My lab has arthritis in his shoulder (diagnosed at 5 yrs old, he's 6 1/2 now). He doesn't limp at all after a course of cartrophen and seraquin, is now well controlled through food which has glucosamine and chondroitin added. He limped after a walk in the snow without his coat (first time he's limped for ages) but after we put his equafleece on his he was fine. Same walk both times so can only assume it was the coat keeping his shoulder warm that made the difference.

I often wonder how my friends pointer would have made it as a working dog.
He is a working bred English, but has so little fur that in some places you can see the skin especially underneath.
Possibly this is due to living in a house from when he was 12 weeks?

We have no access to a fenced garden so we go for little walks throughout the day, no one is suggesting walk an elderly dog until it drops dead just getting out for a bit of fresh air can mean they get cold. Mollie lost her under coat when we put the heating on as she shed, with her clicky hip and age she is slowing down a bit now so now needs a coat.
Duncan is allergic to grass but I can't keep him on pavements all his life that would be cruel. We also clip him so his hair is quite short for a yorkie and he needs his jumper when he is on a lead as I can't walk very fast, he also needs one when he stops running as he gets cold really fast.

I always find it funny when people with completely different dogs think they can dictate what is best for all dogs, surely the point is all dogs are different and the owners generally know their dog much better than anyone else will ?

Dogs are ever-evolving creatures that adapt to the environment they live in. Many companion dogs are raised indoors in a central heated environment and the adaptation shows through their moulting cycles (many moult more often than the seasons dictate).

I once had an interesting discussion with a police dog handler and asked her why her working dog was kennelled outdoors while her pet dogs were kept inside. She said that her working partner needed to develop a working coat so that he was able to perform in all weathers - makes sense doesn't it

Sure, most dogs that are healthy will cope with what we have come to consider 'normal' winter temperatures (well, normal for the last 4 decades or so), but will suffer in the extremes we have seen this year.

There seems to be a bit of a stigma about putting dogs in coats (media hype about pampered, humanised pooches? ), but often they are needed on a practical level. Young, elderly, medically affected dogs need the extra support as do many, many dogs during extreme cold snaps.

My 9 year old refuses to wear a coat - even in the snow she would roll on the ground until it came off - I give up! If she's happy - I'm happy.

My 7 month old - will wear his coat but not without a sulk - but him and my 6 year old have thick double coats whereas Sadie doesn't. The two males fell in an ice pond (idiots) and both came out and shook it off and kept going, if it was Sadie we would've gone home as she has a thin double coat - but she is a JRT x BC so she's a tough cookie!

I saw a dog in town - way before the snow and he had a coat on and he was a terrier cross with a thick coat and his legs were shivering like jelly - it was shocking to see!

Puppies - I would definitely put a coat on unless they refuse to wear one or are fine without one, elderly - definitely put one on and same with the ill.

Yeah, thing is I dont find dressing dogs up "funny" at all, weird that! Which of course is the main reason most people do it!

Dog allergic to grass, clip fur so skin is right in contact with it? Did you say people know whats best for their dogs? How do you explain a dog with a contact allergy having its hair removed so its skin is in direct contact with the very thing its allergic to? Then putting a "jumper" on him to cover up the bits you chopped off?

I just remembered when me and my OH were going to visit my nan in hospital we rounded a corner in the car and saw a poodle in a full body suit followed by "Was that dog in a full body suit?" - My OH - bless him, closely followed by "You are not having a poodle"

I agree with the points that dogs were bred for certain purposes - etc, but there are breeds that don't originate from this country so aren't used to our climate...and also those dogs that are rescued or bought from warmer countries and then are brought here - brrr - they must think it's the artic!

Living indoors makes a big difference to their coats. I work with a couple of retired police dog handlers who both kept their dogs (GSD & ESS) outside in a kennel. The only reason was so they could spend a whole day outside working in the cold if necessary.

Many vets recommend keeping the coat very short in the case of allergic reaction. The consideration is that the coat can keep any reaction from weeping sores locked in and so bacteria can build up and make the symptoms worse.

Not saying it's the case with the dog in question, but to assume that the owner is somehow being stupid for clipping short without knowing the reason why is very judgemental

Oh tell me about it! Our, long gone, girl hated the cold! She really loved the heat and was never happier than when she was curled up in front of the fire if not against it! I actually remember her smoking! Nooo we didnt let her have the occasional B&H

One other point, even some dogs that are kept in kennels and 'worked' have coats for a very good reason – when they have been running around or before they start to run around they need their muscles to be warm (bit like an athlete) or not cool down to quickly.