# German Shepherd - How cold is to cold?



## tigertheshepherd (Feb 17, 2013)

Hi all! Im a newcomer to this forum but not to new to German Shepherd Dogs. My question is about my 1 year old full bred German Shepherd Male. We live in Miami, Florida and he absolutely LOVES the outdoors. So much so that we made him a 10x10 kennel outside. We live on about 2 acres of property and he usually stays outdoors because he just refuses to come inside. My question is how cold is too cold for him? In Miami the coldest it'll probably get is 40 degrees Fahrenheit... Is that to cold for him? Ive read around but haven't landed on any helpful responses yet. I know they can withstand harsh colds but I heard it depends on where they are bred and how they are brought up. Im one of those paranoid mama's and I just want to make sure he doesn't get sick or anything. Thanks for any help!!!
:gsdhead: :snowmen: :cold: :help:


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

40 F is a mild cold - GSDs have double coats - he won't even know it's cold outside.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

i live in jersey and have had my gsd playing in 10 degree weather with out issue. you might need to be more concerned with heat in the summer. as for not coming in because he doesn't want to..... need some training.


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## volcano (Jan 14, 2013)

My puppy doesnt mind cold for short bursts, but she hates wet and cold.


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## m1953 (May 7, 2012)

Don't forget to take the wind chill into account. It's going down to 30 here in north central fl but wind chill will be in the teens. He should have some kind of protection from the wind, even at 40 degrees.


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## tigertheshepherd (Feb 17, 2013)

Thanks all! We just bought him a thermal sweater and he seems to be enjoying the weather... ALOT. And as for not wanting to come inside, he's got a little crush on our neighbors husky. They give each other eskimo kisses through the shrubs. :wub:


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

also, if you not have a dog house, might i suggest the "igloo" dog house. got ours at true value hardware.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Those of us who live in the North can attest that GSDs LOVE the cold weather. Remember that they have a fur coat. Also, they don't feel the wind the same way we do. Humans sweat over their entire skin, even in cold weather, there is always a very small amount of moisture being secreted by our skin. The increase rate of evaporation when out in the wind is what gives us the wind-chill effect. 

Dogs do not sweat from their bodies (only from the paw pads), and cool themselves off by panting. So the wind will not cool them as quickly and dramatically as it cools us. So a bit of wind won't be an issue. 

People tend to project their own sense of hot/cold onto their dogs. Those who live in warmer climates are not used to the cold, and worry that their canine friends will feel the cold the same as themselves. Chances are, your pup will love the cooler weather, and prefer it to the warmer seasons of the year.


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## lennoxbradley88 (Apr 23, 2012)

Castlemaid said:


> Those of us who live in the North can attest that GSDs LOVE the cold weather. Remember that they have a fur coat. Also, they don't feel the wind the same way we do. Humans sweat over their entire skin, even in cold weather, there is always a very small amount of moisture being secreted by our skin. The increase rate of evaporation when out in the wind is what gives us the wind-chill effect.
> 
> Dogs do not sweat from their bodies (only from the paw pads), and cool themselves off by panting. So the wind will not cool them as quickly and dramatically as it cools us. So a bit of wind won't be an issue.
> 
> People tend to project their own sense of hot/cold onto their dogs. *Those who live in warmer climates are not used to the cold, and worry that their canine friends will feel the cold the same as themselves*. Chances are, your pup will love the cooler weather, and prefer it to the warmer seasons of the year.


Guilty of that! lol


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I live in South Texas and have yet to see weather too cold for Hondo. In fact, he'll come in for a while, start panting and want to go back outside. Even when I'm all cuddled up in a blanket.


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## Mikelia (Aug 29, 2012)

I live in Ontario, Canada and sometimes I hate my gsds because they just never get cold lol. The other day it was -20C (which, according to my unit converter on my phone is colder than 0F) and we walked to dog class, were out for about an hour and a half, his whiskers were frozen and not one shiver or holding up paws. Meanwhile I was frozen solid and miserable and he wanted to play in the snow more.
I don't think it would get cold enough in Florida for a gsd to get cold so I wouldn't worry about him


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I think 40 is a nice comfy temperature for a GSD as long as he is not wet.

