[SamieNorman]

Hi all!!

So this winter will be Norman's first and my first with an active dog!

I see lots of posts regarding winter gear, but how necessary is it? We live in Alabama where snow is an anomaly! But it can get below freezing.
I want to make sure I understand how best to protect Norman, especially his feet. But do not want to go online shopping without proper knowledge on the essentials...

So my questions are, how often should he wear little paw booties? We go on walks a few times a say and he walks in grass and concrete so I dont know if booties are good for all conditions (grass, concrete, "snow")? Also is it a one size fits all kind of deal? I dont want his little paws to freeze or anything wet get stuck and frozen to his fur.

**How do you get him use to wearing booties??**

Next, jackets or sweaters... He a very thick hairy boy but I dont want that to fool me into thinking he is warm. Do yall suggest a sweater/jacket if he's outside more than 15 minutes?

If there's anything else I am missing that is a winter essential please let me know I am all ears

Thank you all so much!! I have been reading past forums on this and just want to make sure I get the true essentials.

 

[Liz]

You're in Alabama? Norman will be fine. He will certainly not need boots, and frankly, he probably doesn't need a coat. That said, they can be fun to buy, and can serve some use for you, if not him. I have a thin, unlined, nylon coat for wet days, since Mia's coat absorbs water like a sponge. It doesn't keep her topknot or tail dry, but I don't have to towel off her body. In addition, since we visit family in the frozen tundra, where temps can be below zero, I invested in a fleece coat as well, which can be layered under the raincoat.

Finally, I prefer horse coat styles, and you can get good deals at Dover Saddlery.

 

[SamieNorman]

Thank you so much!!

I agree that since it's not so cold here in Alabama he would be fine in the winter but I just wanted to make sure! I don't want my negligence to hurt him in the long run.

I may get a little fun sweater one day, but will likely wait until he is fully grown

Thanks again!!

 

[Countryboy]

Tonka doesn't wear a coat at -25C... -10F.

But you're gonna buy your guy a coat anyway. We know that. lol

Boots in AL for the cold? Never...

Your bigger concern down there would be hot surfaces in the Summer.... burning their pads. Do pay close attention to that.

Happy walking...

 

[StormeeK]

When I first came to PF I was looking for advice on grooming and winter gear... we live in Texas . I had put some cute coats and boots in my cart on a doggie website and was ready to BUY!! I was concerned about my pood being cold in this area. I wanted to make sure I was buying the right things so looked at what others were doing to help their poods through the winter. Well..... I saw so many pictures of poods in the north US and Canada that were running, jumping, racing through huge banks of ice and snow. All looked happy and excited running through temperatures that we would NEVER reach here. So I deleted everything from my cart and used that money for grooming supplies!

Here is my guy when there was a true weather anomaly and it actually snowed! ( don't laugh my Canadian PF friends!)

Good Luck with your cute guy SamieNorman!!

 

[bluegirl1997]

My poodles love snow and don't mind cold at all. When it's really cold I bring them in as soon as they slow down out there

Sent from my VOG-L04 using Tapatalk

 

[bluegirl1997]

Oh but I should qualify that! Some people enjoy getting clothes for their pets and that's fine! Don't mean to be negative about it

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[Moni]

Last couple of winters here in NY have been quite brutal and snow is really only a problem because it gets suck in the longer hair - and is a pain to get out. Snowballs. The booties for us have nothing to do with cold but everything to do with the insane amounts of salt we get dumped on our roads. We live on a very steep hill and they dump it bucket wise...the large crystals get stuck between toes and the hot chemical burns on paws are nasty too. As well as them getting seriously ill from licking paws to get the salt off.

 

[Carolinek]

I echo Moni’s sentiments. In upstate NY, my dogs are not as affected by the cold as they are by the salt on the roads. It’s terrible here. I use a product called Musher’s Secret on their paws and that helps a bunch. I do have boots for the three older dogs, but they’re truly a PIA and I only use them when it’s insanely cold...like when it was 38 below F on a dog friendly ski vacation last year. That was too cold for me to be out too...no skiing, just ate good food and drank nice wine by a warm fire on that vacation!

 

[Johanna]

I have never used winter clothing on a poodle - just on whippets. If I lived somewhere that salted sidewalks I would certainly think about using booties.

