Heatstroke is Real! How Dog Cool Coats Can Help.

Preventing heatstroke for your dog will be an important precaution for you to take as summertime approaches. You're probably aware of the risk of dogs suffering from heatstroke.  Since dogs can't sweat except through the pads of their feet, with a little help from panting, when conditions get hot, they can run into trouble pretty quickly.

What does heatstroke look like?

Signs of heatstroke include:

– Panting
– Decreased responsiveness
– Drooling
– Dark red gums
– Confusion and/or anxiety
– Glazed eyes
– Rapid heart rate
– Labored breathing
– Temperature above 103
– Vomiting or diarrhea, possibly with blood in them

If you see these symptoms, you need to try to cool your dog off a.s.a.p.!  What you can do:

– Get them out of the heat
– Let them stand or lay in cool water and bath them in it
– Encourage them to drink cool (not ice cold) water

If these steps don’t get your dog to a normal state quickly, or if you see seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, or minimal consciousness, you need the vet’s help as quickly as possible. Organ damage quickly starts in and makes rescue much more difficult.

Helping your dog stay cool

Since your dog can suffer drastically from becoming overheated, you'll want to prevent it as much as possible. There are several ways you can help your dog cool off.  You can:

-  Keep them in an air-conditioned environment

-  Let them have access to pools or lakes

-  Use fans to circulate and cool air

-  Provide cooling pads for them to lie down on

-  Plan outings for later in the evening or early morning

-  Put cooling coats on them

Why a cool coat is an important tool for preventing heatstroke

All of these methods help in one way or another.  However, they're all used in different ways and have different benefits. Cool coats have the ability to be worn by the dog, so they go wherever your dog goes, allowing for cooling in any location.  

While they can be very effective, the other approaches listed are much less mobile. Unless you don't plan to go anywhere, mobility is a consideration. Having a cool coat can allow you and your dog to go outdoor dog events, on hikes, or parks with more freedom from worry.

When it's really hot, you may want to use several approaches so you can keep your dog as cool and comfortable as possible.

We love our cool coats!

If you're in the market for a cool coat, take a look at Made by De.  I make each coat just for your dog, so it will fit just right. And it'll have all the features you and your dog want to make it the best cool coat you can buy.  

What are dog britches?

 

What are dog diapers, aka dog britches?

If you have a female dog that is intact or an incontinent dog, you know what dog diapers are. They are an article of clothing that your dog wears to keep the mess contained. There are several different ways to attempt to accomplish this, but they are not all equal in terms of comfort, cost and effectiveness.

Why would my dog need a diaper?

The main reasons for needing a diaper are 

1) If a female dog is intact, she's going to have heat cycles, which involves at least some blood and can get pretty smelly.

2) A dog is elderly, has been injured or for some other reason, can't control their bladder or bowel movements. Both males and females can be incontinent, although anatomy leads to some differences in how to contain it.

What are my choices?

You can buy disposable diapers for your dog at most pet stores.  This makes it easy to find but can get pricey and adds up to a lot of trash.

You can buy dog diapers that are made to be reused, out of cloth usually.  These are a little harder to find and a little more expensive at first, but they’re washable and can be reused.  The benefit is that your investment will pay for itself pretty quickly, and you won’t be adding to the trash heap. Plus, you can find people that make them specifically for your dog, so the fit is more correct.

You can rig something up with human baby diapers or men’s undershorts.  This can work in a pinch, but they aren’t designed for dogs, so they may not fit very well and may not contain the mess you’re hoping to contain.

What should I look for in a dog diaper?

1) A diaper needs to be easy to use. Whether it's for a coupe of weeks or ongoing you're going to have to deal with it several times a day, so you want a product that doesn't cause extra work  It needs to be easy to put on and take off as well.  And clean up should be simple.

2) You (and your dog) want a product that doesn't cause irritation or sore spots.  If it doesn't fit right, a diaper will rub at the groin, between the legs or otherwise cause discomfort.  If your dog isn't comfortable, they are likely to try to remove the diaper in any way they can. 

3) The diaper needs to stay in place in order to serve it's purpose.  If the fit isn't right, the chances of it coming off increase greatly, leading to a mess.

FYI, diapers or britches are NOT designed to prevent pregnancy.  

What’s the best choice?

The best choice is the one that works for you and your dog.  When you have a situation that calls for a diaper, it helps to know the options to make the best decision available.  Keeping a diaper on your dog when it’s needed will help your fur kid be more a part of the family instead of being banned to the crate, outside, etc. You’ll feel better, and so will they.

Made by De, my online business, makes custom dog diapers.  Take a look for more information.

How Does a Dog Cool Coat Help Them Cool Off?

Summertime means the temperatures are going up. Here in Wyoming, we are hovering around 90-100 degrees most days during the summer. Many parts of the northern hemisphere are in the same range or higher. I kind of like the heat. Not too bad for me, but it makes people sweat a lot. Dogs don’t like it nearly as much as humans do since they don’t sweat like we do.

