Protecting from cold (camping) + paws

[capra]

Hi everybody,

I need to find a way to protect my dogs from cold while we're camping.
At the weekend we went camping, there they had a mattress, on top some layers of rugs and they wore winter coats. These were not enough to keep them warm.

I need something which does not take too much space, not heavy.
Should I buy a human sleeping bag for dogs? Or a kind of insulator? Or blankets?

Here in Turkey we do not have camping beds for dogs, there are some outdoor beds but they are huge. I can use human products or I can make a DIY dog bed/coat for them but I have no idea what to do.

I also want to protect their paws. Which product do you suggest? I searched for dog boots but couldn't be sure if they really stay on their paws.

[barry581]

I think dog boots depend on the dog, I've only tried them on one dog, and it immediately became her mission to get them off. So for us they didn't work. There are a fair number of people on the board use them with success. Many have also recommended "Musher's Secret". I've never used it, but I plan on picking some up before the snow flies.

No recommendation for a specific bed, but I'd use some that keeps them off the ground and out of the wind. Many years ago when my dogs lived outside in kennels at night, they had raised houses with a pad and blanket. They were fine down into the mid 20'sF, but if it was colder than that I'd bring them in.

[Snowshoe]

When we canoe tripped weight was a critical issue. You don't want to be portaging any more than absolutely necessary. We put a closed cell ensolite pad folded in three in the bottom of the canoe and I used that under my sleeping bag at night. The dog slept at my feet or between us. I don't feel the cold nearly as much as the OH, he uses an inflatable thermolite sleeping pad and a winter rated down sleeping bag. His bag is actually much lighter than my warmer weather rated one. Both the ensolite and the thermolite insulate from the ground. Of course we were in a tent too, and put a plastic ground sheet under it. These things aren't cheap. Well, the ensolite wasn't too bad.

One night the temperature got down to nearly freezing and I pulled the dog inside the sleeping bag with me. But you have two dogs.

AS for boots, I can't imagine needing them at all but you can get boots that are meant for protection from sharp things like ice or salt. I don't know how much warmth they provide. Keeping them on was a pain, my neighbour found they kept falling off her dog. Plus hers were slippery on the snow, a factor to check if you are winter camping, which I assume you are not, yet.

[capra]

AS for boots, I can't imagine needing them at all but you can get boots that are meant for protection from sharp things like ice or salt. I don't know how much warmth they provide. Keeping them on was a pain, my neighbour found they kept falling off her dog. Plus hers were slippery on the snow, a factor to check if you are winter camping, which I assume you are not, yet.

Thank you

Tilya injured her paw last time, then I thought maybe boots were necessary.
I forget about her disabled leg. She has one paw which she cannot use properly. So I think one boot will be enough just for that paw.