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  1. #1
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    Keeping dogs warm in back of SUV

    Does anyone else have dogs that are too cold in the back of their SUV despite the air being on as high as the humans can stand it and the vents being positioned to blow around/in-between the front seats?

    Both of mine are more susceptible to shivering this winter despite layering of coats. They're fine while we're walking but we drive to parks with them and they end up shivering in the back. I can't figure out a way to divert the air from the vents into hoses to thread around to the back...and all of the car heaters I've found have horrible ratings due to lack of real warmth (good pretty much for only defogging windshields if even that powerful).

    Blankets might do the trick for the ride out as long as I keep them in the house....but they'd be frigid after being in the car during a walk.

    To this point, the pups have just shivered until we've gotten to the park or back home....especially Sunnie who is also wearing a light jacket in the house (68 degrees on the thermostat). Her health is fine as of a couple of months ago. Dan doesn't shiver in the house.

    It's not a long drive, but still....

  2. #2
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    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    I just ordered this. For $30, I figure I can experiment. Wish it was washable...at least it's a dark color. After one season it can be tossed.

  3. #3
    Senior Dog ckfalz's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SunDance View Post
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    I just ordered this. For $30, I figure I can experiment. Wish it was washable...at least it's a dark color. After one season it can be tossed.
    Good idea. I never had that problem when I lived in the north. I was going to suggest some beds that would warm with the dogs on them but electric will warm them faster.
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    SunDance (01-20-2018)

  5. #4
    Best Friend Retriever silverfz's Avatar
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    Anxiety some times makes dog shake too. If the dog is fine outside walking and is shivering with heat working I would check that.

    Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

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    SunDance (01-20-2018)

  7. #5
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    Not sure how much power those blankets require or how warm they get but that looks like a great solution.

    I thought of a couple ideas if that doesn't work.

    Bundle the blankets within in other blankets to keep the ones inside warmer.
    Use a cooler or insulated bag to store blankets to help preserve their warmth and the chill off.
    A hot water bottle or disposable hand or foot warmer in the cooler, insulated bag or even just a box would help keep the blankets warmer too.

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    SunDance (01-20-2018)

  9. #6
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    My labs don't care. How about something like this to lie on: https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Products-...heated+dog+pad

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    SunDance (01-20-2018)

  11. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by ckfalz View Post
    Good idea. I never had that problem when I lived in the north. I was going to suggest some beds that would warm with the dogs on them but electric will warm them faster.
    The bed would be staying in the car and not be that easy to fold over to keep warm while we were walking. We'll see how the blanket works. I have a large insulated bag to fold it into after getting the dogs out of the SUV. (we're using a thick wool blanket until the heated one shows up next week and that's working pretty good but the temps haven't been quite as bad as they had been...I'll be happy to have the heated one for the next frigid spell)


    Quote Originally Posted by silverfz View Post
    Anxiety some times makes dog shake too. If the dog is fine outside walking and is shivering with heat working I would check that.

    Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
    Sunnie is an anxiety shaker....total body shakes. The cold shakes are just the back half and her face doesn't look troubled.


    Quote Originally Posted by JC001 View Post
    Not sure how much power those blankets require or how warm they get but that looks like a great solution.

    I thought of a couple ideas if that doesn't work.

    Bundle the blankets within in other blankets to keep the ones inside warmer.
    Use a cooler or insulated bag to store blankets to help preserve their warmth and the chill off.
    A hot water bottle or disposable hand or foot warmer in the cooler, insulated bag or even just a box would help keep the blankets warmer too.
    We have the insulated bag and I've considered using a microwavable heating pad to stick in there, too, if need be.


    Quote Originally Posted by JenC View Post
    My labs don't care. How about something like this to lie on: https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Products-...heated+dog+pad
    I have some self-warming back braces and have had a reflective self-warming pad for a cat (which he refused to use) and wondered about that. But I figured they'd be getting into the cold car with cold jackets on...might not work as well as something that was warm to begin with. The blanket will probably reach only their tummies and legs with warmth, but that's still better than nothing. The wool blanket I'm using in the meanwhile is already warmer than the bed covers I usually use to keep the dog bed/SUV floor clean.

    This is the first year we've had this issue...Sunnie has definitely aged into the temperature-challenged category and I'm pretty sure Dan has, too. (he seems to be aging faster than what we've noticed with Sunnie even if their ages are actually closer than what we think) This winter has also been a lot colder so far than normal (disregarding temps at 50 degrees give or take yesterday and today...crazy)

    Sunnie's wearing a light jacket in the house (thermostat at 68 which is a degree higher than I'd otherwise have it at). Dan has been fine naked.

 



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