[VincentHuntley]

Roy (my Blue Heeler/Boston Terrier mix) is now 12 weeks old and a solid 18lbs. He's growing fast, but after this sweltering Missouri heat I know that it'll soon be fall, but I want to prep for the winter. So as for my questions...
1.) Is he going to have to put up with clothes for the cold?
2.) If so, any brand reccomendations?

 

[Sabina88]

I think he should be ok, you will most likely be able to tell if he gets cold easy once you go outside in the cold. And if he takes after the ACD side in the coat department he should be fine in the cold, and he looks like he has a pretty good coat. But you could always just get something just in case you may need it.

 

[Liminal]

There are a lot of variables that affect a dog's cold tolerance - from color to size to coat - but your dog looks to have more coat than mine does and mine didn't need a jacket last winter (and I also live in Missouri). Musher's wax to keep his feet in good condition, yes. Of course last winter was dreary but the temperatures in MO weren't actually that bad, so it may be different this winter.

But, if you want to buy a dog coat to be prepared, in my opinion you'll be best served by getting one from a company that manufactures horse supplies, like Weatherbeeta or Dover Saddlery. They're well-made and practical but won't break your bank like some dog coats will.

 

[amaryllis]

I'd start putting clothing on him now to avoid problems later. If you're in an area where they put down a heavy layer of salt at the slightest hint of snow (like Virginia does), I'd counter condition him to boots now, while he's young. At the very least, I'd counter condition him to putting Mushers Paste on his pads to provide some protection.

 

[supaflyskye]

You may or may not need clothing. I would start getting him used to it now, just in case.
My girl gets cold even in our Florida winters and wears a polar fleece type blanket from Rider's International, she's had it 4 years now and it's held up beautifully(no pilling at all) and keeps her warm. Plus it comes in a variety of pretty colours(she has the lilac/purple). Dover Saddlery has the one she has on sale from $43 to $20 right now for summer, so now's the time to buy! I'd link to it if I could, but I'm on mobile, I'm sure you can find it using the information I provided if you're interested in it.
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[secrets0stolen]

We live across the ocean but have cold winter here too.

If it gets below -5`C (23F) and she is outside for a longer period of time (in the yard for 1 hour +), I`ll usually put a coat on her.

I wont bother her with clothing if it`s warmer than that or if we are going for walk - if she is actively moving around, she wont get cold.

Your dog looks like his coat is not as thick tho.