I need recommendations for dog coats :)

I have collies so they don't need to be kept warm, I just need something to keep them dry (dry-er?!) on walks as I dont have anywhere in the house to put them to dry off.
They have to come straight in from the front door onto carpet which isn't ideal.

I bought some Cosipet all in one trousery suits but the legs are really long on them which isn't ideal, so looking for more options!

Thanks

Where did you get your coat as the one I brought the legs are too short.

Last year I bought an Equafleece coat - the style with the buckle around the stomach - and it is really good quality. The fleece is thick so it is warm and keeps her dry, the coat is very well put together and it dries easily on the radiator.
But I have noticed that she gets a wet tummy with this style, even just on pavement walking,  so I am going to get the style that is more like a jumper so that her tummy stays dry.
Google the name and have a look - they've got lots of styles. HTH.

I have Countrymun coats and love them, but we haven't got the ones with legs on, as mine don't mind getting their feet wet on walks, they just hate their backs being rained on! :-p

Will have a look at the suggestions thanks :)
Peppe I got the long leg ones from amazon. They sell the shorter leg ones too. Don't spose yours would fit a collie and we could do a swap?!

I find that the worst part of walking in the wet is that the belly and legs get so dirty - will coats prevent that I wonder?  My oldest dog seems to be able to shake the worst off and dries pretty quickly - the pups coat seems to be a different texture and takes longer to dry.  I do have one of those coats you can put on when you come back in while they are drying off but my oldest is happy to be showered off and towelled.   Must say coats become more of a consideration when you have two to clean up! 

> Must say coats become more of a consideration when you have two to clean up

Coats do seem a good idea - our front drive gets very wet/muddy, let alone the roads full of mud and mess from farm tractors/lorries :( What happens to the coats tho' when you take them off ? Surely they still get as muddy and need washing/drying and dogs' feet would need a wash as well ? Don't coated breeds get very hot in a coat too ??

I think Hurtta coats have stomach coverage.

....or, if your feeling flush, Obtrack coats are quite possibly the best you can buy.

> Don't coated breeds get very hot in a coat too ??

I know quite a few agility people use coats on their dogs to keep them warm.  Also as the dog gets older people seem to use coats.  I can see the need for keeping muscles warm on a cold morning when dog is waiting to run a course but do older dogs really need a coat when they have their own coats!!   I used a waxed coat on my old setter - it did save having a wet dog wiping itself round the walls and furniture even though I had to do his legs and belly when we got in.  It is this habit that dogs have of trying to dry themselves off that gets the house in a mess - oh and a good shake as they come through the door :-)   I tell mine to 'shake' before they come in.

> Obtrack coats

That looks really neat - not seen those before.

I looked up the obtrack link...nearly fainted at the prices lol
I have bought gillrug coats...they do great waterproofs.........unlined keep the dogs dry as a bone...you can add the tummy protector option.
For freezing days we have their thermal coats..the flectalon ,which have metal threads in the filler that actually take the dogs body heat and rewarm the dog....very cosy.
They even have my dark brown poodle on the photos...she passed on last Jan,but she lives on in the photos they have there.

I look at the Obtrack coats about once a year and do the " will I, won't I ?, can I justify that price ? " thing.
As of yet, I've resisted , perhaps this year, now I just have the one dog.

> Also as the dog gets older people seem to use coats

I'll be watching Bramble this winter to see if he needs a coat - he's 15ish and has a short, double coat. He coped fine last winter in the snow etc and is still quite active, so he may get not need one this winter. Tara (Aussie) is 11 but has a thick coat and gets quite hot so I wouldn't really consider a coat for her, although keeping her cleaner would be a big bonus :) I keep her in the kitchen/garden room when she is muddy or shower her off if it is really bad, but then she takes ages to dry :(

What is the length of yours?

I've not used it yet as the puppy is too small, but I have bought a micro fibre bag that you zip the dog into when it comes home all wet and muddy. Only the head is left out. The theory is that the micro fibre absorbs the moisture and dirt, then after ten minutes or so the dog is let out all clean and dry. Well, that the theory............

Those obtrack coats look good but with 3 to fit out, eek!

Peppe I have two - 20" and 26" :)

I can't see either of mine sitting in a bag for one second never mind long enough to dry off. 

I have decided to send mine back as I haven't paid anything for it yet as it was sent to try first, but would be interest in buying the 26" can you PM how much you want for it.

Don't coated breeds get very hot in a coat too ??

I would think so ;-) as for the waterproof ones I know as a human with no hair that a raincoat can leave me feeling hot and sweaty and often on a walk never mind a run I have to undo them for a dog it must be most uncomfortable.

Some breeds do need coats Greyhounds, Dallies etc, as they have no protection but for dogs with a coat I would never use one, yes, in this weather (I hate all the cleaning myself) dogs get filthy and wet and it is a pain, but you have to wash their feet anyhow, so does it matter that you need to do the underbelly and towel dry after a walk, it's all part of dog ownership, for dogs with a coat running free I would not use a man made coat, but if I guess you are pavement walking..... a nice big umbrella over you and your dog should keep the worst of the wet off. :-D

Gosh, I hate this weather, mud, mud and more mud................

