Sometimes it's rather cold outside. However, you're not limited to bringing the dog in The House. Instead, you could buy a dog a coat or heat a dog house. What would be the cheapest way to go about this plan? What do you all think of owners who leave animals out in zero degree weather? Well, I don't think it's a very cool thing to do, along with leaving them alone without companions, tied up, or caged up. How about for other animals like cats or those poor cows left in cold weather with no barn?
Oh dear @Jason76 this subject touches my heart. My dogs live inside with me. I have two of them so they can keep each other company if I have to go out, and also it's good for them to have the same species as a companion. Loopyloo, the one in my avatar, normally sleeps on the futon beside my bed. Some nights it is cold and I cover her up with a fleecy blanket which she really likes. The other dog that I have is a real pain in the ear. He likes to sleep beside me, right up next to my head. It's sweet I know, and very warm and comforting, but he doesn't like any covers over him. So throughout the night he moves slightly down the bed and takes the covers off, leaving me to wake up in the middle of the night shivering from the cold. He also likes to sleep beside me so he can firmly hold my face with his paws when he wakes up and then he licks my eyes till I've had enough! There is no reason for dogs to be left outside in zero degree weather, they should be brought inside. They don't have to sleep like mine do, but at least they would be in the warm. If a dog has to stay outside, then I would suggest a coat, and heating also. It's a good idea if that's the case to give them fleecy blankets. I don't understand owners who have dogs and make them live outside. Mine live in the house as members of my family. Okay, so I'm the top dog, but dogs love to have rules and please their master. I used to have a cat and I always brought him inside come sunset because he was a black cat. But what ever colour he happened to be, I would never let a cat stay out overnight. I do feel sorry for the cows and horses that don't have a warm barn to go into at night. If I owned larger animals like that I would make sure they were indoors at night and had plenty of straw to keep warm, or blankets placed over their backs. All I can say about one of them being left outside in the cold is 'poor cow!' and lucky for me that I don't have a cow as I don't think there is enough room left in my bed!
If someone owns a pet it's because they will be taking good care of it. I have heard that there are pretty nice and warm pajamas available for most animals including horses. I would suggest making the pets a warm enough place to live in or if they are house pets then let them in if the weather is too harsh.
We live in a tropical country but the weather gets cooler during late December until early February. Even if our dogs are staying inside the house, we still provide them with a defense against the cold weather. Right now, the temperature dips down to 20 degrees C and it’s pretty cold for the dog sleeping on the floor. And because they don’t know how to use a blanket, we dress them up at bedtime for their protection against the cold. It is a pity to see other dogs in our neighborhood because they are left to their own devices. Some are even sleeping on the streets.
There are cozy padded fairly spacey dog houses. They can be quite expensive but I doubt only some dog clothes will keep them warm enough in that extreme cold. You could even build your own out of wood and foam insulation along with putting carpeting around the dog house and not just the floor. That could save you a few bucks.
I am not sure that I have ever seen a dog in a coat before, but I have to say that I am intrigued now. I wonder how well they do in them, but I guess if it helps keep them warm.
