11,828 answers about dogs
From a puppy’s first feeding schedule to a senior dog’s comfort care, dog owners ask it all — this page gathers the dog library of KinsLe Answers in one place. Browse by topic below, from feeding and training to health, grooming, safety and travel. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
2,117 answers in Choosing & Adopting — page 19 of 89
Honestly, no: a Black and Tan Coonhound is one of the harder breeds for a first-time owner to train. He is intelligent and good-natured, but he was bred to follow a scent trail independently, baying as he goes, which means outdoors his nose routinely outranks your voice and indoors he can be cheerfully stubborn.…
A Boston Terrier is not naturally suited to a cold climate, though the breed manages in northern homes with planning. A Boston has a short, single coat, a lean body with little fat for insulation, and a shortened muzzle that makes breathing frigid air uncomfortable during exertion. Keep winter walks short and dressed,…
A Yorkshire Terrier is a poor natural fit for cold weather, though Yorkies do live in cold regions as pampered indoor dogs. The breed has a single, hair-like coat with no undercoat and very little body mass to hold heat, so even a short toilet trip in wind can bring on shivering. A serious sweater, a sheltered toilet…
A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel can live in a cold climate as a mostly indoor dog, but the breed tolerates cold poorly compared with true winter breeds. The silky coat has little insulating undercoat, the body is small, and long feathered ears and legs collect wet snow and ice. Expect a warm coat for outings, short…
Yes, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi handles cold weather better than many small-looking dogs, thanks to a thick double coat developed for working outdoors in Wales. The limit is height rather than warmth: short legs put the chest and belly in deep snow, and a long back deserves care on icy steps and jumps. Give a Corgi…
A Shih Tzu can live in a cold climate as an indoor companion, but this breed is not built to enjoy long winter outings. That long coat looks warm, yet it is hair-like rather than a dense insulating undercoat, and a short muzzle, small body, and low belly leave a Shih Tzu losing heat quickly and collecting snow. Plan…
Great Danes are poorly equipped for cold climates, though devoted owners make it work with planning. A Dane carries a short, single coat over a lean, giant frame with relatively little insulating fat, so winter cold reaches him quickly and a shivering Dane is a common sight. The workable version of this pairing is an…
Australian Shepherds handle cold climates well, with a medium-length double coat developed for ranch work in variable American weather, including snowy mountain conditions. An Aussie's weather-resistant outer layer and insulating undercoat, paired with a high-activity lifestyle, keep a healthy adult comfortable…
Border Collies are well suited to cold climates, and their heritage working sheep in the border country between Scotland and England shows in a dense double coat that shrugs off wind, rain, and snow. An active Collie generates plenty of heat keeping himself warm outdoors, and most relish winter work and play.…
Staffordshire Bull Terriers are only a fair match for a hot climate, despite their short coats. A Staffy is a dense packet of muscle on a compact frame, with a broad head and shorter muzzle than running breeds, and that combination generates heat fast and sheds it slowly, and excitement makes it worse, because few…
Belgian Malinois cope with hot climates reasonably well physically — a short, close coat and an athletic, lean build shed heat better than most working breeds. Their service work in warm regions around the world proves the point. The complication is intensity: a Malinois in full drive barely registers discomfort, so…
Australian Cattle Dogs were developed for punishing work in hot, dry country, and few breeds are better equipped for a hot climate. Their short double coat sheds heat and debris, and generations of droving shaped a tough, heat-savvy dog. The danger runs the other way: a Cattle Dog's work ethic is so strong that he…
Irish Setters can do well in a hot climate, though they sit in the middle of the pack rather than at either extreme. Their silky single-layer coat is lighter than a true double coat, but the rich red hair and heavy feathering hold warmth, and a Setter's exuberant, galloping exercise style generates plenty of heat of…
German Shorthaired Pointers handle hot climates well for an athletic breed, thanks to a short, sleek coat and a build made for long days outdoors. The catch is the engine: a Pointer's drive to run, hunt, and swim straight through the heat can outrun his judgement, so conditioning, water breaks, and enforced rest are…
Chow Chows are a poor match for a hot climate, and this is one pairing where honesty matters more than optimism. The breed's massive double coat, heavy mane, and relatively short muzzle stack the odds against efficient cooling, so a Chow in a warm region lives almost entirely in air conditioning with exercise…
Shiba Inus can live in a hot climate, but heat is a real compromise for a breed built with a dense double coat for cooler Japanese weather. Humid summers are the hardest part: that plush undercoat holds warmth, and a Shiba shedding out in spring still needs air conditioning, shade, and exercise moved to dawn and dusk.…
Italian Greyhounds are among the more heat-loving small breeds, and a warm climate often suits them better than a cold one, and their fine single coat, lean build, and low body fat mean they shed heat easily and happily bask in sunshine that would send a thick-coated dog indoors. They are not invincible, though: pale…
A Bichon Frise can live comfortably in a hot climate, but only as a mostly indoor dog with air conditioning, shade, and walks saved for cooler parts of the day. That fluffy white coat reflects some sun, yet its density traps warmth close to the skin, and a small body with a playful streak can overheat during a midday…
Shetland Sheepdogs can live in a hot climate, but their lush double coat makes summer a genuine management project rather than a formality. Shelties are small herding dogs with a Collie's worth of hair, a sensitive, devoted temperament, and a strong wish to stay near their people, which at least keeps them happily…
Miniature Schnauzers are one of the better-suited sturdy small breeds for a hot climate. Their wiry double coat is light by double-coat standards, they are moderate in energy, and their hardy, adaptable temperament takes indoor summer days in stride. Keep the coat in a short, practical clip, walk them at the cool ends…
English Springer Spaniels can do well in a hot climate if their two defining traits are managed: boundless sporting energy and a love of water. Their medium double coat is no great obstacle, and swimming gives a Springer a genuinely cooling way to exercise when other breeds are stuck indoors, but the risk is a dog who…
Bernese Mountain Dogs are honestly a very poor fit for a hot climate of any popular breed. They were built for cold alpine work, with a thick black double coat that absorbs sun, a large heavy body, and a metabolism happiest in cool air. A Bernese in a warm region spends summer as an almost entirely indoor dog, with…
Boston Terriers are one of the harder breeds for a hot climate, and the reason is breathing, not coat. Their short, smooth coat is ideal in heat, but the flat face and compact airways make panting inefficient, so a Boston can overheat during excitement or a short warm walk that leaves other dogs untroubled. They…
Yorkshire Terriers are among the better small breeds for a hot climate, with one important twist: their fine, hair-like single coat carries no insulating undercoat, so a Yorkie in a sensible trim does not lug warmth around the way double-coated dogs do. The twist is size: a dog this tiny dehydrates faster, meets hot…
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