Every poodle I've ever had just loved playing in snow. The down side is all those little ice balls they bring into the house, especially on their bracelets!

I certainly would not put a coat on a poodle in Alabama (I used to live in Pensacola, so I'm familiar with the weather in Alabama). My poodles who were in a short clip - as short as less than 1/4 inch of hair, did just fine in winter.

 

[Newport]

I'm loving all these photos of happy dogs in snow!

 

[My Girl Sophie]

I live in PA. Your dog has fur. That is his winter gear. Just do not leave him out or keep him out too long. When he comes in allow him to warm up on his own.

 

[kontiki]

Oh no! Maybe I have to apologize first? I am laughing hysterically at the thought of a dog in the cold in Alabama ! Haha ! Giggle hysterically!

I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We have a climate similar to Alaska. My Spoo has never needed a jacket. Even at -15. He hates wearing clothes, romps and runs and roles in the snow.

But I have to agree with the problem with salt and other chemicals put on sidewalks and roads. I try my best not to let him walk on them, or to put on booties, which both of us hate.

That is really a problem as he is my Service Dog, so it is a huge problem to even take him into a store, or school, or church, .... as so many chemicals are put on the snowy/icy areas.

But never a problem with the cold for sure.

 

[peppersb]

Agree with everyone else that poodles are fine with no winter coats or boots. The only time that I put a sweater on a poodle was when my boy Bob got old. Something about old age made him feel the cold more than when he was young . Here he is at age 16 at the park with a foam rubber pad to protect him from the cold ground and a sweater and a harness so that I could help him walk to the car.

And a few more photos of poodles in the snow ...

 

[SamieNorman]

Thank you everyone!! Yes haha Alabama "cold". I was only asking because I care about my pup as do all of you.

But it does get pretty warm here and the concrete for SURE does. I will look into something for the summer when it rolls back around!!

Also I am loving all the dog photos of them in the snow!! Sooo cute. Unfortunately snow here in Alabama, like I stated before, is as rare as seeing Bigfoot. Not likely!!
I do not think we will have a salt issue because where I live, if it rains then freezes, our road shuts down since we are on a mountain and salt trucks have never made it up to our road!! lol.

Thank you all again!! Will look into something for the hot pavement though

 

[kontiki]

You are so lucky not to have to deal with salt and chemicals in the winter! I learned the first winter with my Spoo Service Dog that they could make him mighty sick, and his paws raw.

 

[MustLoveDogs]

So for those of us who live in places where they put too much salt down on the roads, what booties should we try? I feel like i will need to do something, since i anticipate we'll be walking in all kinds of weather.

 

[kontiki]

I wish I could say. It is a total pain in the rear to constantly keep putting on and off wet soggy booties everywhere you go, or carrying several pairs!..

My Spoo hates the more durable canvas types ones with the soles. And I do not make him wear something uncomfortable for him.

Sometimes what I do is if I am only going to be somewhere 2 or 3 minutes is rush in without him and leave him in the car, but that makes me anxious if I should need him.

Sometimes I schedule where I am going to go. So if I am planning to take him to the woods to run through clean snow which will clean his feet, I may take him shopping across the salted area as quickly as possible looking for less salted areas, and then take him to run through clean snow afterwards. And then inspect his paws to make sure there are none of those 'salt' or 'fake salt' crystals that can burn his paws.

I wish I could give you the perfect solution. Maybe someone else can help better?

 

[SamieNorman]

For all of you jokesters that we’re laughing about winter gear in Alabama, I wish I didn’t listen and got him a light jacket LOL!!! We had snow and ice yesterday early morning which lasted until today (we live on a mountain) and that windchill was under 10 degrees.. And for us Alabamians that’s just cruel punishment... lol!! We go on night walks so I was happy to use our winter coats to keep me toasty ?

I put Norman into one of my thin sweatshirts to block the harsh winds and he loved it! The socks I put on his back legs I took off since he wasn’t happy about them but I had to get a photo of how cute and silly he looked. Some may find the jacket unnecessary but I am happy and it worked for us !! Lol !!

 

[Dechi]

A standard poodle doesn’t need winter gear, really. In Canada I see one walking everyday in winter, and temperatures go as low as -40F.

The only time boots are needed is if there is salt on the sidewalks or streets, as this will burn their paws.