Can you make a dog rain coat?

DuneElliot

Section Hiker
I am putting this out there to all the wonderful MYOG people on this site and wondering if anyone would be up for the challenge of designing and making an UL dog rain jacket (or 2) to work with my Ruffwear packs (I already have covers for them) for my two border collies. I feel like I need to have something for them to keep them dry (more for the sake of my sleeping bag and tent than anything) for upcoming trips.

Willing to pay of course so let me know if you might be interested and I can tell you what I have in mind (or you can watch Hounds of Howgate to see his dog's rain coat) and then can brainstorm. Might be a good side business if these work as I can't find any good UL ones out there.
 

Robin

Moderator
Staff member
Chrissie Crowther makes sleeping bags for dogs (woofbags) https://woofbags.wordpress.com/

She’s also made coats for her dogs, so you might want to get in touch with her. I’ve met her a couple of times and she’s a lovely person and I’m sure she would help.
 

Dave V

Moderator
Staff member
Hmm, if the coats are worn during periods of exercise would the dogs not overheat?

I understand where you're coming from but I just used to carry a towel for my dogs on the few occasions they joined me.
 

DuneElliot

Section Hiker
Hmm, if the coats are worn during periods of exercise would the dogs not overheat?

I understand where you're coming from but I just used to carry a towel for my dogs on the few occasions they joined me.

It's more like a poncho cover than anything (kind of a U shape that covers their haunches with a couple of straps around the legs, almost like a horse blanket). The packs are more likely to make them overheat than a thin rain fly as they are padded and cover a good portion of their torso and I have not had a problem with those yet (I am conscious of when it gets too hot). Not to mention that if it's raining, it's generally not warm.
 

Munro277

Thru Hiker
I am putting this out there to all the wonderful MYOG people on this site and wondering if anyone would be up for the challenge of designing and making an UL dog rain jacket (or 2) to work with my Ruffwear packs (I already have covers for them) for my two border collies. I feel like I need to have something for them to keep them dry (more for the sake of my sleeping bag and tent than anything) for upcoming trips.

Willing to pay of course so let me know if you might be interested and I can tell you what I have in mind (or you can watch Hounds of Howgate to see his dog's rain coat) and then can brainstorm. Might be a good side business if these work as I can't find any good UL ones out there.
My dog Bly wore a soft shell semi waterproof coat on really cold days in his last yrs .but if it was sleeting the coat went on as it stopped his fur freezing up which wud then melt at camp..have to be very careful with a coat as my dog never seemed bothered by the cold,that said he spent most of his friends free time out on the hills ..I just accepted that he got wet and I dried him with a towel at camp and wrung it out
 

Taz38

Thru Hiker
I have the ruffwear rain coat for my dog, works well and no overheating, keeps the worst off the fur.
 

SafetyThird

Section Hiker
We have fleece coats for our dogs, from https://www.equafleece.co.uk/home. The can tailor make them if they don't have a size that fits. While fleece isn't completely rain blocking in the way nylon is, it allows moisture to move outwards so they're great if your dog gets wet because you can put the coat on them and after a while, the heat of the dog's body pushes the moisture out and they're dry underneath, works in the rain too. When we were up on Dartmoor last and it was windy and raining, the fleece coat kept Fraggle dry underneath and that helped keep him warm.

Might not be exactly what you're after, but might fit the bill. Quite a number of the working dog people use them because, once the dog is wet/dirty, you can put the coats on them and by the time they get home in the car the dog is usually dry.
 

DuneElliot

Section Hiker
We have fleece coats for our dogs, from https://www.equafleece.co.uk/home. The can tailor make them if they don't have a size that fits. While fleece isn't completely rain blocking in the way nylon is, it allows moisture to move outwards so they're great if your dog gets wet because you can put the coat on them and after a while, the heat of the dog's body pushes the moisture out and they're dry underneath, works in the rain too. When we were up on Dartmoor last and it was windy and raining, the fleece coat kept Fraggle dry underneath and that helped keep him warm.

Might not be exactly what you're after, but might fit the bill. Quite a number of the working dog people use them because, once the dog is wet/dirty, you can put the coats on them and by the time they get home in the car the dog is usually dry.

Thanks for the idea but really need something that will keep them dry if it rains as they will be going straight into a tent and be right next to my down sleeping bag.
 

EM - paul

Thru Hiker
Thanks for the idea but really need something that will keep them dry if it rains as they will be going straight into a tent and be right next to my down sleeping bag.

I dont know many jackets that protect underneath as well as the top. If your dogs are anything like my BC then her undercarriage will be filthy and wet so a top coat makes little difference to how clean and dry she is upon tent entry. I just banish mine to her own bed until she is dry enough to jump in with me.
 

DuneElliot

Section Hiker
I dont know many jackets that protect underneath as well as the top. If your dogs are anything like my BC then her undercarriage will be filthy and wet so a top coat makes little difference to how clean and dry she is upon tent entry. I just banish mine to her own bed until she is dry enough to jump in with me.

True, but they stay on their own beds...leaned against my leg with their backs and butts...I don't mind as much about their bellies as they lay on those on their own bed or are curled up and they aren't exposed.
 

Taz38

Thru Hiker
Mine are not allowed to go on my bedding, that way my stuff stays mostly dry and clean. I find the blanket they use absorbs the moisture but also dries quite well. I guess having a well ventilated tent also helps.

The only thing I can think of is either carry a towel to dry the dogs off or use a ul bivi to protect your sleeping bag. I bought one as I was really worried about a wet dog in the tent and I very much recommend it.
 
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