It is nothing new, but each time the image is more common: dogs walking down the street wearing a sweater or coat. For those who do not have pets, the image is shocking. But… is it necessary to shelter these animals?
An ironic tweet from Mr. Bohigues from Versió RAC1 has generated thousands and thousands of reactions online these days. “Those who go down the street with the dog in a coat, if they have an aquarium at home, do the fish wear a swimsuit?” Said the irreverent character. Dozens of users responded, critical of the comment.
Is it necessary or not to shelter the dogs when it’s cold? “It doesn’t make much sense, in general, to put clothes on dogs, but it does on some animals in particular. We have to take into account that their thermal regulation works differently than in people, because they do not sweat. In addition, their hair acts as an air chamber, makes their temperature more stable”, says Ricard Adán, a veterinarian and clinical ethologist, member of the Consell de Col·legis de Veterinaris de Catalunya.
Adam gives more details, since whether or not it is appropriate to shelter a dog will also depend on the breed and the size of the animal. “If they have long hair, they really don’t get very cold, and they don’t really get very hot. Now, they do notice the temperature.”
Is it necessary to put clothes on them? “No, but you don’t have to think that they can put up with everything either; If we are talking about small dogs or dogs with very short hair, they really do notice the cold and the wind, ”she points out. “Covering them up a bit, when it’s cold, if they have very little hair and they’re small, it’s not bad at all.”
Adán adds that “the wind makes the temperature drop a lot and small dogs are not adapted, they would not live freely in a very cold place, so it is logical to cover them a little.”
Another issue, says Adán, is that “we should be more aware of the problem of anthropomorphism.” According to this specialist, “we have to be aware of the needs of animals, and maintain their behavioral well-being like dogs and cats. A dog or a cat, if it is very cold, what he will do is not go out; therefore, it is an addition that we put in as well, and, evidently, the subject of fashion is indifferent to animals”.
As Carlos Carrasco, canine educator, pointed out to RAC1, “people are one thing and animals are another. We have to love and care for them, but they are different. People treat dogs as if they were children with hair who bark, talk to them constantly and have them humanized”.
What indications do we have to keep in mind if we want to keep a small dog with little hair warm? “That the garment does not weigh, that it is a flexible textile fabric, that it does not impede movement, that it does not narrow it. In short, do not disturb the animal; if not, they will want to take off the item of clothing, and we will enter into a battle that is not necessary.