To cool off, they can sweat through the pads of their feet. While it’s not sweating, the other thing they can do is pant. Panting allows evaporation through the saliva of the mouth. Since these are such small areas, they don’t work very quickly and are not very effective for keeping your dog cool in higher temperatures. That's why they are at such high risk of overheating and even heat stroke.

What is evaporation and how does it help with cooling?

Evaporation is a process in which liquid turns to gas. It happens naturally with no help from us. While evaporation is taking place, the temperature of the air around it goes down several degrees. Maybe you remember something about that in high school physics class? 

For me, that was quite a while ago, but you can look it up at this site. And more importantly, you can feel it. Put your hand next to but not directly on something that’s wet and in the process of drying.

This process can be used to help your dog cool off in places where they can’t sweat, which is most of their body. Putting a wet towel on them can help, although it’s pretty messy. Your dog ends up drippy, and that dripping water ends up anywhere close to your dog. 

How can you use evaporation to keep your dog cool?

What if you could find something that allows evaporative cooling but doesn’t cause the mess of a wet dog. A few years ago, I started to experiment with this methods. I found this synthetic chamois made out of 100% rayon. It was being sold as a cleaning product but could be repurposed into clothing. Specifically dog clothing. 

It turns out that this fabric holds onto water for several hours. It can be wrung out so that it doesn’t drip and still keep cooling. And when the extra water is gone, the dog wearing the coat doesn’t get wet either. 

While there are many brands of cool coats out there, here's why a Made by De coat is better.

1) Made just for your dog

2) Constructed of quality materials

3) They really work

Find out more on my website, Made by De.

 

Show Dogs Have Special Needs

Show season is in full swing!

If you show dogs in conformation, you know that the show season is now underway.  You may be making plans for attending your breed specialty or maybe you're going to shows closer to home.  No matter how you participate in dog shows, if you're attending you may have a number of issues to deal with in order to be as successful as possible. Made by De can help! I make each item using your dog's measurements and with your input so I can most closely fit the needs of you and your dog.

Keeping your dog from overheating and feeling like a limp noodle is usually a challenge in the heat.  My cool coats, both functional and fancy. They work through evaporation to keep your dog feeling fresh and energetic. Just soak them in water and wring out the excess.

If you have a long haired dog like an Irish Setter or a Cavalier Spaniel, you may have grooming issues.  My slinkies and grooming suits often come in handy for keeping coats smooth and clean or taming those curls.  

And if you have a show dog, you have to have them intact, so diapers (britches or belly bands) may be needed to help manage any calls of nature that might come up.

I can customize to suit most any need so be sure to let me know what you have in mind and I can often come up with something that solves the problem. Be sure to check out my website, www.madebyde.com, to see my current offerings.  And feel free to contact me to discuss new designs, new features, different colors, etc.  That's the beauty of custom, handmade work!

Summer is a comin'. Is your dog ready?

Are you ready for summer?

Is your dog?

Made by De has lots of stuff to help your dog (and therefore you) have a great summer and beat the heat in style!

All my coats are made by me, custom, so they will fit! Check out my website, www.madebyde.com, for listings, diagrams, fabrics..........design your perfect dog clothes!

And so much more! Check it out!

Fleece dog jackets! Because the seasons are changing!

Spring (and fall) can be challenging for keeping your pups comfortable.  The temperatures are generally warming up, but mornings and evenings are still pretty cool.  And, in many areas, the occasional snowstorm is not out of the question.

That is why fleece jammies and jackets are so handy.  This girl is wearing some of the lighter weight fleece jammies that I make.  Fleece provides some warmth without overdoing it, like a sweatshirt for us.  Either the lightweight fleece or the warmer Polartec 300 fleece is easy to layer under coats for those blustery days that continue to occur, so they serve double duty.

This sweet bulldog is wearing my Ultra Fleece pajamas, made of a nice dense fabric with water and wind blocking properties. 

And I have Ultra Fleece jackets made of Polartec 300 as well.  They have a turtleneck and tummy coverage but your dog does NOT have to put legs through holes.  Also great for layering for changing weather.

As with all of my stuff, I make each one just for  your dog, using your measurements and giving you choices of colors and options.  Check out my website to see more!

Who wants that "Wet Dog Smell"? Dog raincoats keep the pups dry!

You know that "Wet Dog Smell"?  When it rains, that can be what you get.  Unless you take steps to keep those pups dry. My dog raincoat can help with that. Made of Ultrex outer and lined with cotton flannel, so it's lightweight and comfy for your best friend.

This coat is made of single layer P.U.L. nylon so it folds up small enough to stick in your bag or even a pocket.  Available with many options for fitting your dog.

I can install a harness port for any coat, as well as hoods or flip up collars, tummy panel or a strap, draping, darts, whatever! Let me know what you need and I can usually come up with something to meet that need.

Find out more on my website!