Is it too cold for my dog?
Enter the temperature, wind speed and a few facts about your dog. You get a 1 to 5 cold risk level based on the Tufts weather safety scale, the wind chill, and what to do at that level.
Tim de JongFrom your weather app; 0 if calm
21 to 50 lb
Rain, sleet, wet snow, or just been swimming
Husky, Malamute, Samoyed, Bernese, Newfoundland and similar
Spends time outdoors every day this winter
For dogs that spend time outside: an insulated, draft-free shelter
Cold risk level
4out of 5
Dangerous. A dangerous situation is developing. Act promptly to lower the risk.
Too cold for a normal walk
What to do
- Short walks and potty breaks only, with a coat and booties if your dog will wear them.
- Bring your dog indoors. No dog should be kept outside in this.
- Check paws and ear tips for pale, cold or hard skin (possible frostbite).
- Feels like (wind chill)
- 21 °F
- Chart score
- 4 of 5
- Adjustments
- none
Tufts TACC weather safety scale, medium / large dog at 21 °F (NWS wind chill): chart score 4 = 4. Scores are capped at 1 and 5.
A guide based on the Tufts Animal Care and Condition weather safety scale; it does not replace watching your dog. If your dog seems weak, confused or very cold to the touch, call your vet.
How cold is too cold for a dog?
There is no single number. A wet Chihuahua and a dry Malamute standing in the same snow are in very different trouble. That is why this calculator uses the Tufts Animal Care and Condition (TACC) weather safety scale, written by veterinarian Gary Patronek at Tufts University in 1997 to help animal control officers and vets judge when weather puts a dog at risk. It scores risk from 1 (no evidence of risk) to 5 (potentially life-threatening) by the temperature the dog is exposed to and its size, then adjusts for coat, wet weather, shelter and age.
Read off the chart, a medium or large dog moves from "no evidence of risk" to "risk unlikely" below about 48°F (9°C), becomes potentially unsafe below 43°F (6°C), dangerous below 28°F (-2°C) and potentially life-threatening below 14°F (-10°C). Small dogs hit each step sooner: potentially unsafe below 43°F (6°C), dangerous below 29°F (-2°C) and life-threatening below 22°F (-6°C). Giant breeds tolerate the most, with the life-threatening level starting below about 14°F (-10°C).
Dog cold weather chart by size
Scores straight from the scale, before any adjustment for coat, rain, shelter or age. Use the temperature your dog actually feels: the wind chill when it's windy.
| Temperature | Toy | Small | Medium or large | Giant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60°F (16°C) | 2 · Unlikely | 1 · No risk | 1 · No risk | 1 · No risk |
| 55°F (13°C) | 2 · Unlikely | 1 · No risk | 1 · No risk | 1 · No risk |
| 50°F (10°C) | 3 · Possibly unsafe | 2 · Unlikely | 1 · No risk | 1 · No risk |
| 45°F (7°C) | 3 · Possibly unsafe | 2 · Unlikely | 2 · Unlikely | 1 · No risk |
| 40°F (4°C) | 4 · Dangerous | 3 · Possibly unsafe | 3 · Possibly unsafe | 2 · Unlikely |
| 35°F (2°C) | 4 · Dangerous | 3 · Possibly unsafe | 3 · Possibly unsafe | 3 · Possibly unsafe |
| 30°F (-1°C) | 4 · Dangerous | 3 · Possibly unsafe | 3 · Possibly unsafe | 3 · Possibly unsafe |
| 25°F (-4°C) | 5 · Life-threatening | 4 · Dangerous | 4 · Dangerous | 3 · Possibly unsafe |
| 20°F (-7°C) | 5 · Life-threatening | 5 · Life-threatening | 4 · Dangerous | 3 · Possibly unsafe |
| 15°F (-9°C) | 5 · Life-threatening | 5 · Life-threatening | 4 · Dangerous | 4 · Dangerous |
| 10°F (-12°C) | 5 · Life-threatening | 5 · Life-threatening | 5 · Life-threatening | 5 · Life-threatening |
| 5°F (-15°C) | 5 · Life-threatening | 5 · Life-threatening | 5 · Life-threatening | 5 · Life-threatening |
The original TACC scale is a diagonal chart rather than a table. We read the temperature at which each size bar changes score and rounded it to the nearest degree, so treat a degree or two either side of a change as a judgment call. Below 10°F (-12°C) every dog scores 5.
What makes a dog feel the cold more?
