This really isn't a question, it's generally my opinion. I own two miniature toy mix poodles, both under 10 pounds (they're rescues, in case you were wondering about the weird mix)
I live in Ontario Canada, I if you're unfamiliar with the climate in this area, the temperature ranges anywhere from 0 degrees Celsius (32 Fahrenheit) all the way down to -40 degrees Celsius (-40 Fahrenheit) within the months of October to March, sometimes April. The rest of the year temperatures are much warmer, in the Summer months we wear tank tops and shorts.Anyway, unless you're a snowman, I'd consider this kind of winter pretty damn cold, especially for two small dogs.
I'm an avid dog walker, I love walking my dogs, and they love it to, but I make sure they are appropriately dressed for this type of bitter winter. In the milder winter temperatures (when I need a jacket and a sweater) My dogs wear a knit sweater. They don't mind, they appreciate it, otherwise they would be shivering, I've seen them do it. In the dead of winter, they wear a knit sweater with a winter jacket for dogs. Also, they haven't protested with this, I'm sure they appreciate it too. My dogs love to walk, and love to walk in extreme cold because they can't feel it for the most part, they're wearing appropriate clothing.
My older dog loves to run, I take her to the park (on her 26 foot flexi leash) and let her run in the snow. Mind you, it is sometimes 6 inches deep, sometimes 10 inches. But she loves it. When she isn't dressed, she shivers, cries out, wants to go home. When she is wearing her jacket and her boots (yes her boots) she can go on forever. I can't deny my dog this pleasure, she looks amazingly happy running in the snow and I love to watch her have a great time. She doesn't protest to her boots, they're comfortable and I made sure of that. She understands what her boots mean, whenever I take them out she gets very excited, because she knows we are going to run in the snow together.
Anyway, this is my blurb on what I think is appropriate dog wear. Some people but light rain jackets on their dogs when they walk in the rain, and I understand this as well. I think weather related dog clothing is functional, and that's how a dog should dress. I don't see a need for clothing in a place like California, that wouldn't be functional. Items like Doggles, dresses, pants, and t-shirts are the real problem. So when people talk about dressing their dogs for the winter months, I find it silly when I see people commenting back about how their "abusing their dogs" by making them wear these clothes. Sometimes it is necessary, given the circumstances. If I owned an Alaskan Malamute, a Lab or even a Standard Poodle, I'm pretty confident I wouldn't dress my dog, but because mine happen to be small and lean, they need the extra padding.
Thanks for reading, if you did, just getting my point across.
If you tl;dr, I pretty much said, winter is cold my dogs wear jackets.
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