cold temps & corgis
My 11-mo corgi Jet is entering her first full winter at our house (we brought her home end of last winter). Someone told me corgis like cold weather, but I'm wondering if 1)I should put warmer towels/blankets in her crate (we keep our house pretty chilly 63-65 degrees all winter long), and 2)if she should be wearing a coat when we go outside? I wish she could tell me if she cold hah! Thank you in advance for your thoughts - Wendy
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on
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The house temperature of 63-65 is not a problem for her. Dogs have a body temperature around 101.5 F, so she is naturally warmer than you are, plus her fur insulates her well. If the temperature drops lover at night ( I keep my window open at night year round ) I simply cover the crate on three sides to conserve body heat. Outdoors should not be a problem either. We live in Colorado at altitude and I've never put a coat on Mowgli. If however the temperature is below freezing, I restrict the time he is outside, especially if we have snow on the ground. I would be more careful outdoors with any very young or very old dog, or one that was not in good health.
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Permalink Reply by Linda on
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I agree with Anna. I have a pad and a blanket in Katie's crate so if she feels cold she can dig the blanket into a nest for herself, Max isn't crated at night. Max is a fluffy so he has an extra layer of protection with his long coat. If it is bitter and windy I do have a sweater for Katie when she goes out...neither of mine like the cold so they are the kind to pee and run. I have waterproof coats for when we are having a heavy snow. Not so much for worrying about them but their long, broad backs collect a lot of snow in a short time. I can take the coats off on the porch so the snow isn't dragged into the kitchen. I also use the coats when it's raining. Takes Max forever to dry with his long double coat.
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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I very seldom use a coat and only if temps are way below zero. Also watch for snow between the toes that is the problem that mine don't like...I also have blankets in my crates.
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Permalink Reply by Vicky Hay on
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How long is her fur? Ruby the Corgi Pup has a short coat, compared to Cassie the Corgi's lush version -- and I don't think Cassie would come under the heading of a "fluffy." She just has a thick, highly sheddable beautiful coat, about like a Sheltie's. Cassie thrives when temps are in the 60s. Colder temperatures don't seem to bother her at all.
Ruby is still a babe, and so I have yet to learn how she will respond to temperatures that Cassie and I would regard as "cold" (which some of the Corgi forumers would call "balmy" or even "summery"). But I think it would have to be snowing -- and in the 40s or 30s -- to consider putting a fake coat on Ruby.
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Vicky....if Cassie has a coat like a sheltie than she's a fluffy. Take a look at Max's pictures...he's a fluffy.
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Linda-- What a beautiful dog Max is!!
Cassie's fur is not as magnificently lush as Max's. She doesn't have any feathering around her ears, and it looks like the fur on his head is a little thicker than hers. Yet if you look at your photo #3, "Max & Katie," that would give you a pretty fair idea of Cassie and Ruby: Ruby's coat looks very much like Katie's. Cassie has a thick mane like Max's, tho' the coat on her back and hindquarters is less thick and wavy than Max's in photo #2, "Oliver & Max." She must be a fluffy, but less richly developed as Max.
One thing's for sure, with the coat that she does have, however it should be classified, she's not fond of exerting herself in the heat. And she thinks 75 or 80 degrees is "heat." :-D
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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As far as inside temps, I turn my house down to 62 at night and the dogs are fine. They are wearing a fur coat, after all.
A Corgi with its double coat will definitely not need a jacket outside. A very young puppy in puppy coat might. If it were cold enough to need a coat, it would be too cold for YOU to be out without risk of frostbite in minutes.
I have walked mine when it is frigid. Anything above about 15 F they are fine. Below about 12F, my male is fine but my female starts doing the paw lift thing if they walk over any treated roads at all (since the salt causes the snow to melt and refreeze). Below 0F Maddie starts doing the paw-lift even if they have not walked over treated roads so we don't walk.
But I have been out with them when it is about 5 below. I am bundled up like the Michelin Man and my fingers are slowly going numb even in mittens. My toes are starting to hurt even in boots. And I have reached down and felt my dogs' ears and noses and they are toasty toasty warm. Snow does not melt on them, they are so well insulated. I brush it off their coats before coming in so it does not melt in the house, but it piles up on their backs and their fur stays bone dry.
Were it not for their paws hurting on the cold ground, they could easily walk outside for an hour in below-zero temps, their coats are so thick. They do not quite meet the sled-dog standard of not melting snow when nesting for the night, but their coats trap just about all of their body heat.
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Permalink Reply by Priss, Charlie & Kaylee (PK) on
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The 60 degree temps in the house will be fine. Along with most temps seen in Virginia throughout the winter. Kaylee comes out of her shell when the weather gets cold and can stay out for hours. Even during the polar vortex last year, she had no problem with walks, I was bundled up and still cold. If Jet is dry on your walks, she should be fine for walks and outdoor playtime this winter.
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Vicky...thank you, we think Max is a pretty handsome guy and for being 12 he doesn't show any aging. Our first corgi, Arnie, sounds like what you describe Cassie. His coat was much thicker than Katie's but no where near as lush as Max. I started to let Max's coat grow out completely to see just how long it was going to get, it go just about down to the ground and I couldn't stand the dirt and mud being dragged in. I keep him trimmed and my groomer does a beautiful job. She keeps his long coat but makes it neat and tidy. In the winter she trims his belly a bit shorter, being low riders he tends to come in with snowballs all over his belly. I can't wait till his full coat is back, still growing out from the surgery he had. I had him trimmed real short for that.
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Wow! Caring for Max sounds as elaborate as keeping a poodle groomed!
Cassie has never needed her hair trimmed, or even the attention of a professional groomer. I can set her in the bathtub to bathe her -- as long as it's done early enough in the day and when the humidity is low, she'll dry out before bed-time. Still, she has such thick hair that she's clearly uncomfortable when the weather rises above the 60s. She'll peter out in half a mile of brisk walking if the temp is, say, 75 or so, but if it's in the 60s, she'll barrel along indefinitely.
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Permalink Reply by Holly on
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I've often wondered that myself. Last winter here was especially cold but I never used a dog sweater. I did feel bad for Sully when her feet got cold though. She would actually limp, in fact other dogs did as well, but I have never seen dogs around here wearing boots. I have seen them in the city, but I thought that was more of a fashion statement. I just limited walks on the coldest days, but I may consider some kind of foot protection this year. I also washed her foot pads after walks to clean off any rock salt or sand from the walkways. Sully actually hopped like a bunny in the snow. Nothing gets her that excited. Since she was transplanted from a shelter in the south she may not have seen much snow. Even today she was excited to see it coming down. With all that thick fur I'm guessing maybe corgis do like the cold.
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Permalink Reply by Laura and Tommy Jefferson on
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Hey Wendy, Tom and I are from chilly Cleveland, Ohio - he has never worn a coat outside, even in a foot of snow. I just try to keep his feet away from salt and monitor how long we spend outside. He loves it!
Also, I keep blankets everywhere for him, but I don't think he has ever gravitated to a warmer one in the winter. Corgis are a hardy bunch!!
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