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Do Beagles Need Coats In Winter?

Do Beagles Need Coats In Winter?

Beagles are a fun and exciting dog breed to own and care for. But despite being bred to spend time outdoors chasing down prey in the field, they have some characteristics that limit them from staying outside in cold weather for long periods. The good news is keeping your Beagle happy, comfortable, and healthy in all seasons is not that hard. With a few adjustments, you’ll be able to keep them in tip-top condition all year round, especially during the winter. Since Beagles require time outside to release excess energy, go to the bathroom, satisfy their instincts to sniff, and so on, you would rather take a safe-than-sorry approach.

Do Beagles Need Coats in winter? Beagles are short-haired, and their fur does little to protect them from severe weather conditions. Secondly, as one of the small breeds weighing 30 pounds at most, they don’t have a lot of mass to help keep them warm during cold temperatures. So, yes, winter clothing goes a long way towards helping them stay warm during those cold months.

Dog ownership comes with several responsibilities and keeping your dog safe and warm during winter is a big part of it. Investing in winter clothing will allow your furry friend to fully enjoy wintertime without risking illnesses such as frostbite and hypothermia. Pet stores and upscale pet clothing catalogs are filled with coats and sweaters to protect your Beagle. These clothing are available in several materials, with fleece and wool being the most popular. If you live in a snowy area, consider water-resistant fabrics. They also come in different styles and sizes to fit snugly and make your dog look adorable and stylish.

Do Beagles Need Winter Coats In Cold Weather?

The Beagle is an excellent hunting and scent tracking hound that traditionally spent lots of time outdoors, tramping through the fields. But in modern times, this breed is rarely a full-time outdoor dog. As an adaptable breed, they adapt and acclimate themselves to the environment that they are exposed to. As such, a Beagle will need to have been raised and trained as an outdoor dog to handle cold weather.

Since we’re talking about a typical pet Beagle, they are vulnerable to the effects of the cold like any other dog that’s used to sleeping in a warm house. As mentioned earlier, they are small and simply can’t produce enough body heat to keep them warm in winter. Some might argue that they are double-coated. While this provides a bit of insulation, it’s not enough to keep your dog warm in harsh winter weather.

Aside from the breed’s characteristics in general, your dog’s ability to withstand cold weather will depend on its age and health. Puppies don’t have the fur, metabolism, or body fat to regulate their body temperature when they are cold. Dogs with diseases like arthritis, heart disease, and even those recovering from injuries or surgery are more susceptible to the cold due to their weakened immune system. Seniors, especially those with chronic illnesses, also tend to be more at risk in winter. While all Beagles can benefit from wearing winter clothing, these groups need it the most.

Winter coats act as insulators for your pet. They can also act as windbreakers to protect them from the nasty sting of the windchill, which can make outside weather feel colder than it actually is. Some are made from water-resistant material, thus protecting your dog from getting wet from the rain, sleet, or snow.

Buying your Beagle winter clothing is the smart thing to do. Even so, it would help if you didn’t leave your dog outside for extended periods. When temperatures fall below 32° F, you should limit outdoor exposure to about 20 minutes. Daily exercise is essential so your dog doesn’t resort to destructive behavior like excessive barking and digging to release pent-up energy. Needless to say, severe icing or blizzard-like conditions are indeed a valid reason to stay inside.

Beagle – Breed Known for Dry Skin and Nose during Winter Time

One of the reasons winter months can be so harmful to your Beagle is the dry air. Even when it snows, winter still packs the lowest humidity levels than any other season of the year. Long-term exposure to dry air will start to affect your Beagle’s nose, skin, and paws.

Effects on the Nose – The drying effects of winter can cause chapping in the nose, especially if your Beagle likes to lick their nose, which most do. A chapped nose will lead to tingling and itchiness, and the dog will lick it in response, which causes the nose to chap even more. If left untreated, chapping can lead to severe cracking, which then makes your dog vulnerable to infection.

