LONG HAIR -VS- SHORT

[yotabluewalker]

During the winter I'm concerned about the short haired dogs once they tree. We build warming fires for them and us if possible however sometimes by the time we get them back to the box they are sooo cold. Do you folks notice a difference and what do you do for the dog? I'm not trying to sound like we have sissy dogs. I just want to protect them as best I can. I notice our longer haired dogs also get cold but they also tend to be bigger boned and not chill down as much. Thanks!

[pete richardson]

hounds with long hair- are kind of like ,, jumbo shrimp

there is a difference in hair coat on hounds- it really shows in below zero weather- or in briars -

too much hair is harder on them in the heat

i try to harden my dogs

no flaps- very little bedding --- in fall and early winter--

tighten up dog houses

add bedding as winter gets colder -
- doesnt always work -it works enuff to be worth a try -

the same hound can grow more hair- also try to put just a little more weight on them at coldest part of winter --

if you have a chance to breed to equal dogs - or buy pups and one is longer thicker haired,, choose the dog that suits you best --


im not talking --- wooly shaggy dogs lol - lot of people dont understand what i mean by more hair on a hound ---but there is a difference

[Mike Leonard]

I really notice the difference here. Some of my walker dogs are pretty thin haired especially on the underside and they can really take hunting in hot weather pretty good. But boy when it gets below zero they don't care much for jumping out of the dog box. My old strain dogs that have some of very old cold trailing blood in them tend to have thicker hair coats. They get hot quick when it is above 75 and they are having to keep up with my horse or follow a cold trail, but when it gets cold they shine. So it is hard to have the best of both worlds, but as was stated somewhere in the middle would be real good.

I don't know about them warming fires for the dogs but it sure feels good to me and helps me dry out a bit after a long scramble to the tree. Somthing about a fire even out in the wilderness makes you a little more content.

[Liz ODell]

Yes its hard to find the happy medium, if you can find one that grows an undercoat in the winter and blows it in the spring that would be the best ...but I have rarely encountered such a critter. I must say I pack a few extra pounds onto the dogs as the weather gets more winter like. Some folks might think they look a little chubby but those few extra pounds can sometimes mean life or death around here if a dog gets snowed in somewhere.