Dog Sweaters Warm Up The Aging And Arthritic As Well As Short Haired Breeds!

Something as simple and fairly inexpensive as a dog sweater can make a world of difference for your older dog. A cozy sweater can take the chill off on colder days for dogs who are arthritic or for those that have short or thin coats.

Boost Your Best Friends Body Temperature

Laying around can cause stiffness in your old dog's legs. If you notice your dog limping a little after rising, chances are that he suffers from arthritis or hip-dysplasia. Although most dogs will get up and move around on their own, during the colder months many dogs prefer to just continuously lay around.

That's why it is important for you to force your dog to get up and move around every so often. Give him a few quick massages up and down his legs to help his circulation along.

Sweaters Are No Longer Just For Little Dogs

For example, "Jenna" our 80 pound Doberman tends to get cold more often due to her shorter coat. For that reason, she is the proud owner of a nice heavy dog sweater as well as a hooded sweatshirt and she loves them both.

How To Measure Fido For A Sweater

When measuring for a dog sweater, it's important that your pet be standing. If you measure when the dog is sitting or lying down, the dimensions will not be accurate. Your dog's weight should be used as a guide only, given that it won't provide accurate length and width measurements. Keep in mind that certain breeds such as greyhounds, dachshunds or over/underweight dogs may need a custom fit.

There are three measurements that need to be made in order to get the correct fit:

•  Length - Measure the backbone of the dog from the base of the neck to the start of the tail. That's the start of the tail ---not the very tip. Just the base of the dog's back where the tail starts.

•  Neck - Start the neck measurement where the collar would sit naturally on the pet's back.

•  Girth - For the chest: Measure around the chest 1/2" behind the front legs. This is the thickest part of the chest. Remember that this varies by breed.

Sweaters provide warmth and comfort for our best friends. Most owners of old dogs or short-haired dogs wish they would have purchased one sooner.

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