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When to rug up


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I've been coating Scout all last month as it has been chilly here and he's 11 years old.  He also loses weight quickly when it's cooler weather.  Sarge being younger, I generally coat him at night [unless it's chilly during the day as well].  They both sleep in my room and with no heating up there it can get rather cool.  I know when it's really cold as both of them want in the bed lol.

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5 hours ago, Papillon Kisses said:

In our case it's because there's nothing else around that fits and I suspect it's the same for others: when you get the length the dog positively SWIMS in the coat unless they are overweight or very fluffy.

 

With Malcolm it is further complicated by his deep chest, itty bitty legs and tendency to tuck his legs into his clothes when he curls up. Combine these things and you have a too short coat that flips up at the back for a crop top look, a dog with no front legs as they're trapped in the coat or a strapless dress if he manages to wriggle them out through the neck!

 

IMG_3001_zpse7lj4q7v.jpg

 

He he he... :heart:

 

4 hours ago, *Avanti* said:

I'm trying to deal with this at the moment. I'm going to make my boy some new coats this winter. He is the first male dog I have had for a while and when we went for a walk with his existing coat he accidentally peed on it due to the size and shape of the coat. So now I have to work out a pattern that will cover his butt enough but have a clear path for his pee stream. I might try to design it so it could be adjusted some way for walks. 

Story of Scotties life! We had a great smaller / lighter rug for walks. He was always peeing on the belly bands of better coats

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10 hours ago, *Avanti* said:

 ...  he accidentally peed on it due to the size and shape of the coat.  ....

I'm peed off myself - looked at so many coats in the last week or so, I'm convinced they are all designed by people who have never seen a real live dog.  And not having a shot at imported origins - this also applies to some Australian-made so no excuse.

 

And I am sick of Velcro as a short cut to strapping them in neatly for people-convenience  -  I know it is a cheaper quick fix for design, but it now creeps me.

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24 minutes ago, PossumCorner said:

I'm peed off myself - looked at so many coats in the last week or so, I'm convinced they are all designed by people who have never seen a real live dog.

I've seen ones where the armholes come out the side like a human garment instead of underneath. :rofl:  

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19 hours ago, Papillon Kisses said:

 

Not sure why I have this box above but it doesn't want to go away!

 

All these issues are why I used to custom make dog coats (sewn and knitted in a myriad of fashion AND weather styles). So few dogs are standard shaped or sized. I really need to find time to make more for Tempeh this winter as her last years ones are again a tad small. Last night it was chillier than expected and she cried and carried on all night because she was cold (blankets falling off creating first world problems).

 

The link below is to a coat style that helped me come up with a simpler, more streamlined design I am now using for Temp to create maximum coverage for warmth. I make mine with more coverage around the armpit, belly and bum/thigh area and finish with a velcro section over the spine. I think it is a good style for a cold dog who doesn't like or suit pyjamas and the under section wrap part can be made shorter for boy dogs. I've made them with a plain fleece for the under section and a matching print over the back and they look pretty good. A bit tricky to pattern design for a good fit but worth it for a cold dog in need of extra coverage. I don't have any pics of mine on hand but you get the idea. Not sure who sells similar out here but I started with this image and a commercial dog coat pattern (the red and black style) so I can't be the only one who has had this idea!

 

http://www.chillydogs.ca/coat/30

cb62db324883c020f6a2f578e17e6233.jpg

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Strangely I just found a pic of 2 I've made. For Temp I make longer necks and more underbelly coverage but this is what the person who ordered these wanted. I named the coat style Cold Frog. The dog in the blue and black is male so his underbelly section was shorter. Both dogs had arthritis and the owner wanted a blanket type effect around their back legs when they lay down so the back areas are quite full. So many things can be easily changed when you get a custom coat. I wish more people did it for a reasonable price.

Cold Frog.jpg

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3 minutes ago, Little Gifts said:

Huga that's so similar to the Cold Frog! Like the clip idea! Did you make the pattern or use a commercial one?

I made the pattern:)

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1 hour ago, Scottsmum said:

That's what was missing from your facebook post the other day!

OH MY GOSH!!!

Haha. We were freezing out west while he was still toasty on the coast with my parents, otherwise he would have been in the pic for sure!

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I recently bought a Back on Track coat for Nova and started using it for warm ups and downs. I've seen a marked improvement. 

He has always ran quite cold for a double coated dog, and the mesh coat seems to be perfect for him, doesn't over heat at all. 

 

image1.JPG

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  • 3 weeks later...

Gilly wears his el-cheapo coat all the time now, he  hates it but he loves it!

Cedro has enough fauve coat to keep him warm, he likes to sit out side in the very cold wind, with his ears blowing behind him, like he is in a sports car!

Reminds me of a Marriane Faithful song!

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Molly in a cute coat bought off eBay. It's water resistant on the outer and polar fleece on the inside. I can't say she loves wearing coats but once they are on all is forgiven and forgotten. This was on our recent road trip and at minus 2 degrees I was taking no argument from her. 

When at home I put  her coat, just a polar fleece shop bought one,  on her after dinner when it's quite chilly but it must come off at bedtime otherwise she just doesn't settle.

 

 

IMG_3624.thumb.JPG.54ddba5e3374a15874f18114487c130e.JPG 

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