If you have a Golden Retriever, you ever why do the dog has long and double-coated fur? And don’t you think these dog breeds might survive through extreme climate conditions due to the dense skin coat? What do you think? Can your Golden Retriever get cold? Or will it tolerate the cold temperature with ease?
Yes, the double-coated hair coat of a Golden Retriever serves a lot to maintain the homeostasis of the pet. Yet, your Golden Retriever might get cold like humans in lower temperatures. These dog breeds prefer a mild climate and can survive above 20 ºF. But once the surrounding temperature starts dropping below 20 ºF, your pet finds it hard to maintain the average body temperature and gets cold.
Thus, it is an absolute myth that a Golden Retriever never feels cold. Like humans, the change in climate affects a lot in the health condition of these dog breeds.
Undoubtedly, I will discuss more this topic further in this article. But before that, let us know the average body temperature of Golden Retriever.
What Is The Normal Body Temperature Of Your Golden Retriever?
Like humans, Golden Retrievers also have a specific body temperature. And that it is a little higher than humans.
Generally, the average body temperature of your Golden Retriever is 101ºF to 102ºF. Furthermore, the double-coated skin coat mostly maintains the temperature of your pal. Thus, problems like cold, frostbite, and hypothermia are less frequent in this pet.
However, if you find the temperature of your Golden Retriever below this, you should give your pet warm drinks and wrap the pet in the blanket.
What will be your reaction when you find that the temperature of your pal dropping?
How will you manage this situation?
Is Your Location Safe For Your Golden Retriever?
Golden Retrievers prefer a moderate temperature. Thus, these dog breeds can live a healthy and active life when the surrounding temperature is 60 ºF to 80 ºF. Furthermore, due to the natural adaptability of Golden Retrievers, these dogs live comfortably in a little colder and warmer environment than the average temperature.
However, if the temperature starts dropping below 45 ºF, your pet starts shivering or trembling. And although these dog breeds have double-coated skin coats, they fail to warm themselves. Moreover, the temperatures at which a Golden Retriever survives comfortably are as follows:
| Temperatures/ Scales | Fahrenheit | Centigrade |
| Suitable temperature | 60 ºF to 80 ºF | 16 ºC to 27 ºC |
| Optimum temperature | 45 ºF | 7 ºC |
| Maximum temperature | 103 ºF | 39 ºC |
Do you think a Golden Retriever can live a comfortable life in your location?
What is the minimum and maximum temperature at your place?
Does it snow at your place?
Does Your Golden Retriever Get Cold?
Although most people assume that a Golden Retriever can tolerate cold temperatures, it is hypothetical. Despite the thick double-coated skin of these breeds, they can feel cold when the temperature falls to extremities (below 45 ºF). And like humans, these dogs breed starts shivering and becomes hypothermic.
What Are The Factors That Determines Your Golden Retriever Is Cold?
Although the temperature is the chief reason that causes cold in Golden Retriever, there are some other influencing factors. And some of these factors are:
Health Condition Of Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers are susceptible to various health issues like obesity, diabetes, thyroid disorders, cancer, and hip dysplasia. Thus, due to the disease condition, the immune system of these dogs weakens.
So, your Golden Retriever gets cold when it is sick.
Golden Retriever Feels Cold Due To Humidity
Humidity makes the atmosphere colder due to the higher amount of moisture in the air. And if your location has higher humidity, your Golden Retriever may feel cold.
Besides this, Golden Retriever may suffer from various other health issues due to humid climate conditions. And most of these issues involve respiratory problems.
Lesser Clouds
As we know, the clouds help to trap the heat of the sun in the atmosphere. Thus, the cloudy sky makes the environment warmer than the clear sky. Besides this, the clouds also re-emit the heat of the earth into the atmosphere.
Hence, if the sky has more clouds, Golden Retrievers may feel less cold. So, I prefer to take my pet on long walks in the cloudy weather. Do you do the same?
Due To Windy Weather
The wind carries the heat of the body into the atmosphere. Thus, due to the heat loss, Golden Retriever feels cold in the windy weather.
Besides this, the wind also sweeps away the moisture of the skin coat of your pet. As a result, your pet will suffer from allergies, dermatitis, rashes, cracked skin, and hair loss.
Dampness Makes Golden Retriever Cold
Since a Golden Retriever has dense fur, the skin coat needs proper drying. If your leave the skin coat of your pet without complete drying, it may be damp. And, your Golden Retriever may feel cold and uncomfortable.