Raincoats on human skin makes us feel hot because our skin sweats which gives that yukky clammy feel.
Dogs dont sweat.

True, :-D Dogs do not sweat.

But their coats keep them warm and cool as designed by nature and many breeds are designed to swim even in freezing weather, a man made coat may well interfere with their body temperatures.

They do not sweat but the air can still cool the skin.

I prefer to use coats when we get back.  It's easier to hose the dogs off than wash the coats!

Weatherbeeta Thermo-Cell Dog Rugs. 
I have these for all three of my dogs and they are invaluable on a damp cold dog.  It has thermal properties for warmth and a wicking fabric to dry the dog.  Mine use them in the car after swimming, after very wet walks, and after baths on chilly days.

I too put their coats on when we get back or in the car,  these are my choice have used them for years.

http://www.countrymun.com/dog-clothing/dog-coats/towelling-rug-dog-coat.html

They dry the girls off nicely and save mud and wet going up the walls!

  

I am looking for an all in one coat to walk an aussie from car to ring on show days when raining.

I could never put coats on mine they have a thick double coat and get hot on the coolest of days. The only thing they ever have is a light reflector  coat to keep some of the sun off if we need to walk anytime in hot sunshine (Mostly avoided for thier comfort).
I am afraid dirty muddy wet dogs is a hazard we accepted when we chose to have this breed and we work with it. I have a large conservatory and we just shower off mud under the outside tap then rub with towels or blast if they are soaked. Can you not shower off outside and then put towels all over the carpets untill you can dry them off with a towel ? that way you can avoid most of the mud if not the wet. If you have to use the front door and cannot get round to the back for  a hose pipe what if you keep a bucket by the door with clean water to "Dunk" feet in when you get home ? I would think a coat will not solve your problem as feet will still be wet and muddy no matter how dry you keep the top of the dog !! Lay lots of old towels down by the door inside and  soak the worst up or make a towel road from front to back doors to get them outside to wash properly. If you have plenty then vet bed makes good "Roads" from front to back doors and saves the carpets.
Aileen

I do the 'towel road' too, obviously a towelling coat doesn't do anything for wet, muddy paws. My girls love their towelling 'dressing gowns' as my daughters call them! Especially after a winter swim in the cold sea or rivers here. They 'ask' to have them on. One of my daughters had a gorgeous BMD- he died aged eleven a couple of years ago- he was always hot and certainly wouldn't have appreciated a warm 'dressing gown'!

When I had Ben the TM, despite his magnificent coat, I did use a rain coat for him, he loathed the rain and it was the only way I could get him out the door !.

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> I tell mine to 'shake' before they come in.

Oh I'm not the only one then.  Mine have to shake by the front door before coming in, though anyone seeing me shaking my head and body to teach/encourage them to do it would be in fits, but 6 drippy dogs shaking indoors can make for quite a bit of water all over stuff.

Fortunately everything just drops off the double coats.

the only time I really need to towel off is if they have had a  real drenching, and I find the spayed ones aren't as water proof as the others.

A cloth for the bellies works well, but as we predominant lylead walk on fairly clean footpaths it's not an issue when at home.

Also they don't have sponge feet, so little gets brought in on those.

Might be worth mentioning here that a really efficient micro fibre towel takes off at least twice the moisture than a conventional one.  I use Snugglesafe which I tend to buy on special offer at Crufts.  These really are worth the money and I know someone who uses them for her kids swimming towels and in her caravan.  They wash well and dry very quickly :)

Oh and I too have a 'shake' command for my dogs - it's one I use very frequently in the winter!

> that a really efficient micro fibre towel

I bought a similar one that was recommended on here. I agree that they do dry very efficiently, but they are not very big. Tara views being dried off as a game - it is like trying to dry a greyhound waiting to get out of the trap - I'm often left holding a rear paw :) :) So I have gone back to using a large bath towel that I can throw right over her and cling on while drying whilst not getting too wet myself in the process :) :)

Daisy - do you use the biggest version?  I sometimes smother with the large towel (to prevent more shaking or escape) then use one of the smaller towels for legs before finishing with the big one.

Interesting to note that the towel badged by Snugglesafe as a "horse towel" is the same size as the one they offer for a large dog...  A different company I tried one year at Crufts (but not seen since) offered a much larger version of this type of towel so it may be worth shopping around if you need something bigger.

>  do you use the biggest version

The one I have is by Groomers and is tiny :( About 65x42cms :( I can manage using the large bath towel and the 'aquasorb' towel together - as long as I remember to bring her into the house via our storeroom which is small and she can't run off ..........

