# Rain vs Poodle Puppy



## oodlypoodly (Oct 5, 2021)

Hi everyone!

I’m hoping for some suggestions.

I live on the west coat so winter means heavy rain just about everyday. I’ve found it therefore difficult when finding clothing for the pup (22 weeks, mini poodle) when we go outside since it has to be waterproof AND warm. Before I went the raincoat route, we’d head outside and within five minutes (if that) he’d be trying to climb up my legs so I could carry the shivering pup. So, I got a raincoat for him, and the same thing happened. Now that it’s November, we’re getting much heavier rain and more frequent, so I layered a sweater under his rain coat but we just came back from outside where he was shivering again (took a bit longer to reach that point - maybe slightly over five minutes…).

I’m now considering rain boots or potentially getting a different type of rain coat but I have no idea where to look. And also - is this normal? Is he taking advantage of the fact I’ll pick him up if he’s shivering? I live in an apartment so he has to be okay with going out to do his business without (literally) freezing up.

Thank you!

New sweater ☺


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

What temperature is he freezing at? It's early in the season and I would think it should still be relatively warm. So far my Spoo (@ almost 9 months) is fine with 30°F and frosty grass. In fact I think he loves it!


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## Apricot mini momma (Dec 22, 2020)

oodlypoodly said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> I’m hoping for some suggestions.
> 
> ...


My mini does ok down to about 45 if he’s running around. I’ve had him out to potty at 30 and below when he was just a few months and we had an ice storm. I don’t recall him ever shivering, but he does have thick hair/ a lot.
Pauvre petit. He looks adorable.


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## oodlypoodly (Oct 5, 2021)

94Magna_Tom said:


> What temperature is he freezing at? It's early in the season and I would think it should still be relatively warm. So far my Spoo (@ almost 9 months) is fine with 30°F and frosty grass. In fact I think he loves it!


Good question. It’s about 9 degrees C/48 degrees F. He’s been fine with the temperature if it’s that cold, but he only starts shivering the moment he gets wet from rain.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Wet cold is so much more penetrating, and especially so when the pet gets wet. Because of this and size differences among the varieties, I think it's very important to support warmth and comfort for the individual dog.


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## Minie (Oct 4, 2021)

We have a tpoo and he freezes here in Copenhagen when I gets cold. For chilly days he has several different knitted sweaters. My daughters mother in law has knitted them in different thickness wool. When it is winter, we have a waterproof specially made coat. We had it made to size and sent a picture of Luca. They then adjusted the back for him, as it is more straight on a poodle than on a sight hound.Black Waterproof Winter Coat for Whippets Sighthounds and | Etsy


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Pure wool stays warm even when wet - a wool jumper with a waterproof coat might be the best combination.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

I only have 1 Spoo, but in the PNW (rural Seattle, apt).... 

Did he shiver at all in fall with no rain? (I'm trying to rule out fear shivering.)

I can't help but imagine these wind advisories we're experiencing are scary for a 22 wk old pup... I bet some of the other mini parents will chime in.

Fwiw, I got these last year and they held up really nice. Don't get an xxl, obviously. They velcro around the hock. They also don't break the bank and are this happy medium between value and getting the job done.

Next year will be better though. Basils first fall sucked. Chasing every leaf, learning leash manners, unexplained periods of fear, and her first heat lol.


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## oodlypoodly (Oct 5, 2021)

Basil_the_Spoo said:


> I only have 1 Spoo, but in the PNW (rural Seattle, apt)....
> 
> Did he shiver at all in fall with no rain? (I'm trying to rule out fear shivering.)
> 
> ...


Thanks for the product suggestion, I’ll definitely try those for him!

To answer your question - he’s only shivered when there’s been rain. When it’s not raining badly he doesn’t mind since I think he loves water (always wants to go in the bath when it’s not bath time), but something about the more heavy rain/potentially wind too (as you’ve suggested), makes him stop in place and not want to walk at all. And then the shivering starts later. 

I think the leaf chasing is adorable haha. Definitely makes leash training a bit harder though.

