Running In Coats...

[mally]

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If it wasn't for my youngest whippet wearing his coat whilst out on a walk he would of been killed when he fell 30 foot down cliff... it happened in a brief moment, and in a place we regularly walk.I had to climb down and all I could get hold of was his tail... it was his coat that stopped him from getting hurt.. as it happens he came out without a scratch.

But you can say that about anything......

Collars, they could get them caught in something???

They have to wear a collar with a tag, by law in the uk

Mine never wear a collar, i'd sooner be arrested than force my dogs to wear collars when running around through hedges etc.... That said though if i visit lurcher shows etc i'll put a collar on my dogs then with a 'tag saying read my chip'. but i don't run them with collars on..

 

[haycroft]

On the whole i personnally dont let Bow run in coats(maybe for a few minutes to warm up on very cold day, then take it off)..she just over heats, shes such a winter dog,she doesnt mine the rain,snow,cold as long as shes moving...yes she has a coat on if standing around or in the car

When i had peggy she wore a coat more but that because if her medical history, so it all depends on the dog,old age,medical etc

I also leave collars on, with tags..ok i may not work my dogs but shes on the hunt alot of the time...im always worrid that if i lost her someone could just hold of her from her collar and contact me

 

[chelynnah]

Mine wear coats on walks, but I take them off for running, partly so they don't get caught/ripped, but mostly because I have some theory (which may be completely wrong) that when they are running the excess body heat generated might make them overheated if they belt about for ages with a coat on.
Please don't shoot me down in flames if I've got that wrong (picked the idea up somewhere and it stuck with me) but anyway I would no sooner take mine for a walk in cold/wet weather without a coat, than go out without a coat myself.

I was just about to add my .02 when I read this. Mine walk in coats, but run without. Then once done running they get the coats back on for their 'cool down' for the same reasons as above.

Wendy

 

[PowerDruid]

If it wasn't for my youngest whippet wearing his coat whilst out on a walk he would of been killed when he fell 30 foot down cliff... it happened in a brief moment, and in a place we regularly walk.I had to climb down and all I could get hold of was his tail... it was his coat that stopped him from getting hurt.. as it happens he came out without a scratch.

But you can say that about anything......

Collars, they could get them caught in something???

They have to wear a collar with a tag, by law in the uk

I wasn't saying they shouldn't wear a collar, just pointing out that a collar could get caught too

 

[Seraphina]

Mine wear coats on walks, but I take them off for running, partly so they don't get caught/ripped, but mostly because I have some theory (which may be completely wrong) that when they are running the excess body heat generated might make them overheated if they belt about for ages with a coat on.
Please don't shoot me down in flames if I've got that wrong (picked the idea up somewhere and it stuck with me) but anyway I would no sooner take mine for a walk in cold/wet weather without a coat, than go out without a coat myself.

I was just about to add my .02 when I read this. Mine walk in coats, but run without. Then once done running they get the coats back on for their 'cool down' for the same reasons as above.

Wendy

:thumbsup: I do exactly the same for the same reasons, and I also take my dogs' collars off when they run.

Few years ago there were few topics here on k9 about a dog getting a collar of another dog stuck around his jaw and while in panic twisting, and therefore tightening the collar and choking the other dog. Do not remeber exactly but in one case one of the dogs died, in other case the owner managed to get hold of a knife and cut the collar. My dogs always chewed on each other collars, so after hearing these stories I never leave collars on my dogs at home or when running.

 

[boothros]

Got caught out the other day. Disagreed slightly with a post on this who said that they only had buckle straps on their coats rather than velcro, my thinking being that at least velcro is quick release whereas buckles arn't. Sadly, Skye got rather badly caught up because the breastplate velcro came unfastened whilst the 'girth' velcroe held fast hence her getting in a bit of a state. I will watch more carefully now as it seems that coats need washing more often, when velcro gets clogged with damp and mud it is less effective. However I will still continue to run in coats, I know the ground is safe and both dogs step into their coats gladly. Not so worried about Star the 'resue' dog who is built like a pig, but Skye the dog from a decent working kennel who shivers indoors @ a temp of 22 degrees!

 

[tinker*]

mine wear theyre coats most of the day in winter (well the pointy noses anyway) they come to work the farm with me early in the morning and without the coats they sit in the straw looking miserable, I suppose they arnt really "running" because they just "hang around the yard" and at work they also have the coats on because its freezing! .... but more fun that being at home. But, if im taking the dogs to a field where i know they will run full pelt then they r stripped off.

I must ad that sometimes you can be too careful thou.

Also - racehorses do wear a "coat" an exercise sheet when training, and when on a horse walker they also have a quater blanket on.

 

[Lal]

mine wear theyre coats most of the day in winter (well the pointy noses anyway) they come to work the farm with me early in the morning and without the coats they sit in the straw looking miserable, I suppose they arnt really "running" because they just "hang around the yard" and at work they also have the coats on because its freezing! .... but more fun that being at home. But, if im taking the dogs to a field where i know they will run full pelt then they r stripped off.
I must ad that sometimes you can be too careful thou.

Also - racehorses do wear a "coat" an exercise sheet when training, and when on a horse walker they also have a quater blanket on.

I'm not sure where I stand on this. My dog wears his coat almost constantly at the moment because he is on restricted exercise and, being an only dog, is happy to trot along next to me. That said, if he were fit and well and on the walks we would normally be doing, or playing with other dogs, then he would only have a coat on when we were headed home.

I see the point about horses and exercise/quarter sheets but all that secures an exercise sheet is the saddle (difficult to describe but front is folded back under saddle flaps) and a fillet string (cord that lies underneath the tail) There is nothing that is 'restrictive' to the horse, the major problem being a fillet string that is too long and could potentially cause a problem if a horse was bucking etc. Having been around racehorses for much of my life I have never encountered any problems caused by an exercise sheet other than when the wind gets underneath it and you are on a young/spooky horse.

I guess it is just a case of using your own judgement, common sense etc.

 

[pixypup]

Dora has an equafleece jumper, but then she is only 7 months, has no fur on her belly at all and doesn't run with other dogs that might rip it off her (though my bloke has actually said we might get another one!! but will wait till D has matured). It fits her really well as she's a bit bigger now than in the photo below, though it is a bit of an art to get her into it, it's not baggy or anything. It's totally filthy after a walk in this weather so at least this way she doesn't get dirty and cold, just the jumper does.

I want a proper waterproof coat for her and was looking at the obtrack or bone dry ones, blimey they're pricey!! but she needs the tummy coverage.

She managed to run headlong into a fence in broad daylight the other day (didn't hurt herself) so with that track record I doubt taking her coat off would make her less accident prone...

I did consider putting her tag on one of those safety cat collars that will at least break if it gets caught on something, has anyone else tried that? I don't put her lead on her collar.

in the snow in scotland - wouldn't go outside without her coat on

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