Does your dog need a coat in winter?
Jaycee Kling
2025-09-24 12:47:00
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The question of whether your dog should wear a jacket in winter depends on its size and breed and how cold and wet it gets where you live.
University of Adelaide associate professor Susan Hazel, who specialises in research into animal welfare, behaviour and ethics, says larger dogs are generally well-equipped to handle the cold.
However, Dr Hazel says smaller breeds of dogs that weigh less than 10 kilograms have a higher body surface area to mass ratio than their larger counterparts, which makes them more sensitive to colder weather.
For them, functionally, probably if you're going out — particularly if it's raining and they might lose more heat if they get wet — then a coat can be helpful, especially if it's an older dog that's a little bit arthritic, as those symptoms get worse if they get cold.
Although larger dogs generally fare OK without a jacket or jumper, if your dog suffers from hair loss, you may want to consider putting a jacket on them if you're walking them on a cold, wet day.
Greyhounds are one breed of larger dog that can benefit from wearing a jacket or jumper.
They are probably an exception in that they've got very low body fat, so they won't generate as much heat and they don't have as much insulation as other dogs.
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