I know I kinda giggled at QT's question about putting a coat on an aussie, but now I'm wondering the same thing.

My girl has blown most of her coat and is just about down to her short shorts. Do any of you who have dogs that moult in the winter put coats on them? I know it's not that cold now, but when the wind picks up it goes right through me. What do you all think?

Hi Quinn, Dont coat your Aussie, unless it turns totally freezing. It is natural for an Aussie to shed the lot, including mane and trousers. The more you coat it, the longer it will take to grow back, and expect your Aussie to do it every year.:)

Thanks Phil! I won't put a coat on her. But I did find one that looks like a field coat and was slightly tempted!

This is the second time since April! I'm now down to mostly the straight hairs that won't come out with a rake. I have to put on my marigolds and rub her down to get them off!

Hi again Quinn, Thats the trouble with having Aussie bitches, they seem to co it every season, when they whelp AND when nature decrees too. You just get it back all nice and then WHAM! its gone again.:)

Hi Kory,
Glad to hear I am not the only aussie owner with a bald bitch!!!!!!!! Poor Gabby looks terrible with less and less hair every day, we too are down to just her shorts. Scarlett's is growing back nicely now so when they are out of the house together it makes Gabby look even worse AND we still are still waiting for her first season, 15 month old now and is in no hurry I can tell you. You watch, the week before L.K.A and she will come in....... Oh the joys of owning bitches.....
Hope you and all the tribe are ok,
Gabrielle x

I'm not 100% sure on this, but i do believe they sell products that help encourage hair growth in dogs. Ask your vet or take a trip down to the pet shop and find out. Might help her grow her coat back a little faster.

Are you giving your dog nutritional supplements as well? A properly balanced and nutrionally complete diet will also help ensure that everything in your dog's body is working at it's highest efficiency. Hope my 2 cents helps! Good luck! =)

Be sure to keep us posted on your findings!

Rob

Dobermanns only have a single (hair) coat (undercoat is not permitted) and I would only put an extra coat on them if they were ill or had some problem where they needed to be kept warm. I imagine even a moulting Aussie has more coat than a fully coated Dobe :)

Christine

Good point Kerioak, but i think it's not a matter of health. I think she simply doesn't desire for her dog to be bald lol.

Hi Bull, Disagree here, she was genuinely worried that her dog may get cold, after having a thick full Aussie coat ;)

The main problem is warm centrally heated homes bringing the dog into moult early. In the wild no self respecting animal would moult in the middle of winter!

One of my problems is that my shoot is very low lying so "The Flower" is always soaked when we get back to the car at lunch time and also at the end of the shoot. A firm I've seen advertise a towelling coat for working gundogs and although I always carry a towel I've a good mind to get her one. Looks come very second to long term health.

Regards, John

John, you've got me thinking now. I know, I know. DANGEROUS OCCUPATION! But seriously, I wonder how many working dogs loose their coats in cold weather. Do Border Collies loose their coats? Aussies work year round with cattle and sheep in all sorts of weather. Do the bitches keep their coats after their seasonal hormonal flux in the winter? Questions, questions! Any answers out there?

I think most farm dogs would spend so much time outside that they would take on a more natural rhythm when it comes to moulting. Same thing with a game keeper’s dog. It’s the house dogs that get the problems. Anna works but lives in the house so she moults early.

Best wishes, John

Yea i guess your right, she did say the wind goes right through her.

My lot don't moult through the winter because we haven't got any central heating - brrr. We all fight for fire space! I never thought I could get used to no central heating but I've surprised myself. However, my next house is going to have central heating. I don't like waking up in minus 5 conditions!

Helen

Like I always ask Helen 'What's Central Heating ?'
I don't have any either, just a rayburn that keeps the chill off & yes we have to fight the dogs for the fire when it's lit.
Zen my GSD has just gone into a full moult yet again, I can only put it down to the very mild weather we are having at the moment. Ingrid