Do Shorthair Dogs Get Cold in the Winter?

Do Short Hair Dogs Get Cold in the Winter?

It may be February, but the weather outside is definitely still frightful! Cold weather brings concerns among owners of short haired dogs about whether their furry family members are getting too cold outside. This is a very real concern for pet parents to have, and you may be left asking at what point it’s actually too cold for your dog to be outside. This depends on many factors in your dog’s physique and environment, including the length of your dog’s hair. Read on to learn more about whether your shorthair dog is okay being outside in the winter’s cold weather.

Hair Length Matters

While most dogs have enough fur to keep them warm, the length of the fur actually does make a difference in their insulation. Longer and thicker fur means your dog will stay much warmer in cold temperatures. That’s why many owners of longer-haired breeds avoid grooming their doggos too often in the winter. The more fur, the better! This also means that your concerns about your short haired dog are real. They don’t have long hair, so they’re predisposed to be colder than other dog breeds.

Body Fat Makes a Difference

Body fat is another influential factor in your dog’s ability to stay warm in the winter. If your dog is naturally a skinnier breed, they’re likely more susceptible to cold temperatures than breeds that are naturally more cushioned. However, body fat also helps shorthaired dogs compensate for their lack of extra hair. It’s not all about hair, as it turns out! Your dog’s body fat also contributes to their levels of insulation and warmth.

Size Is a Factor

Dogs are always producing heat, and their heat is constantly trying to escape into the cool air. While this is adaptive in warm weather, when it gets colder outside, this can be maladaptive for dogs, especially smaller dogs, because they have less body tissue producing heat. They also have more surface area relative to their size than larger dogs do, so heat can escape much more easily from their bodies. Therefore, size makes as much or more of a difference in your dog’s winter warmth as the length of their hair.

How to Keep Short Haired Dogs Warm

Given these factors, some dogs are just genetically predisposed to get a lot colder than others. If your dog is one of the unlucky pups that gets too cold in the winter, there are a few preventative measures that you should take to keep them warm. First, you shouldn’t let your dog outside for too long in the winter. Second, you can try using a doggie coat to add some extra insulation to keep your dog warm. You can also try some dog boots to prevent heat from escaping from your dog’s feet. When the weather gets cold, it’s time to bring out your dog’s cold-weather gear to keep them warm.

Cold weather has nothing on your shorthaired dog! Using your new knowledge of what factors keep your dog warmer or colder, you’ll be able to make sure your dog stays warm this winter.