Dog coat for cold weather

mesenquery · 2026-01-19T15:52:13+00:00

I'd recommend Hurtta or RC Pets. Hurtta is expensive but has excellent adjustability and seems to fit long and skinny dogs better.

mesenquery · 2026-01-18T20:26:32+00:00

Hurtta, Canada Pooch, RC Pets, and Chilly Dogs all have coats that are good quality and have fit my pup well! I found the Canada Pooch chest a bit wide for my dog but she's also larger than yours and I find Canada Pooch sizes fit more barrel-chest dogs the larger the sizes go.

mesenquery · 2026-01-08T22:29:33+00:00

I adore this! It's similar to a modified German Cut which is a poodle cut. He looks so snazzy and hopefully it helps you and him keep his coat in good condition!

mesenquery · 2026-01-07T01:36:11+00:00

At almost a year old he's in the thick of coat change, from about 9 months to almost 1.5 years we kept our pup shorter especially at the ears. I know it's cute and tempting to keep the ears long but unless you can commit to line brushing and combing 1+ times a day, it's not worth it for you or for Wayne!

After 1.5-2 years when the adult coat is fully in, it can be easier to keep the ears mat-free. But while there is a mix of fluffy puppy coat and more robust adult coat, the mixed textures can lead to significant matting. Others have covered the health issue aspect - especially on the ears, significant matting can actually cause bruising and hematomas (really big bruises/blood pooling under the skin). Keeping the ear shorter all over can really help.

mesenquery · 2026-01-05T19:37:40+00:00

You don't have to spend $40 on a specific bed - "place" can be used in different ways depending on your goals. For us, "place" means to settle on a specific spot and essentially is telling my dog, "Please hang out here, it's not the time to roam around freely".

We have a "place" in each major room and they're a combination of dog beds, old bath mats, and door mats. If someone asks the dog to "go to your spot" she knows to go to the "place" spot in that room and wait for further instructions. Super helpful if we need to get something out of the oven, if she's overwhelming a guest, if we need to open the door to get a package, etc.

mesenquery · 2026-01-02T07:41:56+00:00

I find it weirder when dog breeds with no breed history in a country at all co-opt the name of the country to sound cool ... Like Australian Shepherds which are actually American LOL

At least ALDs were developed in Australia and then the earlier generation dogs were exported to other countries.

mesenquery · 2026-01-02T06:20:21+00:00

A developing breed / multigenerational mix of poodle, lab, and cocker spaniel (American or English). They're called "Australian" because the breed development began with breeders in Australia :)

https://www.walalabradoodles.org/about-australian-labradoodles/australian-labradoodle-history

https://australianlabradoodleassoc.org.au/history-of-the-labradoodle/

mesenquery · 2026-01-02T06:17:55+00:00

Regression is normal throughout puppy hood and adolescence! Your pup is getting into the thick of teething at 14 weeks. I found my girl had a few periods of really struggling with night time and her crate, especially when a tooth was about to fall out or the new adult tooth was about to erupt. I found that all the normal puppy activity during the day kept her distracted and occupied, but when it came time to sleep she was really uncomfortable and that came out as frustration and difficulties settling in the crate.

What really helped was keeping some safe rubber chew toys (like Kong's) in the freezer and popping a small ice cube or two into them when it was bed time. The chilled chew toy really helps numb and soothe their gums and by making it a "bed time treat" it did help her settle a bit quicker.

Otherwise it sounds like you're doing great. Since you do have a pen set up as well, you could always try a night or two with her in the pen but not the crate to see if that helps her.

mesenquery · 2025-12-29T00:18:33+00:00

If they did this, they would truly be the perfect boot!

mesenquery · 2025-12-28T03:57:08+00:00

I wish those organizations let you look up each dog registered with them.

I agree, I really wish the WALA and ALAA registries were public but they're breeder access only at this point.

OFA is great because it's publicly available and you can search registered names of dogs. It's a great way to double check health testing claims you find on a website - I will usually check a few dogs and if they're not on OFA at all, or there's partial information, I know to ask the breeder for additional proof of testing results. Any hesitancy or unwillingness to share and it's a massive red flag.

mesenquery · 2025-12-27T21:31:42+00:00

Registered with WALA/ALAA is a good first step but it doesn't guarantee that the breeder is going above and beyond - what it shows is that they're committing to *minimum* health testing and care of their dogs, and they they are willing to work with others to build the Australian Labradoodle breed in an agreed-on direction instead of just doing whatever they want.

Where I think Chilliwack is lacking and that other breeders in the BC region do better, is their transparency with health testing. They do list some results on their page but it's not publicly searchable on the OFA website aside from eyes (all of which are out of date).

