# Winter coat in the south???



## Minnieski (Jan 27, 2009)

Hi!

So dh and I are originally from the Great Lakes region, and are going up to visit his parents in Milwaukee for Christmas this year, and Minnie is coming along. We are taking some much needed vacation, and plan on spending some time in the Porcupine Mountains snowshoeing. We are very excited, but I'm wondering about how this will affect Minnie. We currently live on the gulf coast of Texas, and winter doesn't really get down below the 40's here. My question is if Minnie will grow a winter coat here (she's an inside dog as well), or if we should buy her a coat to wear while snowshoeing, where the temps should be in the teens and twenties. We think we're going to get her some boots anyway, since her toes won't be used to the snow/ice, but do you think she'd be warm enough? All of our dogs up north always grew in their winter coat, but I don't know if she will since we live down here. She's 9 months old, so this is her first winter since she was a pup so I really don't have anything to go on. 

Thanks!


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## flyinghayden (Oct 7, 2005)

I would consider getting her some form of cover, like a coat. Both Hannah and Perle came from warm climates, and neither of them had an adequate winter coat. Hannah took forever to acclimate even though it was summer when I brought her home, she would shake and shiver when it got much below +55F. Perle was even worse, as I brought her home in mid-winter, and her coat was also thin and sparse.


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## Powell (Oct 13, 2006)

Jolene, who is GSD and Sheltie does have coat changes here in SC. If she wasw up in Alaska and got acclimated, she would REALLY have a THICK winter coat !! As for booties, my friend makes them for sled dogs, though he hasn't moved everything from his old smaller place to the new larger place, but there are lots of folks that sell them, and they aren't expensive. If they are you are getting ripped off. 

Powell


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

I vote for Better Safe Than Sorry.







I'd get a coat and bring it with, just in case.


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## Minnieski (Jan 27, 2009)

Any recommendations on coats or boots? I was looking at the ruffwear boots, but wanted to wait a few months to get her the right size as she's still growing.


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## flyinghayden (Oct 7, 2005)

I have heard some good things about this site. Not overly fancy, and good prices.

Dog coats


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## tintallie (Aug 6, 2008)

I've used the Ruffwear K-9 Overcoat and the Grip Trex Boots here in Calgary. Our winter last year went down to temperatures of –30ºC (–22ºF) for several 3-4 week periods, and the boots are great for traction on snow and ice.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Coats are pretty easy to make if you sew at all. I started by making a pattern from an old quilted human coat and used that (with it's modifictions) to build a couple of fleece coats for the Barker Sisters. We would use them only when it got bitterly cold in Wyoming. It takes very little fabric and the coats are warm.


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## Minnieski (Jan 27, 2009)

I can sew a button on my pants and that's about it. I don't even have a sewing machine!


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