Monday, January 03, 2011

Savvy's New Coat

Posted by Unknown at 2:38 PM

With an eye toward the coming -0 degree weather I ordered Savage this expandable foal blanket from Schneider Saddlery. I chose to buy a foal blanket as opposed to their dog blankets (which do seem really nice) because as usual, the dog jackets don't take into account the size of a Great Dane. Also, this one sounded very well-made, with 420 denier nylon, fiberfill insulation, and soft nylon lining. Surprisingly, it cost me under $30.00, too! I chose the color because of my personal preference, but also because it was the brightest offered; more visibility = more safety.

Savage has not been outside for enough of an extended period of time to really need the protection, but today we took a walk just to try it out in the 20 degree weather. First of all, he seems to tolerate it well, but that's normal with him and "clothing". Like his other hand-made coat, it slips to the side immediately, even with the belly band cinched snugly. Since this doesn't bother him, and he still is protected from the cold I choose to ignore it for now. The coat does come with D-rings, presumably so elastic leg straps can be attached, so maybe that will be something to think about in the future.

I can't say that the coat really hinders his movement, but he moves a little differently; with more small steps, like he does when he's trailing a leash. It's worth it to note that I bought the Large size that should fit large foals. Horses are measured differently than dogs in regard to blanket size. While a dog's topline is the primary measurement, a horse is measured from the center of the chest diagonally to the top edge of the tail. On Savage this measurement is 38" and his coat expands from 38" to 45". His topline measurement is around 32" to 33", which is beyond the range of most dog jackets.
I'm eager to see how this jacket works for him in very cold weather. I'm also enjoying how handsome he looks, even in purple!

   

5 Comments:

1. Oskar said...
   4:38 PM  
   Savvy looks very dapper!
   
   Nubbin wiggles,
   Oskar
   Brenda said...
   8:58 PM  
   I see this blog hasn't been updated since January 3rd - I bet Savage is glad for that coat this week! I keep up with the weather in northeastern MN out of morbid curiosity (from much further south), since I went to school at UMD. I enjoy reading blogs and have been searching tonight for some good ones ABOUT dogs, not BY them. Glad I found this one, looks fun! And I'll be able to visit Grand Marais whenever new posts come out. :)
   STELLA and RORY from Down Under said...
   2:06 PM  
   Hi Savage, I have just found your blog. Your look so handsome and I think the colour suits you perfectly. What a great idea about getting the foal blanket. I look forward to catching up on your past blogs and reading your new adventures. No worries, love Carol.
   Anonymous said...
   9:00 AM  
   The coat looks very sharp. Have you kitted Savage out with booties? They can be a real lifesaver; it's not even so much the snow and ice that do the damage as the rock salt and chemical deicers. I wrote an article about caring for your dog in the winter months -- you may find it useful. Feel free to link or repost with proper attribution.
   - - - - - - -
   Jack@PDB
   dog beds and more
   Branson said...
   8:56 PM  
   Hi Savage! You are very handsome and I love your purple coat. You have some great pictures. Nice meeting you and hope to bark at you again soon.
   Woof!
   Branson the Great Dane

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