# How Cold Is Too Cold?



## Lil Cha Cha (Jan 10, 2005)

Without my Chi wearing a sweater or coat of any kind. How cold is too cold. I mean, if it's 40 degrees outside, is that too cold to walk Charlie? Is 35 degrees to cold? He'd love to go for a walk anytime but, I don't want him to get sick. He refuses to wear clothes and I'm not going to force him to wear anything... He likes to feel unincumbered, naked and free, lol. 
I live in California.
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.


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## rhaubejoi (Dec 10, 2008)

I have been wondering that lately myself. Zoe insisted on going outside this morning and it was 27 degrees outside with heavy frost on the ground. She will wear the sweaters I make for her, but she will not go pee-pee if she has clothes on. Also, she will not hesitate to go outside in a cold rain if she needs to potty. I just let her go when she wants and try to get her back inside as quickly as she will let me. When it is sunny, I let her chase me around the yard to compensate for other times when I rush her cause its cold... I guess that if she gets too cold she will let me know. Hope that helps some...


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

*rhaubejoi* mine pee'd on a shirt i got him -.-; literally ON it...he doesn't like some clothes, picky thing he is!
i cant wait to get a coat for him! haha 
i always turn on my heater in my room when my feet start to get cold, dont know about outside though...still waiting for his last shot ^^


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## mychiisqueen (Jan 3, 2008)

Emma always wants to go outside no matter how cold it is but if it is realllly cold like -20 celsius i definitely hesitate to take her outside but she will sit in discomfort and pain and whine at the door until you take her out so when its that cold I bundle her up like crazy and usually make her pee right outside the door and then i just get the shovel out and get rid of her mess...

Soon as snow hits the ground i usually double layer her she gets a sweater then her jacket and if she's not in a rush i put her boots on (which she tends to get pee on) but she won't stay out in the cold she does her business and runs as fast as she can back in the house.. in the warm weather she doddles a lot


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## MissB (Sep 6, 2008)

I promise you, it's not too cold in California for you to take your dog out "naked". You actually almost never need clothes in any weather unless you put them on puppies and ruin the natural fat that comes with there adult coat.
My three have been running for three days in about a foot of snow. I've actually shoveled some of the lawn for them becuase two of mine are shorter than the height of the snow, so cute! As long as they are running around it's no problem, it's when they just stand still they start to shiver. 
I have one that hates hates hates the most in clothes so I just leave it. The other two don't mind clothes but I hardly use them more than when we all want to look pretty For longer walks I put a rain or winter coat on them, if I'm honest I don't think mine need it, I just love them vests and jackets haha.


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## Lil Cha Cha (Jan 10, 2005)

GOOD TO KNOW!
Thanks everyone for your response.


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## CM Katie (Sep 28, 2005)

I put coats on Carl and Mia when it gets down to 40F or so. 
Today I let them outside really fast to pee and it was in the 20s brrr!! 
Mia started shaking so I put her in my coat until Carl was done. Carl was fine until his paws got too cold- he started to lift them up and then he tried to lay down so I scooped him up too and ran inside!!
Thank goodness for puppy pads!!
I do want to get them some boots though- although I'm sure they'll hate them!


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## Coco my nut <3 (Apr 13, 2012)

It's about -5 Celsius here in Alberta. Do you think it would be too cold for my chi?


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## BellaLina's Mom (Mar 16, 2007)

My rule of thumb is that if I need to wear a light jacket or warm coat to walk my chihuahuas, they must wear a sweater or hoodie (when I wear my light jacket) or a warm coat (when I wear my warm coat). 

In Illinois we have serious cold winters with lots of snow where the temperatures are in the negetive degree (below zero) fareinheight and gets much lower with wind chill factor. My husband and I do not take the girls outside for their walks when the temperature drops to freezing at 32 degrees fareinheight - we don't want the girls to get frost bite on their paws (they refused to walk in doggie boots). Fortunately, Bella and Lina use pee pads during inclement weather.


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

Jaxx doesn't care for cold weather. It was down to 40 F here this morning and Jaxx thought he was going to get away with just a quick pee (I knew he had to go poo.) I have read that if dogs never wear clothes that they do not need them because their body will adjust their body temp (not sure how true this is but it makes sense.) Jaxx has always wore clothes outside in the cold weather so he will still continue to wear them if it gets below 50 degrees. I can tell when he is cold inside because he sleeps at night in his crate instead of sleeping in his chair.


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