Walking your dog in the rain without the misery

Most dogs do not mind rain. Most owners do, and most sofas do. A wet walk is really three problems: the dog getting cold, the dog being hard to see, and the ten minutes of towelling afterwards. Here is what helps with each, and where a raincoat genuinely fits in.

Does my dog need a raincoat?

Honestly, it depends on the dog.

• Thin-coated and small dogs (Chihuahuas, Frenchies, pugs, whippets, most toy breeds) lose heat fast when wet. For them a rain layer is about warmth as much as dryness, and a lined one is better than a shell.
• Double-coated dogs (corgis, huskies, retrievers, shepherds) are fine in cold rain for a short walk but take hours to dry, and the undercoat holds the smell. A shell keeps the back and sides dry so the drying is quicker.
• Seniors and dogs with sore joints feel cold and damp more than they used to. A warm, dry back on a short walk is a kindness.
• Young, healthy, thick-coated dogs on a ten-minute loop: skip it. They will be fine, and so will you after a towel.

Our rain piece is the All-Weather Jacket: a rain-shedding shell over a warm lining, a zip up the chest so it goes on in seconds, reflective piping, and a harness built in so the leash clips to the jacket. It is cut short in the back to free the hind legs, which means it keeps the chest, shoulders and upper back dry rather than wrapping the whole dog. For drizzle rather than rain, the lighter Quilted Vest sheds water and blocks wind without the full lining.

Being seen

Rain means grey light, wet windscreens and drivers looking at the road, not the kerb. Reflective piping or trim on the dog helps more than you would think, because headlights pick it out from a distance. Both the jacket and the vest have it. If you walk at dusk, add a clip-on light to the collar as well; a reflective seam only works when a light hits it.

Shorter loop, same sniffing

A dog gets more out of ten minutes of sniffing than thirty of marching. On a wet day, pick the shorter route, walk it slower, and let them read the lampposts. The walk is still a walk; the towel pile is smaller.

If your streets have an awning, a line of trees or a covered car park on the way, route through it. Dogs figure this out faster than people do.

The paw problem

Wet paws are the mud in the house. Keep an old towel by the door, and dry the paws first, then the belly, then the back. If you teach the dog to stand on the towel while you do it, the whole thing takes a minute. Salt and grit in winter rain can sting pads, so a quick rinse or wipe of the paws after a walk on treated roads is worth the extra thirty seconds.

Drying the dog, and the coat

Towel, then let them shake outside if you can, then towel again. A hairdryer on the lowest setting works on dogs that tolerate it, from a distance, and never on the face. Thick-coated dogs dry faster if you towel against the lie of the fur first.

The jacket wipes clean after a muddy walk, or hand washes cold and hangs to dry. Hang it somewhere with air rather than leaving it bunched by the door, so it is dry for the next walk.

Layering for cold rain

Rain in November is a different thing from rain in April. For cold, wet weeks a knit under the jacket keeps the chest and belly warm while the shell takes the water. We sell the jacket and the Fireside Cable-Knit together as the Fall Set; the Fireside is cut for small breeds, so for a bigger dog pair the jacket with the Heritage Turtleneck instead. Pick the jacket a size up if a knit will live under it most of the winter. If you have not measured your dog before, the measuring guide is short.

Shipping and trying it

Free US shipping. Orders ship in 1 to 2 business days and usually arrive 4 to 9 business days after that. 60 days to try anything, rain or shine, and send it back if your dog disagrees; see Shipping & Returns.

Questions

Will a raincoat stop my dog smelling of wet dog?

It reduces it, because less of the coat gets wet, but the legs, belly and head still do. Towelling and a shake outside do the rest.

My dog freezes and refuses to walk in the rain. Will a coat help?

Sometimes. Some dogs object to the cold and wet on their back, and a coat fixes that; others object to rain on the face, and nothing fixes that except a shorter walk and a treat at the end.

Should I skip the walk in heavy rain?

A short one is still worth it for most dogs; a long one is not. If there is thunder, stay in; many dogs are frightened by it, and a frightened dog on a lead near traffic is a bad combination.