Q: How well do Doberman pinschers do in cold weather?
We have hot summers and freezing winters here, and I'm thinking about buying a Doberman pinscher. How well do they do in cold weather and snow?
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Answers and Views:
Answer by ⊕AnnaAnomie&op
They don't. Those dogs aren't meant for that kind of weather.
Now, assuming they will be kept inside ALL THE TIME then yes, they'll be fine. But you could very well kill the dog by leaving it outside during freezing temperatures. No dog should be left outside when its 40 degrees Fahrenheit or under.
Hot weather shouldn't harm it too much, as they're very short-coated animals and should fare well.
Answer by Smiley
Well, they don't do very well b/c of their short coat fur!! But they are really great for inside!~!~!
Answer by julie d
Well, I have had many Dobes here in Michigan. A short romp in the snow is ok, but they don't want to be outside for longer than it takes to do their business. They do ok in the heat, but I would never let any dog outdoors very long when it is really hot. Dobes are an indoor house dog that are "velcro" dogs with their humans. Just to let you know, all the big, bad Dobes (jk) that I have had think that they will melt from one raindrop, but still liked to play in a kids wading pool. Go figure!
Answer by Shaun and Dana Adams
As strong and powerful as Dobermans are, they are total sissies in the cold. We moved from Phoenix to Chicago so it's even worse for my dog, she shivers like crazy if she's in the cold for long. Dobermans have nothing for the undercoat. Keep your Doberman inside if it's under 55 degrees, and remember, if your skin is cold, your Doberman is cold. Oh, and size doesn't matter.
Answer by Mark
Your Dob will do fine if it lives inside and goes out for a walk properly dressed in a coat and dog shoes.
This Dog Paw Balm will protect your dog's paws from ice and salt in winter, and from sand and hot pavements in summer.
Answer by Nancy M
They are not terribly good at dealing with extremes of temperament given they have a single layer of a short, tight coat. That said, they aren't meant to be outside anyway as they are bred to be companion animals and not yard dawgs. No knowledgeable, responsible breeder would place a Doberman with you if you were not planning on it living inside with you and your family and only going out for short-term exercise and relief of their bowel and bladder.
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I have lived all over the country with Dobermans, including in Vermont, and they did fine but again, they were not neglected and left outside nor would I have placed one with anyone who had that intent.
Answer by ♥Cristina&hea
NOT good. They can go out for potty, and a good romp but to live, NO WAY!
That is why police officers use German Shepherds more than Dobermans because Dobermans cannot be in cold weather very long without being cold. Especially snow.
But if the dog is inside, and spends 95% of its wintertime indoors than I would say that it is okay.
Know better? Give your own answer to this question!
Chelsea Vaughn says
Will owning a Doberman Pinscher in a cold climate lead to health issues or behavioral problems due to their short coat and lack of undercoat insulation?
Mike says
New Jersey chiming in.
My doberman does absolutely fine in the summer. It doesn’t get really hot here I’d say mid 90s is the normal max temp,but it’s humid. With lots of water he will stay out and loves summer. Normal summer is in the 80s I’d say here but he loves summer really no issues in hot weather out of the sun of course.
Winter is a while different story. Mushers secret is an absolute must for their paws. His paws will freeze quickly and he shivers quickly. He literally runs inside in winter. Always wearing a jacket when it’s below 40 which is pretty much November-March here. He loves his jacket and cuddling up in layers of blankets in winter. He will absolutely go for a cross country ski or walk in winter but short in duration and he needs to warm up. They can handle short durations in winter I’d say 40 mins Max. It’s not a husky but you can manage it has to be an indoor dog , but this breed needs to be anyway
Mike says
Northern New Jersey checking in here. My doberman does not like winter too much. He will go outside with jacket on, but without a jacket even for a quick pee he doesn’t want to go outside. Not a big winter fan, a jacket is a must for a doberman outside. He sits in front of heater in winter alot
We don’t have really hot summers here like down south or out west, but Even with black fur seems to handle the opposite. Really does well in heat and not begging to go back inside. He’s smart will find shade of he’s hot on his own . He likes summer and seems to handle heat well because of his short fur
DoberMom says
I just moved from Atlanta to Ohio with my 10 month-old doberman and it is so, so cold here for both of us. I am trying to figure out how to make sure he gets the exercise he needs without getting too cold. What do people do? Most dog coats don’t fit my guy because in order to fit properly around his chest, they end up being too big everywhere else. Also, we are in an apartment complex for at least this first winter so I am not sure how I will be able to avoid walking over pavement that has been treated with salt, I am guessing pavement salt is pretty bad for his feet. Do people actually use dog shoes on dobermans for this? I can’t imagine him taking to them. Any advice will be deeply appreciated.
Theo says
It’s not a good idea to overheat your dog by putting a coat on him without necessity. If it’s not too cold (above 20) let him get used to such weather by taking him out for an active 15-20 min walk. Keep an eye on him to make sure that he’s not shivering and is feeling fine.
If it is too cold then dress him. There are a lot of coats on Amazon
While he is a puppy get him used to putting dog shoes on (people do use them on dobs). You will want to put them on his paws only if it’s too cold or if there is too much salt on the pavement.
If it’s not too cold use pet paw protection wax to protect his paws both from cold and from the salt.
john policht says
K9 adventure wear makes great winter coats for Dobermans also the wuf wuf store on
ETSY. Good Luck
Mike says
Get paw wax like mushers secret. It works wonders for their paws. You need to use it like every other day in winter and their paw pads will look amazing and not freeze. Shoes don’t work on a doberman
Jordie0587 *Diesel&# says
Poorly in both.
As long as the dog is an inside dog it won't be an issue. Dobermans are NOT outside dogs in any weather. They NEED their people. They're extremely people oriented and are bred to be that way. It's genetic lol.
Dobes are called velcro dogs for a reason. They at least want to be in the room with you, preferably touching you.
In winter, you can buy functional coats, in summer keep them in air conditioning and provide ample water.
As long as they're inside dogs, they'll do fine in any weather.