Do Cane Corsos need a coat in winter when it gets cold?

Since the Cane Corso originates from southern Italy, where temperatures rarely fall below 10 degrees Celsius, you may wonder if Cane Corsos need a coat when it gets cold in winter. In this article, I will go into more detail about how Cane Corsos handle cold weather.

Depending on how cold it is and how long you will be out with your Cane Corso, a coat can make sense in winter. For long walks at 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) or colder, a coat is quite useful Cane Corsos have short fur and a bit of undercoat, which protects them from the cold to a certain degree. However, because of their heritage, Cane Corsos do better with heat than cold.

Can Cane Corsos handle cold weather?

In order to understand whether Cane Corso can cope with cold weather, it makes sense to look at where Cane Corso originally come from.

Cane Corso, as we know and love them today, originate mainly from Southern Italy, where they were used as guard dogs for house and yard but also as herding dogs for cattle or hunting big game.

Temperatures in southern Italy rarely fall below 10 degrees Celsius. There is practically no winter. Cane Corsos are, therefore, perfectly adapted to mild or warm climates and handle best with them.

Due to their worldwide distribution, Cane Corsos can be seen in colder regions where it sometimes snows and temperatures fall below freezing.

Cane Corsos also tolerate colder weather up to a certain point and handle it. Of course, not as well as breeds with a very dense coat that protects them optimally from the cold.

Do Cane Corsos need a coat in winter?

In certain situations, it makes sense to put a coat on your Cane Corso in winter. When the temperature drops below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) or in cold weather, it rains or drizzles, they cool down quickly.

Cane Corsos are perfectly adapted to the mild Mediterranean climate with their velvety short coat. Therefore, it is not surprising that they do not cope well with extreme cold and wet.

As a general rule, I would recommend a Cane Corso wear a coat in winter to protect him from cold but also wet. The cost and effort for a coat are much less than the possible veterinary costs.

When do Cane Corsos need a coat?

Of course, Cane Corsos do not need a coat in every situation. Below I will describe a few situations in which I would and would not put a coat on my Cane Corso.

Situations in which a Cane Corso does not need a coat:

For a short walk around the block so Malou can pee and poop, I would not put a coat on her. For walks of 15 – 25 minutes, I don’t think it is necessary.

When I go jogging or biking with our Cane Corso in the winter, I also do without a coat. When dogs are physically active, I don’t think it is necessary.

Situations in which a coat is useful with a Cane Corso

• In winter, when temperatures drop around freezing or even below, a coat is helpful on a long walk through the woods or across the fields. Cane Corsos have short, thin fur; if they are not “sporty” active, they freeze times faster. This is comparable to us. We wear a thick jacket in winter when we go for a walk. But we wear much less when we go running at the same temperatures.

• In drizzle or light-fast fall, I would also put a coat on my Cane Corso if it is colder than about 7 degrees Celsius, and I plan a longer walk. Whereas I have to say that Malou doesn’t feel like long walks at all in this weather.

• Puppies should always wear a coat in winter when it is cold because their immune system is just not fully developed yet. Also, Cane Corso puppies get wet on their bellies faster because they are still very small. For Malou, we made a coat out of an old children’s jacket when she was a puppy :-). Since she grows very fast, we didn’t want to buy a new coat for maybe 2 weeks.

• Old and sick Cane Corsos should also wear a coat when it is cold and wet in winter. In sick animals, the immune system is weak anyway, and in old dogs, it is similar to the puppies. Their immune system slowly weakens, and they are more susceptible to infections.

Signs that your Cane Corso is cold!

You can tell when your Cane Corso is cold and freezing. The following symptoms may appear:

• The most obvious sign that your Cane Corso is cold is when he shivers.
• A tense posture with a raised back and tucked tail indicates that he is cold.
• If your Cane Corso whines and does not want to go any further but rather back away are signs that he is cold.
• Overall, your Cane Corso is less active or even listless when cold.
• If you notice these symptoms in your dog, it is a sign that you should turn around and bring him into the warm to prevent worse.

Next time, you will know that a dog coat for your Cane Corso would be appropriate in this situation.

Signs that your Cane Corso has a cold!

Even if your Cane Corso has a cold, he needs to go for a walk every day to get rid of it. Even though the walks may be much shorter because he doesn’t have as much energy, they are necessary.

If your dog already has an infection, I would put a coat on him even for short sessions to be safe.

You can tell that your Cane Corso has a cold by the following symptoms:

• the nose is stuffy or constantly running. This also causes your Cane Corso to snore.
• nasal congestion can cause your Cane Corso to snore.
• your Cane Corso has to sneeze more often
• cough is a sign of a cold in dogs
• watery eyes can be a sign of a cold in your Cane Corso
• listlessness and loss of appetite are also signs of a cold

Related Cane Corso Posts:

• Do Cane Corso and Rottweiler go together?
• Why does my Cane Corso destroy everything?

In any case, to be on the safe side with these symptoms, I would have your Cane Corso additionally examined by a veterinarian to rule out more serious illnesses.

Suitable dog coats for Cane Corso

I think it is better to put a dog coat on your Cane Corso in case of doubt than to go to the vet with him when things are going badly because he has caught a cold.

The costs for a suitable dog coat and the effort to put it on before a walk are much less than the effort and the costs for a vet.

With dog coats, there are all kinds of shapes, colors, and equipment variants; in my opinion, a simple water-repellent, lined, and breathable dog coat is quite sufficient.

Conclusion: Do Cane Corsos need a coat when it is cold?

If it is freezing and maybe even raining or snowing, a dog coat is definitely recommended. The cost and effort for the coat is much less than a visit to the vet. Plus, you’ll be on the safe side.

@The Len-stock.adobe.com (Contributed image)