Also I’m on Vancouver Island so Seattle’s actually fairly close-ish! Definitely probably relatable on the _wonderful_ weather we’ve been getting 😭


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## Porkchop (Sep 2, 2019)

Hello!

i might have missed but what’s his name?

Im going to start by sharing this chart. Your dog isn’t trying to take advantage of you if they’re shivering and trying to be picked up.










You can see in the chart that for small dog breeds, once you get below 45 degrees their risk of danger is at a 3. But then you add 2 points for wet weather and it becomes potentially life threatening cold at a 5. Add in another point since your dog is under 6 months and he tolerates cold even less.
The rain makes the cold much worse. Small dogs don’t tolerate cold as well as big dogs.
As you get further into the winter and the dog gets more used to the cold, they can tolerate it more.

when your dog is in level 5 highest risk category, you don’t need any protective gear to be outside for a minute or two to pee or poop. Once you’re outside your apartment (assuming youre not on ground level), carry him to where he needs to pee if it’s not near the entrance.
take their cues if he starts to shiver and try to be picked up during cold weather. Bring him back in and try again later.

alternatively you could try to train him to use pads. I’ve never done that personally.

I have a 2 year old mini that weighs 10.5 lbs and I live in a place that is very cold and snowy in the winter. I do have gear for her, I’ll share at the end of the post. To be honest I bought them at the end of last winter so my use is limited.
It’s just plain too cold and wet to walk in the depth of winter where I live. Once it is 40 windchill or below I don’t do our 30 min-1 hr neighborhood walks as often. If I do, the absolute minimum is when the windchill is 30 degrees or higher. Cold is not her friend, she doesn’t tolerate it well.

I don’t put anything on her to go outside to potty no matter what the temp is, even if it’s -10 degrees. I have her on a retractable leash. She runs out the front door into the yard, does her business SUPER quick, and runs back in. She learned not to waste time sniffing around as usual when it’s cold out. By a year old she figured that one out well. I didn’t do any special training, haha. Except that she was in her exercise pen any time I didn’t have hawk eyes on her until 6 months old. So she didn’t have a chance to get out of my sight and have an accident somewhere in the house because she didn’t want to go in the cold. If she did it was on kitchen floor in the ex pen.
I did take her out very often though. Every 2 hours in the beginning and then extended or retracted the time depending on if she was accident free or not. If he’s not peeing in the morning and you have to go to work maybe start working on potty pad training. Or have someone come by to let him out in a few hours. I can’t think of another idea for that situation



I have a 1.waterproof top shell 2. Warm base layer 3. Boots. Boots are good because they protect the feet from de icing chemicals on the roads and sidewalks. I wouldn’t bother with this gear if you’re not going on 10+ minute walks. Just wipe the bottom of feet off with damp paper towels to clean off de icing chemicals. 

1. Shell. When taking measurements take into account you’ll have a harness and a base layer under the shell.


Amazon.com




2. Base layer








Amazon.com : Fitwarm Fuzzy Thermal Turtleneck Dog Clothes Winter Outfits Pet Jumpsuits Cat Coats Velvet Grey Large : Pet Supplies


Amazon.com : Fitwarm Fuzzy Thermal Turtleneck Dog Clothes Winter Outfits Pet Jumpsuits Cat Coats Velvet Grey Large : Pet Supplies



www.amazon.com





3. Boots. I had to try three different sizes of the boot to find the right fit despite measuring a million times. But worth it.








Amazon.com: WINSOON Dog Australia Boots Pet Antiskid Shoes Winter Warm Skidproof Sneakers Paw Protectors 4-Ppcs Set (Size 2, Dark Brown) : Everything Else


Amazon.com: WINSOON Dog Australia Boots Pet Antiskid Shoes Winter Warm Skidproof Sneakers Paw Protectors 4-Ppcs Set (Size 2, Dark Brown) : Everything Else



www.amazon.com


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## oodlypoodly (Oct 5, 2021)

Porkchop said:


> Hello!
> 
> i might have missed but what’s his name?
> 
> ...


Awesome, thanks for all the tips! (I also appreciate that graphic having Celsius degrees too haha)

Pup’s name is Alfie. 

