yawn a few time per day.
:}
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This is Milo with his gooner face on, it's 25°C 15ft away from where he is, but as you can see, he's luving it!
www.flickr.com/photos/43576259@N04/8586801970/
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I rather like your "Megin" perro - (Welsh for bellows - and a very satisfying word it is)
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>>I rather like your "Megin" perro - (Welsh for bellows - and a very satisfying word it is)<<
Ah, there's a story behind that Pugley, I bought it in 1983 from my to be friend Laurie Smith www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUoWdP_ipOc
I originally was going to buy one with a coach and four engraved on it, but dithered about it,
Laurie said "if you don't buy it now it'll be gorn tomorrow" (I've heard that one before!)
Sure enough I went back early next day and it was gorn so I ended ended up with a lesser one with a Stag engraved on it.
30 years ago - blooming heck!
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Tried to look up the Cornish word for it but could only find one relating to the bellowing of a cow...
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Interestingly the Cornish word for smoke is "megi" Welsh one is "mwg" I love these connections
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Bellow in Cornish can be: bethigla, idga/edgagarma, creia, wholo, owtia.
smoke(n): môg(m) e.g. hemma ew môg whêg
smoke(v): (gen) megi; (tobacco) tuchia pîb/
sigarett (d touch pipe
smoked(a): (of foods) megez; môg
smoker(n): tubackor(m)-ion*
smoky(a): lean a vôg; lenwez a vôg; dadn bush
braoz a vôg
:}
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I have a FB friend who speaks Breton - some of her words are recognisably Welsh - Moch as in Pigs...incredible that they've all survived and evolved separately - 1500 years of linguistic development...
Just remembered have a real world friend who is Breton as well !
Last edited by: R.P. on Sun 24 Mar 13 at 22:18
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Lets hear it for the true Britons, those blimmin English can return to the land whence they came.
:)
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Friends of mine who shoot reckon that the few people who show their dogs off as cissies, by putting a coat on them at lunchtime, get a much better afternoon out of their dogs than those - the vast majority - who don't.
Of course dogs feel the cold just like humans. (Though they do come with their own coats which are generally more adequate than outs...) But just ask my cat who is sitting at my feet at the moment whether he'd rather sleep on his bed, or be kicked outside as I'm going to do in an hour or so...
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Funnily enough the Springer unwrapped himself from his bed a couple of hours ago and wanted to go out - insisted on going to the back garden and wouldn't come in. Current temp. at the mo is +2 degrees with a hideous - 10 windchill. Went to the upstairs window and he was sitting in the middle of the garden (3/4 acre) just looking at me. Mad as a fish.
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>> Friends of mine who shoot reckon that the few people who show their dogs off
>> as cissies, by putting a coat on them at lunchtime, get a much better afternoon
>> out of their dogs than those - the vast majority - who don't.
>
There is a huge amount of common sense there. The dogs have been working their danglies off and getting all steamed up, then they cool down and get muscle and joint stiffness. They wont be as agile after that. So keeping them warm while the handlers stuff down the game pie and brandy is a good idea.
Like athletes you need to work up and work down a dog.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 24 Mar 13 at 21:51
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>>There is a huge amount of common sense there.
Absolutely.
They're just like human athletes. They have to be fit too. Unfit dogs get cold in a way that fit ones don't.
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Our two are as fit as they get. Both draw comments at the vets - muscular and spot on in every aspect.
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Another observation - kicked both out after I got home at 3.30 whilst I sorted out this and that - by which time they wanted their second meal....both were bouncing up and down in that particular Spaniel way by the back gate - they alternate - one up, one down. I've noticed that they do this most times....is this random or do they deliberately alternate ?
Bored of Anglesey.
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>>Bored of Anglesey
Not surprised, I'd be catatonic.
Have you worked out how many pizzas you could get in those panniers? That should while away a bit of time !
:-)
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>> - one up, one down. I've noticed that they do this most times....is this random
>> or do they deliberately alternate ?
They do, if they both bounced up at the same time they would knock each other over.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 25 Mar 13 at 17:58
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As I say - bored. Thanks Zero.
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>>They do, if they both bounced up at the same time they would knock each other over
similar to why humans have the left one hanging lower than the right one, to stop them hitting each other when you put your legs together....
:-)
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>> Our two are as fit as they get. Both draw comments at the vets -
>> muscular and spot on in every aspect.
>>
And the owner Sir?
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Terrible story again about a young girl being mauled to death by four dogs in Manchester.
Two Bull Mastiffs and two Staff Bullterriers and police found another dog in the house.
One Bull Mastiff would have been enough to kill the girl.What possesses people keeping so many big dogs in a small house without proper control.The mind boggles.
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>> One Bull Mastiff would have been enough to kill the girl.What possesses people keeping so
Its terribly difficult to control more than two dogs in a household, specially some of the more dominant breeds, pack behaviour really comes to the fore. I guess what we had here was a pack kill frenzy.
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Apparently she was staying at a friend's house, but was alone at the time. She was, it's been reported, eating a meat pie, although I don't know if that played a part or the fact that she was on the dogs' territory without a member of the family being present.
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Genuine dog related questions. - Old Navy
