How necessary are they? As a dog mother, it makes me feel good knowing Kipawa is warm, but if he is out for a run, will that warm him up enough? I think some grasses/seeds got under his dog coat yesterday and have resulted in some big hives (separate post).
I could see where a coat is good in the snow or on walk in the neighbourhood when it's cold. Thoughts?
I think it depends on how long you are out for, and whether he keeps moving the whole time. When I lived in Northern Ontario my girl could easily go out for an hour or more when I went cross country skiing, and we did that at temperatures down to 10F (-12C). No coat or boots, but she did develop more of a natural fur coat when we lived in the north…..
I'm going to add that using protective boots or wraps on horses sometimes results in the same problems…...irritating substances getting under them......and for that reason I never used any protection on my horses when trail riding.
Only my older dogs wear coats and then only in really cold weather but of course your climate could be fiercer than ours. Running about at home they never wear coats outside whatever the age.
I make him wear his coat when it is raining or snowing and/or it is really really cold.
Or when we went for a bike ride or something where he has been running a lot, and we then will stay outside for a while or go to normal walking, then he get's his coat on so he won't cool off to quickly.
I started using jackets for the dogs when I had a Puli. If we went out in the rain for a couple of hours and he got really wet, it could take days (especially in winter) before she was dry again. Later with my Sheltie and Rough Collie, it was also much more easy to put a coat on, then to spent 2 hours drying them afterwards. So been using them for years, and when I think it's going to rain, I automatically grap a coat and put it in my backpack.
Don't think dogs (and even Basenjis) really need them (exept when it really is freezing cold, with temperatures of -20C or below), but it's so much easier for the owner to come home with a dry dog then a wet dog. I know it's the main reason I'm using them. Although with a Basenji I could easily leave them home. B's are dry allmost before you can get a towel out. :p
Coats for our basenjis are dead necessary down here, because they are hot weather acclimated, and when the weather gets cold (under 55 is cold to us), they need sweaters, or coats depending on how cold. Their short hair is not enough. It will become very apparent if your basenji needs to be coated - like mine, they will shiver and try to stay on you, or leaning on you, to keep warm. I would think that if your dog runs around and seems to be enjoying him/herself no matter the weather, they probably are fine except if they are going to be out for long. Because the roads are salted in winter up north, booties might be a good idea, not for warmth necessarily, but because you don't want that rock salt in their paws. In all cases, better safe than sorry.
mine wear coats a lot in the winter. My boyz wear coats inside as it is often chilly inside. Of course my boyz are almost 14 and 15; I don't worry as much about Z who will be 5 next month. The real problem here is the wind. It can be bitterly cold when that wind blows. So I make sure to get them a coat that blocks the wind. Regular fleece feels like nothing out here. I don't do boots, but sometimes I wonder if I should. the B's are pathetic rotating which foot is held up not touching the cold snowpacked ground. I also increase food on cold days.
Having said all that, right now it is sunny and in the mid 60s and feels great! I even have a window open. Of course a few years ago when my parents visited, we had a blizzard for Thanksgiving.
