What this means
Dogs feel the cold very differently: short-coated, small, old or lean dogs get chilly sooner than large, thick-coated ones. So the first step is to compare your dog with similar dogs and with how it used to be. What deserves attention is a change: a dog that once enjoyed being outside now heads back to the door, seeks out warm floors, or burrows against the radiator or into your bed.
In some cases the dog in the cold looks not just chilled but weaker: the steps become awkward, and the legs seem reluctant to bend or to carry the body. That may point to a muscle or metabolic problem rather than simple discomfort. Some conditions also make a dog seek warmth while it sleeps more, gains weight or thins its coat.
The cause has to be found by a vet through an examination and tests. It helps to know at what temperature the change shows, whether it is worse in the morning or after rest, whether your dog shivered or only moved to a warmer place, and whether you have also seen changes in weight, coat or energy. If you can, film how your dog walks outside on a cold day and how it behaves at home.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
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A muscle disease
Some inherited muscle diseases show from a young age and get worse in the cold. The dog may look weaker and clumsier.
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An underactive thyroid
When the thyroid gland works too slowly, a dog may keep seeking warmth. Sleepiness, weight gain or coat changes often go with it.
About the condition: Hypothyroidism -
Natural sensitivity to cold
A short coat, small size, age or leanness can make a dog feel the cold sooner without any disease. A vet can help tell the two apart.
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General weakness from illness
Many illnesses lower a dog's tolerance of its surroundings. The cold then only highlights what is already wrong.
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Pain or stiff joints
In the cold, sore joints can stiffen more, so a dog avoids the outdoors and keeps warm. This is worth describing as a separate sign.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- At what temperature the change is clearest and how long your dog can stay outside
- Whether it only feels cold and shivers, or also looks weaker and clumsier
- Whether weight, coat or energy have changed at the same time
- Whether the change came on suddenly or grew gradually
- Whether it seeks warm places indoors too, such as beside a radiator
- Whether its siblings or parents behaved in a similar way
When to book a routine visit
If your dog clearly feels the cold more than it used to, or more than similar dogs, book an examination. Say at what temperature you see it and show a video of the way it walks.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Centronuclear myopathy Nerves and muscles Centronuclear myopathy is an inherited muscle disease in which the muscle fibres do not develop properly, leaving the puppy short of strength and stamina. It becomes apparent in the first months of life and affects muscles throughout the body. A genetic test exists, so breeders can check whether their breeding dogs carry it.
- Hypothyroidism Hormones and metabolism Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces too little of the hormones that regulate metabolism. Because these hormones affect almost the whole body, a shortage gradually slows many of its processes. The changes come on slowly, so they are easy to mistake for ageing or simple laziness.
Body systems: Nerves and muscles Hormones and metabolism