The Poodle is an extremely popular breed known for its intelligence and energy level. Back then, people bred Poodles as outdoor working dogs retrieving waterfowl. Given their coat of hair and history living outdoors, many people presume Poodles can easily adjust to hot and cold weather.
But is it true that Poodles can live outdoors and grow accustomed to different weather conditions? What’s the best climate for Poodles? Read on as we answer your questions.
Can Poodles Live Outdoors?
Heck no! While Poodles make excellent hunting dogs, that doesn’t mean you should keep them outdoors. Unlike the Australian Cattle Dog or Husky, there are several reasons why Poodles shouldn’t live outside:
- The Poodle’s single coat isn’t good at retaining body heat and keeping your dog warm.
- Poodles have high social needs and can’t be left alone.
- Your intelligent Poodle tends to feel overly anxious when alone or uncomfortable outdoors. As a result, your dog will bark, scratch, or whine all night.
- Staying outdoors will have an effect on a Poodles may have sleeping problems from , leading to lethargy and potential sicknesses.
- Poodles can easily escape a house when bored or frustrated, given their intelligence.
Rather than making a Poodle sleep outside, resolve the issue that makes you want to move your dog out. If you’re irritated with your dog’s barking when he sleeps indoors, then have him undergo training to fix the misbehavior. But it would help if you never forced yourself to keep your Poodle outdoors permanently.
The only time your Poodle should stay outside is for exercise or to go to the restroom.
But if there’s a legitimate reason why your Poodle should live outdoors (such as severe behavior issues or temporary interior hazards like pest control or house construction), then here are tips to follow:
- Never keep your Poodle outside in extreme weather conditions (below 40 or above 95 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Make sure you build a proper doghouse to protect your Poodle from the elements and any pests. Your Poodle should have access to shade and rain cover. The doghouse should have a cozy, well-ventilated spot for resting and napping, including his favorite toys, food, and water.
- Leave your dog an adequate amount of clean, fresh water. Clean the water bowl and replace it with new water throughout the day to prevent bacteria from coming into your dog’s body.
- Poodle behavioral issues – experiment with confining your dog to a kennel or crate indoors while you’re gone. You can also puppy-proof a small room to keep your dog in there while away.
- Escape-proof your yard to ensure your dog doesn’t try getting out. Your fence should be too high for your dog to jump and must have a barrier underneath to prevent digging underneath. The gates should be lockable so your dog can’t open them.
That brings us to the following question: What kind of weather can Poodles tolerate, then? We’ll talk about living in cold and hot weather and how Poodles react to such temperatures.
Can Poodles Live in Cold Weather?
Poodles have a fluffy appearance, but that doesn’t mean they have a winter coat. This dog breed doesn’t have fur but a coat of hair.
While that may sound like an odd distinction, it’s an important one. A Poodle’s coat means that it is:
- Non-shedding
- Considered hypoallergenic
- Curly and distinct
- Require frequent grooming
- Less effective in keeping Poodles warm
Poodles don’t have a double coat. Because of the thinner coat, it makes Poodles very susceptible to cold weather. Here are the temperatures Poodles can tolerate:
- 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit – Poodles might feel a bit cold, but they can stay warm through physical activity like walks and playtime.
- 35-45 degrees Fahrenheit – Poodles are at risk of hypothermia, so they are not allowed to stay outdoors for long periods. Have your Poodle wear winter protection when it hits between 35-45 degrees.
- Below 20 degrees Fahrenheit – Poodles need a jacket or any form of winter protection if they need to go out. These dogs can only stay outdoors for a few minutes for potty breaks. However, exposing your Poodle to this temperature causes higher risk of frostbite and hypothermia.
While Poodles can live in cold weather, they can’t go out once the temperatures hit below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on the temperatures of your area, here are the ways to keep your Poodle warm when taking them outdoors during the winter months:
- Even when your dog is indoors, he’s still prone to dry eyes, cough, and snoring from dry air. Invest in a humidifier to use at home when the weather gets too cold.
- Have your Poodle wear a doggie jacket or fitted sweater, so their natural coat keeps him warm.
- Keep your Poodle active and constantly moving around when out in cold weather for his body to heat up.
- If it gets too cold, skip outdoor exercise. After exercising in cold weather, make sure your Poodle has a warm space to snuggle up in comfortably.
- Wet dogs will feel colder than dry ones, making the winds worse. If your dog got wet during exercise, take it to a warm space.
- Apply nose butter on your dog’s nose to protect it from windburn and chapping. Also, apply paw wax on the paws to protect your dog’s feet from the cold and give it traction.
- Look out for any signs of hypothermia or frostbite in your Poodle, such as shivering, slow movements, anxiety. Take your dog indoors for heat and call emergency care if you notice these signs.
Can Poodles Live in Hot Weather?
Now that you know Poodles can’t handle the cold winter months too well, what about the warmer months?
Poodles can take the heat better than the cold; you shouldn’t leave them sitting outside for long. The heat can cause severe pain and discomfort, to the point it may even be fatal. Like the cold, there are reasons your Poodle can’t handle the extreme heat:
Poodles Can’t Sweat
Dogs can’t sweat through their skin, which gets rid of heat from evaporation. While your Poodle’s paws may sweat a bit, their primary method of getting rid of heat is through panting and drawing cool air from the tongue. Doing so keeps their blood cool, just as how sweating would do in humans.
However, that only works when there’s colder air around. When the temperature rises, panting is less effective in cooling dogs. That’s why when temperatures rise to over 95 degrees Fahrenheit, Poodles are prone to many heat-related health issues when left outdoors for even short periods.
Dehydration
Even if you’re leaving your poodle outdoors for a few minutes, he must have access to drinking water. Evaporation and dehydration can happen in mere minutes under extremely high temperatures.
Dehydration and heat exhaustion can be fatal, which is why you must ensure your dog has enough drinking water and take him inside if it gets too hot.
Sunburn
Your Poodle can get sunburnt under its single coat. Prevent this from happening by playing under the shade, using pet-friendly nose butter, sprays, or lotions with SPF, and limiting the time spent outside under direct sunlight.
Besides sunburn, your dog is prone to dry skin issues when left outdoors in the heat for long periods. The same goes for Poodles left outdoors in cold weather.
Keeping Your Poodle Cool
If you have to take your Poodle outdoors for exercise, then here are tips to follow to keep him at average body temperature:
- Make sure you take breaks during long walks under cool and shady areas.
- Place nose butter on your Poodle’s nose before going out.
- Provide a lot of clean drinking water. You can also set up a kiddie pool in your yard to cool your dog down during a hot day. Poodles love to swim in chilly waters!
- Use pet products to keep your Poodle cool, like cooling bandanas and vests.
- If your dog suffers from heat exhaustion, immediately take him to emergency care. The signs include excessive panting, reddened gums, vomiting, mental dullness, drooling, or loss of consciousness.
What is the Best Climate for Poodles?
The best climate for Poodles will fall between an area that isn’t too hot nor too cold. However, this breed can adjust to different climates well, provided that its owners prepare for the extreme heat or cold accordingly.
That said, Poodles thrive best in well-balanced weather with no extremities. As long as the area’s temperatures stay above 40 degrees Fahrenheit and don’t go beyond over 95 degrees Fahrenheit, then your Poodle can live a happy life and exercise outdoors. Just follow the information posted above, depending on the temperatures of your location.
If the temperatures go beyond the extremes for most parts of the year, it’s best to adopt or purchase another dog breed that suits your weather better. But for pet owners living in areas that only experience weather extremities some weeks of the year, a Poodle will still thrive in the household, provided that they don’t live outside.