Does he need a dog jacket? Any vets or people with expereince in this???

Oscar is a Staffy x Ridgeback and has recently gone from being an inside dog to an outside dog (and he seems much happier)

he has a nice big timber kennel with a QS mink blanket in there - but he keeps pullig it out into the middle of the yard.

End result is the blanket is sopping wet and he's sitting at the backdoor shivering his bum off and looking very unhappy.

I am wondering if as he is a short haired dog and we live in frigid melbourne if he needs a coat to keep him warm. DF thinks I'm being silly but I don't want my puppy to be cold and unhappy - what do you think?

It's called the "sucker look". If I look pathetic enough she will let me in. Nothing wrong in getting it a coat. We have a Jack Russell who is an indoor dog and I have a jacket for her that I use mainly at night even though she sleeps inside. Try one from KMart, that way if your dog doesn't like it or ruins it you haven't paid alot of money for it. The other choice is a grooming place as they sometimes have ones that people make as they are really good. I have one made of windcheater material that I got from our local groomer.

We live in Sydney, and I have a ****er spaniel, but he get his hair shorn right off, as it is hard to maintain long, and he has a couple of coats that he wears at night. I have a polar fleece one for the cool evenings, and a padded waterproof one for the cold wet nights. He has a kennel that he sleeps in with a nice bed and blanket, but he needs the extra jacket at nights.

My long haired Skye terrier has no need for the jacket, with the same kennel and bedding.

You can get good looking "manly" dog jackets, cause my DH was not happy about Dizzy being in a jacket, but I found a camo one on ebay and DH is OK with that.

Thanks Rivlas .... we live in the same area do you know anywhere thats worth going?

Thanks Rufalina .... I think thats the prob ... dog jackets are lame he thinks ...LOL

I sometime wish I had a girly dog I could put in a pretty knitted jacket... hehe

But the waterproof one I have is pretty cool. I will try and get a piccie for you tonight...

Just like some people, some dogs feel the cold more than others. I would get him a jumper or coat. Jumpers tend to last longer than the ones you do up underneath, because there are no ties to get caught when they are exploring in the yard. You may find he gets very excited about putting it on before long, and sits in the beg postion to put it on easily.

LaDeeDa, I could have pretty much written what you did! I have a 3 year old staffy, and he is an outside dog during the day, and his blanket is almost never in his kennel. I also live in Melbourne, and I know how much I suffer in the cold, so I bought my boy a driza-bone jacket (wool on the inside, and suede outer). DH was so against it, and said he would rip it to shreds (he's done this to all the mats we've tried putting in the kennel for him). I was so proud of him keeping it in one piece for about 2 months, then one day it got the better of him, he ripped it off, and mauled it! DH won't let me buy another one, said he had his chance and blew it.

I think it's definitely ok to get Oscar a jacket, but just we weary that with his breed, he might not appreciate it. Maybe like Rivlas suggested, try a cheapie to see how he goes with it.

Best of luck x

Manhattan - we call Oscar Destructor Dog - if it has fluff or is soft he WILL kill it .....

He had a lambs wool jacket about 4 years ago that he mauled.....

I dunno....he just looks so unhappy :(

Did PM you.
These jackets have 'arm' holes but open at the back. Good for either sex I'm told but only know for sure with a female dog. She can get it off which is fun to watch but will leave it on most of the night.

the water proof weather-beata ones from fish and feather are great

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the water proof weather-beata ones from fish and feather are great

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Hey Rainy .... I just finished researching those ones!!! They seem to be the best.
I thought you could only get them from horeseland.
Where is fish and feathers?

fish and feather is on colchester rd -just next to spartans gym...just off canterbury rd
or try horseland in lilydale-maroondah hwy

He absolutely needs some kind of protection, whether it be a coat or a warmer area to sleep. Dogs do get cold, especially those with short thin coats like yours has. I would put a bed in his kennel that is too big to pull out and attach something warm to it (like sheep skin etc) so he can't just pull it off and carry it out. Secondly I would get him a coat. You aren't being over-emotional or 'suckered in'. You are seeing with your own eyes the evidence that he is cold. We have our dog inside at night because of the cold even up here in Rocky let alone Melbourne brrrr!