Why do old ladies dress their dogs in coats in the winter? Don't they realise it makes the mutt look gay?

Question

Other dogs snigger.
Why be cruel?
They have fur you know.
And don't get me started on doggie booties.
Dogs should wear a studded collar like Freddie Mercury and nothing else

Don't be silly Christina, the feral ones do okay.

I'm comfy with it, b

Oh my God. A hood.
Good grief.

Answer 1

I used to force my dog to wear a little tartan coat in cold and wet weather. He never got rheumatism. Because of his little tartan coat.
Plus when he attacked the bigger dogs and they bit him they'd just get a mouthful of coat. Ha hahaha!

Answer 2

I'm by no means an old lady (mid-twenties) but my dachshund wears a tweed coat in the winter. Especially when temperatures drop below freezing--even if he were a feral dog he doesn't have the type of fur that offers much protection from the cold. And when there is snow sometimes he wears booties. Ice balls can get trapped between the pads of dogs' feet and cause irritation and lameness. Admittedly, my dog does look like a metrosexual but he doesn't care if any other dogs laugh at him. He's his own man, an independent dachshund who doesn't need the world's approval to lead a happy existence :).

Answer 3

Dogs such as poodles and greyhounds can freeze to death in extreme cold. Any dog that shivers when taken out in the winter is cold and needs an extra layer. I agree some of the coats look silly but remember dogs don't do their own shopping!
Go out and get a hobby so you don't spend so much time worrying about doggy fashion trends. It's a symptom of lack-of-life syndrome which can be deadly.

Answer 4

Most of your domesticated dogs don't build up the proper fat layer to keep warm during the winter, and they need a little bit of help. A lot of dogs have froze to death because they could not keep themselves warm properly. It might look "gay" but it serves a purpose.
As for the booties, some dogs have very sensitive pads and need a little extra help to protect them, until they can toughen up with age.
Just because Ferrel dogs can survive in the winter without coats and boots, doesn't mean that domesticated dogs can, especially indoor dogs. I hope this has answered your question.

Answer 5

my dogs are not gay but I have 3 that need sweaters in the winter or they shiver. I have a boxer, a min pin and a chihuahua mix that have thin fur and no undercoat. They truly do get cold when we are out on the farm taking care of the horses. I do not put them in booties, yet. They have a stretchy turtle neck sweater thing with legs in the front that smooths down to their butt. i think they LIKE the attention they get, putting on and taking off their sweaters. They think they are more special than the other dogs.

Answer 6

Well old ladies don't have much else to do, so they spend the whole of summer knitting and sewing these cosy little coats, because their grandkids would never wear any thing they knit for them. Well I'm sure some wee dogs feel the cold, can get a bit chilly outdoors mid-winter.

Answer 7

I think they look stupid too - but when you live up North, and have a short-haired Chihuahua - sometimes you have to put the coats and the booties on just so they can go out to go to the bathroom.

Where I live, many feet os snow make it hard for a little guy to go out. I would rather him wear a coat to go out than to have him pee and poop in my house. By the way, I am not an old lady.

Answer 8

I know a very big, scary looking guy who would eat people for breakfast if they p*ssed him off, you know the type. I bumped into him in town one winters day and he had his staffie on the lead beside him wearing a little jacket. I laughed and said "You don't strike me as the type of guy to make his dog wear a coat" and he went all sensitive and said "well I didn't want him to feel cold!". Bless!!!

(If you see him I wouldn't recommend laughing. I know him quite well and knew he wouldn't beat me up because I am a girl. And I mad him his dinner once when he came to my house.)

Answer 9

Because the dog may be old and have thinning fur so it needs to keep warm!

OR the owner wants to keep the dog clean so they don't have to give it a wash when they get back home.

OR simply they think it looks cute.

Answer 10

yeah i think it looks a bit silly but some dogs need the extra warmth from a coat. They have fur.sure........but that doesnt mean they dont feel the cold. Why dont you try walking about with a very light layer on during winter?