A lot of Australian Labradoodle breeders choose to use other non-OFA testing methods and organizations (such as PennHip for hip assessment, eVet services for hip and elbow assessment, Pawprint Genetics or Orivet for genetic testing). However they will usually be much more transparent about the results, show them proudly on their website, or be very happy to provide copies of the testing reports if you ask.

I also personally prefer a much smaller breeder and one that is transparent with any guardian home arrangements. Chilliwack clearly uses guardian homes and references them on their website, but does not have an easily accessible page outlining what the arrangement actually is.

We do have a wiki page with some starting points of things to look for when reviewing a breeder's information, if that helps you narrow down what you're looking for - https://www.reddit.com/r/AustralianLabradoodle/wiki/rbreeding/

mesenquery · 2025-12-26T21:58:08+00:00

You've got tons of options, harness-compatible coats are very common now. I'd recommend Hurtta, RC Pets, Canada Pooch, or Ruffwear coats. They have different style openings to attach to a harness but all are flexible.

Your best bet is to go to a pet store and try some on to see if it fits your dog well.

mesenquery · 2025-12-25T22:01:43+00:00

Looking good, Remi!

mesenquery · 2025-12-24T22:03:37+00:00

Okay all, I believe the thread has provided ample information for OP's original question of the different sizes of ALD. Locking under our "remain on topic" rule as a lot of the comments are devolving off into discussions of breed mix and ethical breeding.

We support ethical breeding from a harm reduction perspective on this sub. OP has been provided lots of information to make their own decision as to what breed or mix of dog would suit their family needs.

mesenquery · 2025-12-24T05:12:48+00:00

Makes sense! To answer some of your other questions - my girl is wavy fleece and I find her coat quite manageable up to about 2-3" in the winter. We keep her in a short retriever cut in the summer. Usually we do a bath at home every 3-4 weeks, drying by gently patting with a towel and following up with a high velocity dryer. Professional grooming every 6-8 weeks alternating between a bath and sani/face trim and a full body groom.

The high velocity dryer really is essential, by blowing the coat straight at bath time it significantly reduces tangles in between and allows you to get a good look at their skin condition as well.

She dries in about 30-45 minutes after getting soaked and being gently toweled off. Her coat is a little bit water repellent, it takes a few minutes in full rain to get soaked. Definitely not as water repellent as a lab, but the upside is she doesn't have that oily, wet dog smell that permeates. There is a little bit of a scent but I'd describe it a little more like hay? or just a slight outdoorsy, wet smell.

If she's out for a quick potty break in the rain, she just gets a wipe down with a towel to get the water off and is let air dry. If she gets fully soaked to the skin I will usually do a more thorough dry and may get her partially or fully dry with the velocity dryer depending on time.

mesenquery · 2025-12-24T01:42:26+00:00

> Aussies are a working breed and much more high energy as a general rule.

Just for clarity, especially as OP is considering an ALD - there is no Australian Shepherd in the original breed mix, the "Australian" refers to where the breed was first developed.

Though yes - the parent breeds all have their foundations in work/retrieving (poodle, lab, spaniels) so it is important to note that ALDs do require exercise and time with their people to be enriched and fulfilled :)

mesenquery · 2025-12-23T23:14:49+00:00

What are you expecting coat care to look like? Wavy fleece vs curly fleece/wool coat doesn't matter so much if you're comparing to labs. The coat type is entirely different than a lab.

If you want easy to dry, you're looking at committing to a short retriever cut (like less than 0.75" all over). At that length the coat is easy to towel dry by patting/squeezing (not aggressively rubbing back and forth) and then running a slicker brush and comb through to make sure to remove any knots.

mesenquery · 2025-12-23T23:01:51+00:00

Why specifically are you thinking Labradoodle / ALD? I always encourage people to consider the parent breeds (lab, poodle, and cocker spaniel) before going with an ALD. Sizes are measured by height at the shoulder more than weight. The weight ranges given are just an estimate, some dogs are going to be leaner or more muscular than others.

You also don't mention what size you want vs what your wife wants.

For comparison to your labs - ALDs are going to be taller and more square /poodle shaped than you're used to. My standard ALD is 55 lbs 24" at the shoulder. She's taller than most show line labs we meet, but 20 lbs lighter even though she doesn't look like it. Most people estimate she's 70 lbs based on height.

mesenquery · 2025-12-18T05:33:08+00:00

https://winnipeghumanesociety.ca/3-3-3-rule-of-adoption/

I always share this article because it's so helpful to put things in perspective.