Furthermore, the damp hair of your pet can easily attract bacteria and dust. Also, the dampness provides a favorable environment for the parasites to grow. Hence, it results in bacterial and fungal infections.
Due To Age
As a Golden Retriever grows older, the body functions of the pet decline gradually. Along with this, the pet becomes vulnerable with weaker immunity. Hence, a senior Golden Retriever feels cold in even the slightest decrease of temperature.
Apart from this, a younger Retriever does not have a thicker and dense skin coat like the adults. Besides this, the body of the puppies is not mature enough to regulate homeostasis. Therefore, the puppies feel cold more quickly than the adults.
Less Body Fat
Like humans, Golden Retrievers also need fat in the body to keep it warm. The body fat of these breeds acts as an insulator to tolerate the cold temperature. Thus, these dogs endure cold with ease when they weigh a little more than their average weight.
However, a skinny dog has lesser fat to insulate the heat. Hence, this type of Golden Retriever may get cold faster. In addition, the American Golden Retriever gets cold more than the English Golden Retriever due to its body structure.
Do you agree with all these factors?
What is your view regarding these factors?
When Will A Golden Retriever Feel Too Cold?
Being a family-friendly dog, Golden Retriever can adapt well to most environmental conditions. And the sole credit for this nature goes to the double-layered skin coat of the Golden Retriever.
Generally, the outer skin coat of Golden Retriever is water-resistant and dirt-repellant. Thus, it keeps the pet dry disease-free. Further, the thick hair in the outer coat helps to tolerate extreme cold conditions.
Similarly, the undercoat of a Golden Retriever acts as an insulator and prevents heat loss. Besides this, the inner skin coat also helps to maintain homeostasis. Thus, Golden Retriever can deal with hotter temperatures.
But if the temperature of the surrounding changes to extremities, the skin coat of Golden Retriever fails to maintain its homeostasis. As a result, these dogs suffer from extreme cold or excessive heat. However, the temperature at which Golden Retriever feels cold -is below 45 ºF.
Does Your Golden Retriever Feel Colder At Night?
Since Golden Retrievers enjoy outdoor, most owners keep the crate or house in the backyard. But if you live in an area where the temperature drops extensively at night, your Golden Retriever might get cold.
As we know, these dog breeds can only tolerate the optimum temperature of 45 ºF. Thus, when the temperature falls below it, the body heat of these dogs drops through the colder ground or surrounding. And your pet starts to shiver or shake in the night during sleep.
Hence, it is better to keep your Golden Retriever indoors at night. Also, check the pet regularly during the night to ensure that the pet is comfortable.
Where does your pet sleep?
If it sleeps outside, how do you keep the pet warm?
What Are The Signs That Indicates Golden Retrievers Are Cold?
Before the condition of your Golden Retriever becomes severe, it shows signs of discomfort. Therefore, if you see these signs, you should be cautious and help your pet to warm up.
Further, the signs that your Golden Retriever shows when it gets cold are:
- Restlessness
- Constantly pawing
- Frequently barking
- Slow and shallow breathing
- Excessive grunting
- Tucking of the tail between the legs
- Pinning of ears backward
- Limping or lameness
- Shaking or shivering
- Starts to look for warmer shelters
How often does your Golden Retriever show these signs?
What do you do to warm your pet?
Do Golden Retrievers Suffer From Hypothermia?
Hypothermia in Golden Retriever is an emergency health condition. And in this condition, heat loss from the body of the pet is more than heat production.
Thus, the body temperature of these dogs becomes low (98 ºF) and might kill them.
However, the most common sign of hypothermia includes:
- Dilation of the pupils
- Muscle stiffness
- Breathing problems
- Lack of energies
- Stops responding to commands
- Lack of consciousness
- Whining
- Anxiety
If your pet starts showing these signs, consult the professionals for help as soon as possible. Besides this, you should start warming up the pet immediately.
Do you know how to manage the hypothermic condition of your pet?
What Are The Steps To Cure Hypothermia In Your Golden Retriever?
Hypothermia is a fatal health condition of your Golden Retriever. And it usually results due to prolonged exposure to colder temperatures.
Generally, when your pet stays outside in the winter for more than 30 minutes, its body temperature drops below 98 ºF. As a result, the pet suffers from hypothermia. And due to this, the body of Golden Retrievers starts functioning abnormally.
Further, if you fail to manage this issue, it may lead to the death of your pet. Therefore, here are some of the steps to cure hypothermia:
- Work in increasing the body temperature of your pet.
- Blow-dry the skin coat of your Golden Retriever and wrap it with a clean and dry blanket.
