01/10/2025
As the wetter weather is here, I thought it would be a good time to discuss "clothing" for dogs.
As much as I love my Ruff & Tumble drying coats, I am not a fan of some of the jumper type clothing that are used to walk dogs in to prevent them getting wet when out on a walk, particularly the fleece type. I completely get how inconvenient it can be to bring a soaking wet dog home, but for me, particularly for curly coats and long coats, they cause a lot more work to ensure matting does not occur.
For those that do use jumper/coats when out on walks:
1. Remove as soon as possible to prevent ongoing friction.
2. Brush out the coat, and check for matting - make sure you can get a steel toothed comb through the fur. Use a line brushing technique to make sure you don't miss a mat.
3. If you have a dog that can be clipped, then go for a short clip for wet months, or more regular professional grooming appointments.
4. Get a good quality coat, preferably a non-fleece type. The wax type ones are much better than fleece.
5. Instead of using a jumper on the walk, put on a drying coat when you get back to the car/home instead. There is still a risk of matting, but less so than a fleece type jumper.
ps. Jumpers/coats for short coats, such as whippets, to keep them warm is not an issue :)
Happy October :)
