As a dog owner, you haven’t felt true pain until you’ve adopted a dog that refuses to go out in cold and wet conditions. Especially if you live in an area where it is cold and wet for most of the year.
Thankfully, there is a wide range of breeds that not only tolerate the snow but thrive in it. Some breeds are even bred to work in these conditions.
Are Staffies one of these breeds? Today we will be looking at that and whether they have any health conditions that make living in the cold unpleasant for them
Staffies a brief bio
Staffies (or Staffordshire Bull Terriers) are a short-haired terrier breed from the United Kingdom. The breed is popular across the world.
Staffies are known for their love of children, their intelligence, their courage and their loyalty. They make great family pets and mix really well with children.
They will be at their best with experienced dog owners who can devote lots of time to their training and exercising.
Staffies have been popular because of their intimidating presentation (their size, intense stare, their visible muscles), however, they are one of the sweetest dog breeds you will ever meet. They adore children and love to be made part of the family.
Do Staffies get cold easily?
Staffies were bred in the UK. They are a mixture of an Old English Terrier and an Old English BullDog. This mix means that they are able to cope with a certain level of cold conditions. As the UK isn’t famous for its lovely weather.
During UK winters the temperatures will often drop below 32F. And they will occasionally see snow.
Staffies are able to cope with these temperatures well. And despite being short-haired they will not need to wear coats in this weather. Or in the rain. Unless they have muscle issues, in which case their vet may recommend a coat to prevent the muscles from seizing up.
Do Staffies like the rain?
Staffies have very strong personalities and will often have strong opinions about rainy days and storms.
On the whole, Staffies love the rain but are very scared of thunderstorms. Many people are shocked to see such large and imposing dogs jumping into their parents’ laps as soon as they hear something scary outside.
However, it is quite common for Staffies to enjoy playing outside in the rain. They are very smart dogs and have no problem making their own entertainment. We would recommend keeping an eye on your Staffy if they play in the garden while it rains. You may find them covered in mud having built a new water feature for you.
Your Staffy may be reluctant to go out in the rain at first. But after some encouragement, they will soon be outside having the time of their lives. They have been known to try and catch raindrops out of the sky and even jump in puddles. They may even be tempted to roll around in the fresh mud.
Do Staffies like the cold?
As we have mentioned before, Staffies originally hail from the UK where the weather isn’t great. So they are able to cope with fairly low temperatures.
However, in the UK they don’t often get snow. How do Staffies feel about snow?
The good news is that most Staffies love the snow.
However, they do not like standing still in it.
As most Staffy owners know, Staffies like to be entertained and are very smart. Therefore the best thing you can do with your Staffy in the snow is to play games with them. They are very happy scampering across the snow and picking fights with snowballs.
They may even enjoy playing with some of their toys out on the snow. Staffies also love to dig. The snow offers an endless opportunity to dig.
What Staffies may not enjoy are snowstorms with strong or high winds. They have sensitive ears that will be troubled by the wind. They may also find the noises made by snow storms distressing. If they do, the best thing you can do is keep them company and give them lots of things to distract them. The earlier you can introduce your Staffy to the snow, the better.
Staffies are prone to developing joint pains as the breed is so front heavy. When they get older they may start to enjoy the cold less as it aggravates their joints. There are, however, some really easy ways to reduce this stress for them.
You can get both coats and leg warmers for Staffies. This will help to keep their joints and muscles warm, even in the snow. These protective pieces of clothing will open a whole new winter wonderland up to your elderly dog.
They also may want to wear these during rainy and windy days.
