Keeping my Dog Warm

[Jennifer C]

Yes I know – keep your dog on a leash and be polite to other hikers, etc…

I’m practicing and training with my dog (Parker) for a trip that I want to take him on this August to the Wind River Range, where I’m told to plan for temperatures at night ranging from 15 degrees to 45 degrees. So, in Alabama, where I’m from, now is the time to practice and make sure our set-up is warm for us… Here’s what we’ve got and how it’s fared with us so far. I need advice on how to make sure we are more comfortable in the lower range I made detailed notes below.

When it was in the 30’s Parker slept mostly in my top quilt with me, but was partially outside of it and it was perfect, but when it dropped to the 20s, he wanted all the way in and it got a little tight for the two of us (making the down compress and let the heat out?) and also, I couldn’t wrap all the way in the quilt. It was manageable and we weren’t anywhere close to freezing to death, but it was cold.

So, I’m thinking he needs some kind of wrap of his own or a better jacket (his is a bit big on him) or something… This is where I need advice. He does have his own pad that butts up next to mine so that we can cuddle across the two pads together.

Also, Parker is a 75 lb lab/pit mix who sleeps in the bed with me at home and likes to be under the covers with me there too…
<table width=”1415″>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width=”171″>Location</td>
<td width=”125″>Dates</td>
<td width=”90″>No. of Nights</td>
<td width=”98″>Temp</td>
<td width=”98″>Precipitation</td>
<td width=”404″>Gear</td>
<td width=”429″>Notes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sipsey</td>
<td>1/5/19-1/6/19</td>
<td>1 night</td>
<td>33 degree low</td>
<td>Misty</td>
<td width=”404″>Zpacks tent, Thermarest foam pad, Enlightened Equipment top quilt, Down booties, regular hiking clothes, down jacket</td>
<td width=”429″>Very warm, Very comfortable</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Walls of Jericho</td>
<td>1/26/19-1/27/19</td>
<td>1 night</td>
<td>26 degree low</td>
<td>Dry</td>
<td width=”404″>Zpacks tent, Thermarest foam pad, Enlightened Equipment top quilt, Down booties, base layer, down jacket</td>
<td width=”429″>Parker was cold so he kept climbing to be on top of me or in the foot box, making the top quilt tight and compressed and knees or parts of the leg got cold. Shoulders got cold while laying on back.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

[Jennifer C]

Table did not post right…

1 night in the Sipsey Wilderness, 1/5/19-1/6/19, 33 degree low, Zpacks tent, Thermarest foam pad, Enlightened Equipment top quilt, Down booties, regular hiking clothes, down jacket – Very warm, Very comfortable
1 night in the Walls of Jericho 1/26/19-1/27/19, 26 degree low,  Zpacks tent, Thermarest foam pad, Enlightened Equipment top quilt, Down booties, base layer, down jacket – Parker was cold so he kept climbing to be on top of me or in the foot box, making the top quilt tight and compressed and knees or parts of the leg got cold. Shoulders got cold while laying on back.

[nunatak]

You can get a wider quilt to house the both of you and a dedicated pad for him arranged right up against yours.

My dog is a McNab, a short haired super skinny Border Collie type. He gets cold even when we take breaks during the day! We have done close to 100 backcountry nights together, including the Wind River High Route and other exposed rambles like that.

I do not always use quilts, meaning he needs his own system. A cut out section of closed cell foam is the first barrier. Then I made a synthetic insulated taco style bivy with a two way zipper running on three sides. It has silnylon inside for vbl effect and keeps the loft dry when he’s damp. It’s slippery enough that he can turn inside without totally messing up. The zipper is never completely closed for safety.

Finally he uses a form fitting 1″ loft down coat, that goes on as soon as we are not walking anymore.

All this helps, and been used down to the teens, but I think he’d rather have even more stuff to snuggle in.

[Matthew / BPL]

Nunatak made my heeler mix a puffy last spring. She’s been fine cowboy camping on a zlite pad nestled between my son and I just below freezing. I suspect she would have ended up in my quilt if there had been any wind. 

[Jennifer C]

Sounds like a really good jacket may be the trick, since we have the pad already. He has a jacket, but it’s a little big on him and not down, so it may not be enough for what he needs.

Thanks guys. I’ll get him a nice coat, probably from Nunatak – they look great. Did you contact them individually? I don’t see dog coats on their site.

[Chris W]

I’ve been doing a lot of winter snow testing this with my Springer Spaniel. I have two issues with him: keeping snowballs off him, everywhere  which requires full coverage. And how to keep him warm at night. It’s obviously tough to know be because he doesn’t talk … and it’s one thing for me to have a problem, but carrying my dog out would be pretty tough !

I’ve tried lots of gear and find Hurta about the best. I use the body suit for snow travel and then use a “sleep system” of adding a Hurta extreme weather coat layer (for the loft ) topped by a Hurta casual quilt coat (for max coverage  since most outfits have no belly coverage) I’ve made a sleep system for his feet of child’s “cabin socks” held in place with nylon tube socks that attach to the quilt coat with garter clasps I sewed on…. The bummer of a hairy dog in the snow…and again, I don’t want to risk his hypothermia.

1. I draw the line on carrying it for him, so he’s saddled with a Ruffwear Palisades dog pack . 

[Chris W]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>All that being said, he still gets to warm up in my sleeping bag before getting kicked out to sleep on my empty pack. I don’t get a lot of sleep for worrying about him as I’m still figuring it out.</p>

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Jen,

I’m just amazed there is another dog in this world named Parker. My oldest grandson Kaden named his Poodle/Shitzu “Parker” and I thought it a bit odd for a dog’s name. But what do I know?

Anyway, carry some 300 weight fleece with you for Parker’s bed. It could be a “taco” shape sewn closed at one end or both ends so he can sleep inside it. I think it would be enough if he was also on a thin sheet of closed cell foam (a piece of floor underlayment) or bubble wrap. And maybe a “recycled” fleece jacket of windproof Polartec – sans sleeves – would be best.

But wait – aren’t dogs supposed to keep you warm?

[Author]

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