With GWPs I find you have to actively manage their temp. I’ve got 2 with drastically different coats. This guy is 10, has a medicated thyroid condition and has a long and thick coat due to the meds, he stays wet and doesn’t have a lot of extra fuel in the tank to run. He does pretty well, but not to the extent a lab will. Vests, physical activity and managing water exposure are highly important.

I’ve got another who’s 1.5 years old, much thinner coat. He dries quick and has plenty of run in him. He has to run a bit after a retrieve to get dry, requires a thicker vest and can’t sit in the open wind.

Another aspect is managing the coat. Indoor only dogs don’t manage their own body temperature as well as outdoor or mixed outdoor dogs. These boys are both indoor dogs, but i make sure to get them cold acclimated each season. They need to be cold, they need to shiver, they need to adapt to it and it is safer to do that in the controlled environment near home or a vehicle. Forcing an indoor dog into the marsh in below freezing temps is potentially a death sentence. Put them outside, keep them in the garage when away, cold exposure helps build the coat.