WET WEATHER SAVIOUR – THE DOG DRYING COAT

Wet dog smell and muddy water flicked up the walls. Put your hand up if you have shared the same woe!

I have used these Ruff & Tumble drying coats for around four years now, ever since I went to BBC Countryfile Live and my wife Sally spotted them and said we should buy them. At the time it was August and over 25 degrees and so of course I dismissed the idea and said we didn’t need more dog items. Cue a few weeks later when the autumn weather had set in, we had gone for a walk in the rain and upon entering the house Yogi, Penny and Wren waltzed into our white painted living room and shook their muddy selves all over the walls and the cream fabric sofas

Safe to say Sally was not impressed with my lack of dog drying skills and we then promptly purchased the drying coats and have never looked back. They are a firm favourite in the Fehmi household and Bertha now has one too. Two of the ones in the photo are also the original ones we purchased and we have been impressed with how well they have worn – they just need chucking in the washing machine every now and then and wash up fabulously.

So, obviously, these coats are great for the wet weather and drying your dogs but here are some other useful uses for dog drying coats that might be of interest:

• To keep your dog warm when you are working outside of the home, perhaps in a home office in your garden given the current working climate. These have been fabulous for keeping Bertha and Wren warm whilst they patiently wait to assist me when I am on a video consult and working from the Dog-ease training school.
• To keep elderly or short coated dogs warm in chillier places. We can layer up on clothes but remember our dogs don’t have this luxury.
• To dry your dog and keep them warm on the journey home after Hydrotherapy or a ‘fitness’ swim. Although there is no mud involved here no one wants a soggy car and by the time we get home (Wren has to go to Hydro for her spinal op rehab) Wren is lovely and dry.
• To dry your dog and help them to cool down slowly and safely after strenuous activity if travelling by car or truck. This is true for both pet dogs simply out exercising and also working dogs after a days work outside in the elements.

As with all new items you introduce to your dog, make sure that you make the unnatural (the wearing of the drying coat in this case) natural for your dog by introducing the item slowly and positively. The trick is to form a positive association with the coat and the wearing of the coat, offering positive reinforcement for calm and accepting behaviour, rather than just putting it on them and hoping for the best.

Let me know if your dog wears a drying coat, what your recommendations are, and where you most use them by dropping me a message on social media. I’d love to hear your thoughts.