April showers is so true in this state. Every year this northern state seems to have a very rainy, very muddy spring with a few days of monsoon like rains. The battle is real if you own a dog with the elements. Just when the coast is almost clear after battling a snowy winter in comes spring rains like the proverbial lion.
Wash And Wear Dogs
The Fluff is a nickname referring to a dog that needs to be "fluffed" due to the dog having hair verse fur. The Fluff is not a wash and wear dog. Rain makes the Fluff look pretty much like a very large rat. It is not pretty.
However, the reality of not being a wash and wear dog is a wet Fluff must then be dried with a hair dryer (that is an event) and the hair blown out (that is an event) so the curly hair does not mat. All of the above is an EVENT and requires much labor, a few temper tantrums and lots of treats. Enter the rain coat.
Overall the rain coat delivers as promised. Very easy to put on and take off. The coat provides great coverage from the rain and keeps the entire back rain free. There is a small opening along the back to hook a leash should the dog be wearing a harness which is very convenient. I put the rain coat on over the harness. I have also put the raincoat on over a harness and a dog sweater!
Along with the very bright yellow the coat also has reflective stripes to ensure the dog can be seen at night or in cloudy weather. My one concern was the hood...
The Hood
The hood is flexible! It can be worn up or down just like a human's rain coat. I was a little skeptical about how the Fluff would react to the hood. The opening of the hood attaches under the dog's chin with a velcro closure. What was nice and practical is the bottom closure of the hood is not tight around the dogs' muzzle and I believe allows the dog to wear the hood without feeling constrained or like a tight hat.
The Fluff Approves
The Fluff actually likes the rain coat! Who would have known! The coat is easy to put on with a velcro strap which goes under the dogs belly. The hood has another velcro opening. Quick, easy, no muss, no fuss. The coat goes on in a flash and provides great coverage to keep the majority of the dog rain free in even the heaviest of down pours.
Is your dog hood friendly? Well, on a scale of hat friendly aka I will wear whatever my owner puts on my head the Fluff is about a 9/10 on the laid back wearing hats scale. Yes, the hood does occasionally generate a side eye look of "Oh, it's that thing... again." But ok and off he goes into the rain with hood.
As with any dog coat, hat, sweater it is of course up to the dog if the accessory is acceptable! Because the coat is not tight or restrictive and is light weight I think there is a good chance the rain coat would be accepted by your furball.
I would like to vote that this raincoat looks so cute on your Fluff! I can imagine the work involved with keeping a dog dry on rainy days. When we had our fur butt, we would make sure there was a big beach towel waiting for him when returning from a frolick in the rain. What a pain that was! I like this idea much better! Thanks Tracey for this review. If we ever get another fur butt, I'm sure this will be on his/her must have list!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation. I wonder if Dixie would like one of these. She doesn't seem to mind the rain and will stand out in it till I make her come in, especially when she is stalking the squirrels in our trees. Then she comes in and I have to dry her off with a towel. The raincoat is really cute on your fluff.
ReplyDeleteWow! What an awesome dog apparel product. I checked and was thrilled to discover there is a raincoat in large or x-large for the Merlin (my Labrador Retriever). While labs love water, I don't "love" having a wet dog come bounding into the house. I try to quickly grab a towel to dry him off, but he sees that as a towel tug game. Thankfully, I don't have to use a blow dryer, but I do hate wrestling a wet dog. I need a doggy raincoat too! Thank you for the suggestion and recommendation.
ReplyDeleteOur family's Great Danes, who all hated the rain, would come inside and immediately shake themselves vigorously to dry off their coats, leaving the floor in the entryway (and anyone who didn't get out of the way fast enough) sopping wet (despite their short fur). I don't know whether any of them would have tolerated a raincoat, much less a hood, but given their universal dislike of the rain, I'm betting they might. It would have saved both them and us a lot of trouble!
ReplyDeleteWe had a fluff dog - and I never thought to get her a raincoat, I wish I had! You're so right about getting wet when they have hair versus fur. What a nice gift to give to a dog owner as well. My daughter-in-law has the most gorgeous collection of coats for her doggie; I'm thinking a raincoat is in order.
ReplyDeleteHow cute - and practical. Loved your description of The Fluff. I am currently pet-sitting my grand-dog - a large standard poodle who loves the rain. But I (and his family) has to immediately dry him off, especially the paws, when he comes in from the rain - or even the dew on his early AM trek outside before he is allowed out of the kitchen and onto the carpeting. Takes TWO towels for this dog. LOL.
ReplyDeleteVery warm raincoat for dog
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