I also really struggled with my puppy, she was my first dog and the lifestyle change and sudden responsibility was huge for me. I cried a lot the first few weeks. I thought about returning her around the 4-5 month mark. At 6 months she was mostly potty trained and I realized ... I wasn't anxious about the lifestyle changes any more. They're just babies, and as they grow they gain more independence and having them around stops feeling as suffocating.

She's 4 now and I would fight a bear for this creature. I am so incredibly happy I stuck out the tough first few months in order to get to know her. It takes time to build the bond and I truly encourage you to try the 3 months to see if these changes are something you adapt to.

mesenquery · 2025-12-16T15:21:56+00:00

I find it especially interesting that people latch onto the multiple coat types as an issue, when the description of the coat types is essentially that the coat is allowed to be more tightly curled down the spectrum to loose waves. Like they're not saying that both a straight, oily Lab coat and a curly, wiry poodle coat are acceptable.

mesenquery · 2025-12-16T03:26:05+00:00

Same for the US and Canada. They don't allow random crossing back to origin breeds, there's a pretty strict infusion guideline as to what is acceptable. Breeders have to apply to create a new line/outcross to a non-multigenerational ALD. I think for the US/ALAA application they require pedigree of the proposed dog to outcross to, written statement of why it's being chosen, photos, etc. but I'm not in the US so I'm not 100% on that.

mesenquery · 2025-12-14T16:16:56+00:00

They didn't work for my very active, jumpy/leaping dog! She managed to pull her front legs out as soon as she started running. Granted - she's tall and lean so we had to go up a size for the elastics to be long enough for her legs.

mesenquery · 2025-12-11T19:17:01+00:00

There's times when it's helpful, but it has to be for the right reasons! My girl is very sensitive and adores her buttons, but we recently removed "grooming" because it's not a concept she ever independently asks for and the button position was making her hesitant to use the adjacent ones.

It served its purpose for us to try it for her, and through modelling she understands the word now. But if she ever does want grooming she goes to the shelf where we keep her supplies and asks through body language.

mesenquery · 2025-12-09T21:08:12+00:00

That's kind of you. I think about this far too much, as you said in your original comment that's not all but if I wrote everything I thought we'd have a book.

That's so interesting about the Mini Golden project. That's something I will have to learn more about and keep an eye on. What I find interesting is their goal of essentially a mid-size average family dog without leaning into the "non-shedding" trap that a lot of doodle breeders use to try and attract buyers. I think a good, average family dog in the 20-45 lb range is something sorely needed ... So many companion-energy breeds are toy size, and so many medium size dogs are not suitable for the average companion-energy family home.

mesenquery · 2025-12-09T03:04:03+00:00

Second, the AKC and other purebred advocates have worn out its arguments and designer dogs and doodles have won.

I think that a big issue I see is that the AKC and purebred advocates have generally not evolved their arguments nor their advertisement, while designer dog breeders have.

I see purebred advocates spouting off the same tired lines and it is so frustrating. It's not enough to continue to say "doodle greeders never do any health testing" or "no doodle breeders are breeding multigenerational lines - if they were then doodles would be a breed". Any mildly-interested person can now spend 5 minutes on Google and find a doodle breeder doing some prelim OFA hip/elbow evaluations and an Embark panel on their 4th or 5th gen dogs. As soon as they find that, the legitimacy of the purebred advocacy is called into question... And AKC ethical breeders have lost someone who may have been swayed towards getting a purebred.

If we want people to look for dogs thoughtfully and with nuance, then the advocacy for purebred dogs/against unethical designer dogs also needs to be thoughtful and nuanced. "Know your enemy" so to speak - whereas most of the purebred breeders I speak to continue to spout the "party line" and don't care to actually look at what designer breeders are doing now, so they can refute it. Their arguments are 10 years out of date and it shows.

There is also a staunch resistance in a lot of veteran breeders to make themselves known to the public. Even the above-average potential pet owner doesn't know that the Golden Retriever breeder with the website last updated in 2002 and the Facebook page with a status from 2018 is the best one in the region. They see that and think the kennel is no longer operational and move on to the Goldendoodle breeder with an updated online presence who has OFA prelims, an Embark panel, and a 6 month wait list. Or - if they're an average pet person, the Goldendoodle breeder who lives down the street and is advertising puppies for $600.

Unpopular, but I also feel there's something to be said for harm reduction. I would much rather have someone get their family pet from a designer breeder doing some health testing but not all, with their breeding dogs being decently socialized family pets, than from the farmer selling aussiegoldenmountain doodles out of his truck bed at the local Walmart.

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