I throw Beau out in the am when it is around 20 and he is out all day with me going out to play with him during work breaks. There is a wagon full of rainwater (have to empty again!) that freezes and he likes to jump in and play in the ice water and run around with chunks of ice.

Summer is the time of year we all hate!


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## AnnieOver (Feb 1, 2013)

I live in MN and it gets below -20F Degrees and my 7 week old puppy does not even notice lol


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## martinaa (Jan 5, 2012)

I can't imagine Miami ever having weather that is below the comfortable temperature range for a healthy GSD. Your dog wouldn't be so reluctant to come in if it were too cold for him out there. Have a vet examine him if he does show signs of being cold.

Your dog will adapt to the weather as the seasons change. This is the effect that people are talking about when they think there is a difference due to how or where they are bred. Your dog very likely would freeze to death here if you had shipped him up here Monday and he went straight outside for a couple hours. Alternatively, if he had moved here in October he'd be loving it just like my dog and AnnieOver's dog does.


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

Mikelia said:


> I live in Ontario, Canada and sometimes I hate my gsds because they just never get cold lol. The other day it was -20C (which, according to my unit converter on my phone is colder than 0F) and we walked to dog class, were out for about an hour and a half, his whiskers were frozen and not one shiver or holding up paws. Meanwhile I was frozen solid and miserable and he wanted to play in the snow more.
> I don't think it would get cold enough in Florida for a gsd to get cold so I wouldn't worry about him


Haha, I can relate! Last night I went running and there were some strong wind gusts and Jazz was trotting along happy as can be


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## Hulk (Jan 21, 2013)

We have a male gsd. Name Sarge he is 4/12 months old now he was born outside and lives outside he is my yard dog he has a insulated house along with hay very warm. When it's was -45 here he would lay outside and the cold was nothing to him . When it rains or snows he will go into his house . They don't feel the cold like we do.


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## JackandMattie (Feb 4, 2013)

We live in South Texas, and the GSDs Never seem cold.

My neighbor keeps trying to give my senior, Mattie, a nice bed to lie down on when we're visiting. Now, Mattie has a very long, full coat, and she will lie down on the cushy bed for a few minutes, apparently to appease the neighbor...but then she will invariably move off it onto the rock patio, or better yet, into a little mud puddle under the shrubs that she has dug herself over there.

It distresses my neighbor to no end, because she gets so upset my middle-aged Weimaraner (very short hair, almost bare belly), goes and "steals" old Mattie's bed.

We have had I don't know how many "arguments" over the fact that Mattie is walking around with a built-in bed, comforter, coat, gloves and ruff 

Last winter, we were a little farther north, up near the panhandle in West Texas. It snowed over Christmas, and it was all I could do to coax Jack inside! He was running through the snow, rolling in the snow, tossing it in the air, scooping it up in his mouth. Coudln't get enough of the stuff.

I don't think you need to worry, as long as you provide a warm dog house option and plenty of personal attention


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

I think if you live anywhere in the US(except Alaska) you never need to worry about if the weather is too cold for a german shepherd .


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

41 degrees F is about as high as it gets in a very warm February in my neighborhood. It rains on the dogs, and they love to be out in the rain. The thing is, that then within hours it goes down to the teens. But the dogs do not have any problem with it. Twice this year I have seen the frozen whisker look on them. They LOVE cold weather. They lay on top of their dog houses in the snow. They love to jump through the snow too. I certainly have more trouble keeping them in, then letting them out in cold stuff. 

For adult dogs, I just can't seem to get too cold for them. But I can get too cold for me. When that happens, I curl up around Babs with all my comforters -- she gets too hot, but sometimes sticks it out because, I think she takes pity on my lack of coat.


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## Movin64 (Aug 23, 2012)

It gets really cold here in the winter months, But it dont bother them at all , have a doggie door so they can come in and out when they choice, But sometimes they will go out in the teens, because its to hot in the house for them


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