- Serve your pet with warm drinks to increase the body temperature.
- Warp a hot water bottle in a towel and keep it in the stomach of your Retriever. Or you can use a hot water bag. But be careful that the bag is not too hot.
- Soak the paws of your pet in salt and lukewarm water for about 10 minutes. And dry the legs with a clean towel.
- Constantly measure the temperature of your pal after every 10 minutes. And once its temperature increase to 100 ºF, removes the water bag.
- Consult and take advice from the Vet. It helps to manage the temperature of your pet if all these steps are not helpful.
How often do you visit the Vet?
If you encounter a hypothermic pet, what will you do to manage its body temperature?
How Can You Warm Your Golden Retriever?
Owing to the enormous about of energy, Golden Retriever can tolerate the colder temperature. But if the body temperature drops to extremities (less than 32 ºF), the dog needs assistance to warm themselves.
Here are some of the ideas to warm your Golden Retriever when it gets cold.
- Clean Golden Retriever thoroughly before it enters the house. Use should brush and blow-dry its hair.
- Always supervise your pet when it plays. Never leave the pet alone.
- Do not shave the hair of your pet. It is the worst idea.
- Ensure your Golden Retriever is completely dry and clean before leaving the house.
- Make comfortable and warmer resting and sleeping areas for your pet.
- Pay attention to the diet of your pet. Include all the essential nutrients with necessary food supplements. Also, encourage the pet by giving natural snacks as treats.
- Ensure that your pal drinks an adequate amount of water.
- Engage your pet in indoor games and give sufficient attention to your pet.
- Use dress or accessories to warm your Golden Retriever.
Are these ideas helpful for your pal?
What do you do to warm your pet?
What Are Tips Protect Your Golden Retriever In Winter?
Every year your Golden Retriever may suffer from depigmentation, snow nose, or pink nose in the winter that turns to be fatal if ignored. So, here are some tips to protect your pet in winter:
- When the temperature of your surroundings drops below 20ºF, check the temperature of your Golden Retriever.
- Monitor the time that your pet spends outside.
- Ensure that your pal is completely dry after the bath.
- Never leave your pet inside the car during winters.
- Brush away and clean the snow accumulated in the fur of your pet.
- During the winter season, the sidewalks accumulate snow. And to prevent the snow, people most commonly use snow melting chemicals. Since the ingestion of these chemicals is harmful, you should supervise your pet constantly.
- Use salt and water to prevent the chemicals attached to the paws of your Golden Retriever.
- Take special care of the older and younger dogs.
- Include adequate exercising to manage the energies of your Golden Retriever. You can even take the puppies on walks. But ensure that the walks are short (15 minutes) and your pet has a sweater.
- Make your pet comfortable at night. Keep comforting and warmer blankets in the crate and frequently observe the pet.
- During winter includes hotter meals. And manage the fluid intake of your pet to prevent dehydration.
- Golden Retriever shows the early signs of frostbite and hypothermia in the tip of the ears and paws. If you observe such symptoms in your pet, soak the affected areas in warm (not hot) water for 20 minutes and wrap them with a dry towel or blanket.
- If the condition of your Golden Retriever seems unmanageable, seek the help of the Vet.
Do you think all these tips might be helpful for you?
Do you know more interesting warm-up ideas for your pet?
Accessories To Warm Your Golden Retriever
Like humans use various accessories to warm themselves in the winter. You can use similar accessories to warm your Golden Retriever in cold temperatures. And the accessories to warm your pet are:
- Outdoor heated bed for your Golden Retriever
- Dog booties to protect the paws of your pet
- Warm sweaters and jackets for your pal
- Warmer dog house
- Heaters to warm the crate of your pet
Along with this, paw balms also prevent the chemicals from the paw of your Golden Retrievers. And this mitigates the chances of ear infections, constipation, eye diseases, and skin disorders.
Which one of the above accessories do you think is more successful in warming the Golden Retriever?
Which one do you prefer for your pet?
In addition, Golden Retrievers rely on you for food, exercise, and health management. And since these breeds cannot protect themselves from the extreme cold temperature. It is the responsibility of the owners to warm the pet. Furthermore, to increase the lifespan of your Golden Retriever, you should analyze the tips and tricks properly before using them.
Undoubtedly, parenting a Golden Retriever is a tedious job. But if you start enjoying all those works, you find this interesting. And you can make lots of memories with your beautiful friend.
I hope my ideas helped you in bonding with your pet.
Do you have any suggestions to improve this article?
Please share them in the comments below.