Luckily, you can protect your Beagle’s nose and ensure their sense of smell remains as strong in the cold. Start by investing in a humidifier, which works by increasing humidity levels in the dry air. This is an excellent way of keeping indoor spaces comfortable but, unfortunately, won’t work outdoors. In that case, use canine nose balms (snout butter or snout balms). These products are formulated to protect the nose from chapping and other cold-weather-related issues.

Effects on Skin – Extreme cold can make human skin dry out, causing cracks and itchiness. The same can happen to your Beagle, which is why you’ll likely see them scratching their skin more often. Ensure your Beagle drinks a lot of water to keep them well-hydrated during the cold and dry months.

Many owners tend to limit baths when it’s too cold, but this also means you won’t be able to apply the right products to the body. Stay on schedule regarding baths and use a rich, thick, moisturizing shampoo. Follow this with conditioning treatments that can help keep their skin moist. Be sure to seek confirmation from your vet before applying any product to your dog. If your dog is already itching, visit a vet to avoid the long-term effects of scratching like skin abrasions and hair breakage. They may prescribe supplements for controlling the itch and keeping your dog comfortable.

Besides affecting the above body parts, winter carries many other threats to your Beagles, including frostbite, hypothermia, and cold.

Beagle Fur Coat and Shedding Frequency

As mentioned earlier, Beagles were once popular hunting companions and needed to be out in the wild where harsh elements lie. As a result, they developed coarse and thick fur that protected them from the environmental elements. This breed is also double-coated: a soft and dense undercoat to keep them warm and an outercoat that provides an external layer of protection from elements such as dirt, twigs, rocks, and other debris. The latter is coarser with longer, tightly packed hair, which makes it somewhat waterproof.

Beagles may be short-haired, but their double coat translates to more hair, which potentially means more opportunity for shedding. In fact, they have been known to be moderate to heavy shedding breeds. They shed every day, but because they are relatively small, it may not be noticeable. But come spring and winter, there will be more shedding. At the beginning of winter, a Beagle will shed their summer coat to regrow a thicker fur body to help them stay warm. And in spring, they will shed the heavy-duty winter jacket and grow a lighter coat to help them stay cool in warmer months.

Aside from the shedding seasons, several other things can cause your dog to shed excessively, including stress, skin infection, inhalant or food-related allergies, parasites, pregnancy, fungal or bacterial infections, or even as a result of the medication they are on.

If you’re planning to bring home a furry friend, you can expect the fur flying around. And, being a medium to heavy shedder, you need to groom your Beagle several times a week, especially during the pesky shedding seasons. That being said, if you notice abnormal hair loss, there might be an underlying cause that needs treatment. So, take them to the vet ASAP!

Do I Need A Jacket With A Reflective Stripe?

The winter season is often characterized by windy and wet weather, rainfall, snow and frost, sleet, and even winter storms. All of these weather conditions can seriously affect people’s visual ability. Regular winter jackets provide much-needed warmth for your dog. But if your dog wears them, it can be difficult to be seen, and an accident could occur. This is already very common.

The good news is pet clothing manufacturers are now adding reflective materials to the back, chest, and limbs to prevent these kinds of disasters. The reflective material reflects light in every direction, helping increase your dog’s visibility. This will come in handy during walks at night or high-traffic areas. From drivers of approaching vehicles to cyclists to other pedestrians, everyone can see the wearer more easily and clearly, thus preventing accidents that could leave your dog seriously injured or even dead. This kind of winter jacket has become widely popularized as safety protective clothing while providing much-needed warmth for your dog in cold temperatures.

The improved visibility with reflective stripes also makes it easier to identify your dog in any given direction. Dog jackets come in an array of shapes and styles, just as dogs do. In addition to reflective material, there are several other things to consider when buying the perfect winter clothing for your dog, including warmth (go for multi-layered jackets with plenty of insulation), comfort, washable, and waterproof, just to name a few.