Edited to add : Had a look at the Snugglesafe which is more like a towel - the Groomers is more like a chamois leather - hmmm - a microfiber towel might be better as the chamois leather type is a bit stiff. Thanks for the recommendation - I may get the large one :)

I am going to try one of these   http://www.mountainwarehouse.com/travel/accessories/travel-towels/micro-towelling-travel-towel-giant-p2691.aspx?ism=0&cl=PURPLE

Look good size wise and have good reviews- not especially made for dogs, but then none of my 'normal' towels are either  :)

The mountain warehouse is a fraction smaller (135 x 70cm) than the largest Snugglesafe towel (140 x 76cm) but the different colours are nice :)

The cheapest I've seen the large Snugglesafe towel is £7.32 with postage only £1.99 at Vet UK - postage is free if you spend over over £29 so if you buy food online then perhaps you could combine...

I buy my food locally. The  Snugglesafe on that link at £7.32 are 114cm x 76cm  which makes Mountain Warehouse look quite good value. I expect they are all much of a muchness anyway! :)

> Snugglesafe on that link at £7.32 are 114cm x 76cm

So they are!  A typo though I expect as they only actually come in two sizes...

It's a shame they don't make theirs in more cheerful colours, I know my dogs come back grubby looking but there's no reason why the towel has to start that colour!!

> I know my dogs come back grubby looking but there's no reason why the towel has to start that colour!!

I'm not sure what to do :) I have a mountain of old bath towels which is very handy as one muddy dog can make a towel fit for one use only and I save up a pile before putting them in the wash. I would need to buy 6 micro towels to keep up with the mud :) The only good thing is that we haven't got any sugar beet near us this year - this gets harvested in the autumn/winter and the roads get filthy and never recover all winter :( :( The good news is that we are, finally, getting our drive done soon which means that the dogs won't get muddy just walking out of the front door :)

> I'm not sure what to do

Like you I had old bath towels BUT I wasn't keen on the fact that they took ages to dry so I bought ONE micro towel to start with.  Interestingly I found that I needed fewer towels and that they lasted longer between washing.  I can dry two very wet dogs with one towel for instance.  However I'm drying clean dogs usually as I always hose my boys off after every walk due to allergies. 

I have three dogs (although one is currently providing dementia care to my parents in law!) and I can dry all three with one large towel and one small one.  I hang them on the airer to dry (towels not dogs) and can use them for a few days before they need a wash.  Another benefit is that they are much thinner than conventional towels so take up less room when washing or when folded for storage.

Perhaps you could just try one and see what you think :)  The VetUK deal looks good as postage is so cheap (may want to double check the correct size though, I'm sure their measurement is a typo).  Mountain Warehouse has postage at £4.50 unless you can pick one one up from a store

> The VetUK deal looks good as postage is so cheap

Yes - I may try one - at least for when they are just wet and save the bath towels for the mud :) :) It would cost me at least the price of a towel to get to a Mountain Warehouse - and half a day :) :)

At £4.50 postage that would make an expensive option! I am fortunate in having a branch of MW in two of my main shopping towns. Will give theirs a try next time I am in town.

> I am fortunate in having a branch of MW in two of my main shopping towns

I tell a lie - having just checked the MH and there is a MW store only 20 miles away ! My OH has suggested that we go out for the afternoon as the store is in a small town that I have been wanting to visit for a while :) :)

http://aquamatdogtowel.com/microfibre.html
http://aquamatdogtowel.com/qualitytowel.html
Got a couple from here at Crufts - on offer! - only used them a few time but they seem pretty good.

Same firm that does the yellow towel things, I usually get any mud off Zuma with the yellow ones, just have to remember to wet and wring it out before going out as they don't work when dry

Have a nice outing Daisy :) Then you can give us a review on the towel!  :) I'm not due to go into town yet, so will be interested to know what you think if you buy one. :)

> Then you can give us a review on the towel

A good afternoon :) We found the shop easily, it's in Holt which is a small town in North Norfolk - pricey around there, Chelsea tractorish :) We found a Mega towel - 1.5x.85m - reduced to £10.99, so thought that we would have that one as it is huge. Got to the desk and the man rang it up - just reduced to £6.99 :) :) We nearly went to see if there was another, but didn't - might regret that later :) It looks good but I'll have to wait until we get some rain before trying it out :)

Well done Daisy! What a bargain! :)   I really like Holt-when we lived in Essex we used to caravan a lot in N Norfolk- our favourite site was a CL in South Creake. Holt was a favourite as was Holkham Beach- one of the loveliest beaches in England  in my opinion :) I know it is expensive there- so was Burnham Market- probably more so now!

>  What a bargain! :-)

The man said that he thinks there are new colours coming in, so the offers won't last long - but do I believe that ?? :) :) :)

> 'll have to wait until we get some rain before trying it out

Don't be daft - a well aimed bucket of water might do the trick!!  Hush my mouth, I can't believe I just said that  My dogs would disown me for unnecessary washing :)

I might just see where my nearest MW is...

D-a-B there's one in your favourite shopping village, but it has closed for a refit... at least I hope that's the truth as I buy my fleeces there, amongst other things.