# Raincoat advice please



## glitzydebs (Jun 10, 2011)

Can anyone recommend a good waterproof coat please. I have looked at equafleece but confused by which size to get and will it be too hot even tho we are getting drenched every day.
Be so great to go for a walk and not have the towel/bath/ ritual when we come back
Thanks everyone


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## anndante (Oct 26, 2011)

Equafleece is breathable so shouldn't make the dog hot. I had problems with size but have hopefully Polly will fill out into it!


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Oh isn't it terrible we need to consider rain coats in July   

I have equafleeces for my dogs .. but to be honest only used them a few times ... have to get them on and off, plus the paws still need washing after a wood walk   

So we just go for it and get messy and wet ... ok not as messy as little miss Betty Bossy Knickers .. she does like to get dirty


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## glitzydebs (Jun 10, 2011)

I know I can see it being a faff that's probably why I haven't bothered. I usually just plonk her in the bath and get most of the dirt off but every day!! 
But will have a look at equafleece and try and get the right size


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

I can tell you the size of my girls and which size fleece fits them best if that helps .. the equafleece are good but mine dont get used :S


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## Jack Spaniel (Jul 6, 2012)

This is just my opinion but - dogs don't wear raincoats.


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## caradunne (Nov 29, 2010)

I have two Equafleece and one raincoat. The Equafleece is brilliant if there is any mud around as it helps keep more of the body clean and the top of the legs. The raincoat has a strap under her tummy, so I use this when it is really pouring but warm outside. She does get quite warm in the Equafleece but never shows any sign of it bothering her. You do have to delve into the warm wetness to remove it after the walk - but hey ho we do much more horrible things when taking on dog care! Izzy is a pain as she straightens and stiffens her back legs as I try to remove the coat - just to add to the fiddle! But I love them, they are a godsend in the winter as we live in Devon and she loves running across muddy countryside. Getting the size is not difficult if you follow the advice on the web. Izzy is small and has had the same size since she was 8 months old. I need two so that I can wash one and have one to wear - we have a lot of rain in Devon.


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## puppylove (Jul 25, 2011)

I use my equafleece all the time and I intend to buy doggy trousers suits. Sad I know but oh so necessary in our soggy weather.


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## glitzydebs (Jun 10, 2011)

Thanks everyone we need one as the boyf has carpet and it's cream!! I can't keep putting her in the bath even tho she is now so used to it she really doesn't mind. I am very adept at just feet and ear washing


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## Pollypiglet (Oct 22, 2011)

I have a 22" Equafleece for Hattie to make it easier to get on/off I cut the hems off the legs and put a half inch slit in each leg. Fleece does not fray so no sewing. Also could try their jumpers or tee shirts as only front legs need to go in. 
Jack I take your point and in an ideal world my dogs would not wear coats but as I do not have the benefit of a utility room in which to bath and dry them (it is not good for their skin to be bathed every day) and I do not want to live in a slum the coats do their job. I find poo coats very absorbent and they take a long time to dry so the coats save the dogs fom being damp. I never put coats on my terriers and I hate to see dogs dressed up in outfits!


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I wouldn't use a raincoat as my dogs get mostly mud and dirt on their legs and paws. I have no utility room just a small kitchen. We have a great ritual- (they paddle in the muddy stream in my local park twice a day) I keep a hair dryer in my kitchen and they get a big blast on a towel when they come in. They are so used to the routine they fight over who is first and after a few minute the mud just slides off them onto my kitchen floor. I sweep it up and they are ready for the rest of the house. ( I also have cream carpets). This takes a very short time and so much quicker than bathing 2 dogs. I never worry about them getting wet or muddy.


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## Suschi (May 31, 2014)

Very useful advise. I too have lurchers and wouldn't dream of putting coats on them as they dry quickly but with a rescue cockapoo it's a whole different story! My pup is 6 months so don't know which size as am not sure if she will grow so fast now. Any ideas knowledgable people!


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Two years ago, when we had all that snow, Max used to come home shivering with cold and covered in snowballs. It was straight into a warm bath for him then, mainly to get rid of the snowballs which just turn to clumps of ice if you try to pull them off. Equafleece really come into their own then.


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

If I were you I'd go for a cheapish one that fits properly or next size up for now and an equafleece when she's stopped growing. Most coats require you to measure from the nape of the neck to the base of the tail. My favourite one is a Danish Dogs two in one which simply fits over her head and then wraps underneath with Velcro so you get some tummy coverage. You don't need to wash it every time either, you can rinse the dirty bits. It has a removable fleece liner too. She still gets muddy legs but I rinse them by using a bucket of water and a tall mug - dipping legs in one by one  http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...ange&rh=i:aps,k:danish+design+dog+coat+orange
And if the measurement falls between the sizings I'd go up one.
Here's Poppy in hers when she was younger but it still fits her just


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## Datun Walnut (Oct 15, 2013)

Just to add weight to the coat or no coat discussion. We've found that when Poppy was younger and fully rain soaked, she used to shiver like a leaf.
I think that told us all we needed to know about whether Poppy should have a coat or not.


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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

Maggie has recently gotten a new Ruffware raincoat.


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## Peanut (Dec 1, 2013)

Until she is around 6 months old I would buy something that can last her till then. Then I would measure her up and call Equafleece for advice. That's what we did and we bought 2of them and they still fit her. Considering that they are not cheap, it is better to wait. 

I agree with Neil. No discussions about whether dogs should wear clothes or not. When I see Peanut shaking every single time in the park in winter, the decision is taken for me. 

I don't know if you know but Spaniels do not regulate their body temperature effectively, it is an issue with the breed. They get very cold and very hot and they have problems adjusting their bodies. 

I am glad I kept the little one I bought her when she was tiny. That lasted until she was around 4 / 5 months. Coconut will use that and then move into one of the equafleeces (as if it was all planned!!)


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I see this is an old thread from 2012! I have to say since my last posting I have bought 2 raincoats from bonniedogs.co.uk. They are brilliant- easy to put on, cover their legs right down to their paws with elasticated sleeves, are fully washable and are brilliant for walks on the rain. Drying off two wet dogs are hard work and these really help.


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