Fortunately I have trained Alfie to pee on his artificial grass pad on the balcony, but for some reason he _really_ doesn’t like using it to poop. I actually created another forum re: what to do with pup when I return to in-office and most of the suggestions included daycare or having someone come by to check in on him. With the grass pad (and placing it inside his pen), I think I’ll be able to leave him at home for a while but his endless puppy energy is something else, so likely daycare until he calms down. 

Do you have any tips on tiring a puppy out indoors if it’s too chilly for a walk outside?

And thanks for the info re the quick potty breaks. I tried putting nothing on him this morning for his morning poop to see if he’d start shivering during the short time we were out there and was somewhat afraid it would be cruel but I guess it was a short enough time that he didn’t! (He did, of course, start to look like a drained rat after, but that’s the sudden absence of his floofyness)


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## Porkchop (Sep 2, 2019)

Hi Alfie!

Oh shoot, you did say Vancouver island. Oops, that’s not the USA is it? In my mind this morning it was. I even thought about including conversions to Celsius in my response because I often do for other users looking for info. 

The grass pad in the crate (or crate with attached exercise pen) sounds like a great option. I’d start practicing using that in that space now!

As for tiring out indoors, one of the best things to tire out your dog is mental stimulation. this can be training sessions (look up how to teach different tricks on YouTube or other things like scent finding nose work). Snuffle mats and puzzles with treats. 
A flirt pole is good for physical (and mental) exercise. It’s easy to over do those. I’d suggest doing it very slow to warm the muscles up and keep sessions very short. 

I admit that I don’t give Lacey enough stimulation in the winter, whereas summer we are constantly on walks and outside often. Currently we are taking an in person dog class and I hope to continue doing them throughout the winter.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Some dogs like the cold, some do not mine hate the cold and wet.


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## Tulsi (Jun 8, 2021)

Rusty doesnt seem bothered by the cold or wet (UK fairly mild climate) but I still got him a lovely coat. Danish 2 in 1 waterproof outer layer and fleece (removable) inner layer.

Amazon.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

oodlypoodly said:


> Good question. It’s about 9 degrees C/48 degrees F. He’s been fine with the temperature if it’s that cold, but he only starts shivering the moment he gets wet from rain.


I wonder if he's frightened, by the rain perhaps, rather than cold?


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

oodlypoodly said:


> but his endless puppy energy is something else, so likely daycare until he calms down.


I don't remember what his sleep/nap schedule is, if mentioned before, but it's possible that you've inadvertently created an adrenaline junkie if not enforcing rest/nap/sleep times. 

Puppies his age should still be sleeping much of the day, at times thru the day as well as nighttime sleep.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

Yeah, tiring out... The "best" thing imo is playing with Mom because there's a lot of boundaries being learned and bonding taking place. 

Gentle tug... Not sure the status on your baby's adult teeth.

Teaching new tricks.

You can play fetch in the hall of your apt, just be sure to roll the ball slowly so they don't run into the wall.


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## oodlypoodly (Oct 5, 2021)

Rose n Poos said:


> I don't remember what his sleep/nap schedule is, if mentioned before, but it's possible that you've inadvertently created an adrenaline junkie if not enforcing rest/nap/sleep.


An adrenaline junkie sounds terrible!

Since I work a full-time, 8 hour shift, Alfie gets to be on his own for quite a bit of the day. Before he was potty trained I’d have him in his run, but since about 4 months I’ve let him run around the apartment. Most of the time, he usually sleeps by my feet or plays with his ball or something on the balcony. I have a couple breaks throughout the day where I take him on a potty break and then a longer 20-25 minute walk. I also take him on a 20 minute ish walk in the morning, and another one in the evening (30 mins - 60 mins). Recently I haven’t been walking him as long in the evening because he wasn’t eating (I think from teething since he had the breath, etc., although I was going to take him to the vet before he started eating again and now is a big boi at 14 lbs suddenly) and also the weather is playing a major factor.

My favourite past time aside from snuggling him is playing video games so he gets to nap during those sessions too. If anything, I’m somewhat worried I’m not taking him out enough sometimes 😓

If this does sound like too many walks though, please let me know!


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