It’s winter here in the Pacific Northwest, and that means lots of ice and snow. My dogs like to go on walks ordinarily, but these days everyone mysteriously disappears if the leash comes out. It’s really no wonder. There’s no way I’m going out without a jacket or shoes, so why would they want to?
Of course, dogs aren’t always wild about coats and shoes either. This guide is strictly about the best winter gear for Chihuahuas–not how to get them to tolerate wearing it—we’ll address that in a future post.
Types of Winter Gear
There’s a huge variety in gear to help protect your dog from the weather. The most common kinds are coats, booties, and ear protection. You may not need all of these things for your pup, depending on how comfortable they are in the cold and how long you’ll be outside. In general, the longer the pup is outside the more protection they will need.
Booties
Booties are quite possibly the hardest gear to find the right fit for on chihuahuas. Chihuahuas have absolutely tiny feet, and if your dog is young or particularly small, you may find yourself in trouble.
If your pup is tiny—two pounds or less—you’re unlikely to find boots to fit those teensie weensie feet. Instead, cutting the fingers off of small latex gloves and using them to cover your dog’s feet is probably your best option.
These won’t provide a thick barrier between your dog’s feet and the snow, but it will keep their feet dry and prevent ice from balling up on their feet.
Pawz
The most commonly recommended bootie for chihuahuas is the Pawz brand. These fit all but the tiniest chihuahua puppies. They are measured by your dog’s foot size, and generally fit well based on that sizing chart.
The downside to these is that they are essentially dog-foot sized balloons and wear out fairly quickly. They’re not meant to be reused forever. They’re also a bit of a production to get on and are best done with two people. Amazon/Chewy
Walkee Pawz
These boots have suspenders to help keep the boots on, if your dog has a habit of walking out of them. These are good for dogs with paw size 1” and up. Many dog owners with dogs that dislike boots in general report dogs quickly getting used to Walkee Pawz.
We even found a few chihuahuas in there, since we all know chihuahuas can be a little more dramatic than the average dog. Amazon
Musher’s Secret
If your dog absolutely hates booties of any description but still needs protection, Musher’s Secret is the best option. This is a protective wax you apply to your dog’s paws. It keeps ice and snow from balling up on the feet, and while their feet still may get cold, it is a layer of protection.
This is what we use since it doesn’t snow often enough here to make me spend the time to desensitize my dogs to boots. Amazon/Chewy
Coats
If your dog is going to be out more than a few minutes in the cold, a coat is an essential. How warm of a coat you need depends on how long your dog will be out in the cold. Prepare yourself, generally the warmer the coat the more expensive it is.
Canada Pooch
If your dog is going to spend a lot of time out in the cold, Canada Pooch makes coats for chihuahuas as small as 5 pounds, with very warm high-quality materials. These fit chihuahuas fairly well, with the average chihuahua being somewhere between size 8 and 10.
Be advised, with high quality products comes high quality prices. While there’s no doubt this is some of the best winter gear for chihuahuas, our jaw dropped when we saw a few of the price points. Amazon/Chewy
Gooby
Gooby specializes in small dogs. They have everything from sweaters and vests to raincoats and jackets. Many chihuahua owners report these fit well. Many owners give rave reviews for their warmth and fit. Most of the dogs we found reports on were between 5 and 8 pounds.
As an added bonus, while Gooby is very high quality the price is a lot better than Canada Pooch. Amazon
FitWarm
If you’re looking for a simple fleece or sweater that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, FitWarm is your brand. These are warm enough for crisp fall walks or short winter excursions, but probably not warm enough for a winter hike.
Our dogs prefer this style because they’re not a fan of the thicker (and stiffer) coats. These sweaters can fit a 5 pound or larger dog comfortably. Sometimes the best winter gear for chihuahuas is the only kind they will wear. If that’s the case, a simple sweater is better than running around in the snow naked. Amazon
The Sock
What do you do if your dog is two pounds soaking wet but still needs a winter coat? You can actually make a sweater that fits using a thick wooly sock. Cut a hole for your dog’s head and feet, and cut the excess length off to match their body.
There simply isn’t a lot of options for the very teeniest teenies unfortunately.
Head Gear
If you live in especially terrible weather, or your dog just hates his ears getting cold, a hat can help keep him that much warmer. Although there’s a few options on Amazon and Chewy, the best place to get a warm winter hat for your chihuahua is actually Etsy.
The business 2Crowns was repeatedly mentioned as a favorite source for these hats, but if they’re out of stock, simply search for winter dog hats and you’ll get a variety to choose from.
Keeping your dog warm in the winter is no easy feat. Chihuahuas are particularly vulnerable to the cold, so keeping a sweater of some kind on hand is a good idea.
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- Why Does My Chihuahua Lick My Feet?
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