The scale adds or subtracts points for the things that change how quickly a dog loses heat:
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Out in rain or sleet (or a wet coat) | +2 |
| Toy dog | +1 |
| Puppy under 6 months, or elderly | +1 |
| Northern or heavy-coated breed | −1 |
| Good shelter and bedding available | −1 |
| Used to cold temperatures | −1 |
Wet weather counts double because a soaked coat stops insulating. Worked example: a 15 lb (7 kg) small dog on a dry 35°F (2°C) day scores 3. Add rain and it becomes 3 + 2 = 5, potentially life-threatening, without the thermometer moving at all. A Husky that is used to the cold and has a dry kennel takes 2 or 3 points off instead.
Does wind chill matter for dogs?
Yes. The National Weather Service describes wind chill as how cold people and animals feel outside, because wind strips heat from the body faster. It is defined at or below 50°F (10°C) with wind above 3 mph (5 km/h):
Wind chill (°F) = 35.74 + 0.6215T − 35.75 × V^0.16 + 0.4275T × V^0.16
T is the air temperature in °F and V the wind speed in mph. At 30°F (-1°C) with a 10 mph (16 km/h) wind it feels like 21°F (-6°C), which takes a medium dog from 3 to 4 on the scale. The original TACC chart doesn't mention wind, so feeding it the wind chill is our cautious addition. Set the wind to 0 to see the scale on air temperature alone.
Signs your dog is too cold
Early on you may see shivering, a dog that slows down, lifts its paws or tries to turn for home. Take those as your cue to go inside. Hypothermia is more serious. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists a slow pulse, shallow breathing, confusion, collapse or unconsciousness as signs. If you see them:
- If your dog is wet, dry it first, then wrap warm (not hot) water bottles in towels around its body.
- For suspected frostbite (often the ear tips, tail and toes), thaw the area slowly. Don't rub it, and don't apply snow or very hot water.
- Call your vet or an emergency clinic on the way. Hypothermia and frostbite both need a vet to check them.
How to keep winter walks safe
- Coats for thin coats. Tufts recommends a coat for pets without thick fur below 15°F (-9°C). The ASPCA suggests one with a high collar that covers from the base of the tail to the belly. A snowsuit with boots covers the paws too.
- Protect the paws. Rub petroleum jelly or a vet-approved paw balm into the pads before you go, then wash and dry the feet and belly after every walk to remove ice, salt and de-icer. Use pet-friendly ice melt on your own paths.
- Watch for antifreeze. It is lethal to dogs in small amounts, so wipe up drips in the garage and keep dogs away from puddles near cars.
- Skip the parked car. In winter a car holds the cold like a fridge, so don't leave your dog waiting in one.
- Bathe less in cold spells, and dry your dog fully before it goes out. Our bath frequency calculator helps you space baths out.
For summer, use the matching is it too hot to walk my dog? checker, and the walk distance calculator to plan how far to go.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature is too cold for a small dog?
On the Tufts weather safety scale a small dog reaches the potentially unsafe level below about 43°F (6°C), dangerous below about 29°F (-2°C) and potentially life-threatening below about 22°F (-6°C). Toy breeds, wet dogs, puppies and seniors reach each level sooner.
Can dogs stay outside in 32 degree weather?
At 32°F (0°C) the scale gives most dogs a 3 out of 5 (potentially unsafe) and toy dogs a 4 (dangerous). A healthy, heavy-coated dog that is used to the cold and has a dry, insulated shelter copes far better than a short-coated dog in the rain. No dog should be left outside without shelter in freezing weather.
Is 20 degrees too cold to walk a dog?
For most dogs it is too cold for a normal walk. At 20°F (-7°C) the scale rates small dogs 5 out of 5 (potentially life-threatening), medium and large dogs 4 (dangerous) and giant breeds 3. A brisk, short outing with a coat and a paw check afterwards is the most to aim for.
Do dogs need coats in winter?
Short-haired, small and thin dogs benefit most. Tufts advises a coat for pets without thick fur once temperatures drop below 15°F (-9°C), and the ASPCA suggests a coat or sweater with a high collar that covers from the base of the tail to the belly. Heavy-coated northern breeds rarely need one.
How long can my dog stay outside in the cold?
The Tufts scale gives no time limits. Its authors point out that a short spell in the cold is far less dangerous than the same time in high heat, so use the risk level as your guide: normal walks at levels 1 and 2, shorter outings at 3, short walks and potty breaks at 4, and bathroom breaks only at 5.
Sources
- Patronek GJ. Tufts Animal Care and Condition (TACC) scales, reprinted in Animal Sheltering, July-August 1998
- National Weather Service: Wind chill chart and formula
- Merck Veterinary Manual: What to do in a dog or cat emergency
- ASPCA: Cold weather safety tips
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts: Winter hazards for pets
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