I'm sooo in love with a couple of coats I've got for the girls. They don't wear them outside because they swim every day but when I come home from walks the mud is hosed off, a quick rub down with a towel and coats on before they are allowed in the house. Marvellous. No spray marks up the walls or on the furniture from shaking, no damp patches where they curl up for a sleep - the amount of hoovering/general tidying up after them is massively reduced. Bathing for fox poo removal, whilst not exactly a pleasure, is no longer associated with a 10 minute bath and 40 minute clean up of the bathroom walls and floors as the coats go on before they are released from the bath/shower. Can't believe I haven't had them for my previous labs.....Hotterdog fleeces I love you!
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors I never thought of this before as a use for coats! Great idea No need to throw a cover over the couch - just throw a cover over the dog. Do you find that the dogs dry pretty quickly (or quickly enough) under the coat? You mentioned that they're a fleece coat so I guess they are pretty breathable.
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors These particular coats are designed to wick water away from the fur. The girls love them, they are warm and cosy and dry them off really quickly. Tarkie is a really skinny working strain and if she's done a lot of retrieving in water in the winter she shivers constantly when out and it's why I got the coats really - great for stopping her get chilled after working. However, the main use is definitely in the house....
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors Fab. I've only used them as a way of keeping my dog warm in winter, meaning that I haven't sought out a coat type with water wicking properties. But I will now. Will check out that brand that you mentioned
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors I also have a Hotterdog fleece - I use it when Lilly is clean to protect her from getting mucky so I DON'T have to chuck her in the bath. I have the jumper style which has a high enough neck, and elbow-length front "arms" to protect from most poo rolling episodes. They wash and dry so much more quickly than a bathed dog ;D ;D jac
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors I am looking at the Hotterdog coats on UK sites and am pondering sizing. The sizing says 'Large' for a 'small Labrador' and 'Extra large' for a 'large Labrador'. I am not sure if my dog is a small or large Labrador in Hotterdog language. He is 56cm at the shoulder and 56cm from base of neck to base of tail. While that is pretty much what the Labrador Standard asks for here, I would say that he is on the small side rather than the big side. I'm sorry to be a pain, but, anyone who uses a Hotterdog coat, would you mind letting me know the sizes that you have got for your dogs and what their measurements are? Thankyou very much for your help. Absolutely no rush at all!
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors I shall measure Lilly once she gets back from her mini holiday later today LOL. Think ours is a large and despite lilly being slim around the hips is not a bad fit. I'm not sure if you know (and I hope I have this right) they are made by equafleece though not quite as tailored to the dog's size and sold "for the trade". I got mine for a good price off ebay 8) Jac
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors Thankyou Jac, for checking sizing and for the tips about buying a coat!
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors I have the coat version rather than the jumper version for my two. Tarkie is tall, long and lean for a working bitch and she fits the 24" coat perfectly. Lochan is more compact and although she wears the 24" as well it can look a little like a bridal gown with train on her....think the 22" might have been better!
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors OK - Lilly sizes are...... Neck = 18" Neck to base of tail = 26" Waist = 21" Chest = 28" Hope this helps (oh...and she weighs around 25kg) Its neater at the front but roomier around the tummy, although not flapping. jac
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors I use the equafleece jumpers. They are great. Dogs don't wear them when they are training or out on walks, but they swim a lot so we put it on them after a swim, after a shower or after they have been out running and are resting to protect the joints. If you contact them they are very helpful advising of sizes. The delivery is really fast and if the size isn't right they will happily exchange. Highly recommend them.
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors That is extremely helpful, thank you very much (and the coat is beautifully modelled by Lilly). Based on that, I think I will go with the 22 inch one if I get a Hotterdog one or the Large if I get an Equafleece one. I think that anything larger would be too big for Obi. Wish I'd had one this morning after he jumped into a stormwater drain....
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors I've just ordered a blue polo neck Equafleece coat from the Equafleece website. Obi's measurements were almost the same as Lilly's (little bit smaller) and the sizing chart recommended a 28 inch, which is the measurement from the breastbone to the thigh level with the tail. Will put up a if of it being modelled when it arrives
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors got the Hotterdogs fleeces at the weekend, brilliant, no muck after a river swim and subsequent muddy bank roll for brodick and a mud pool hooly for Cuillin. They do suit the longer-bodied dog better I think, Cuillin looks like a little wizard in hers (and pretends to be deeply depressed while wearing it..) while long boy Brods looks like an elegant racehorse...not that that matters of course..!
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors Obi's coat arrived today! We're really happy with it and it fits perfectly Obi wearing his new coat Apologies for the awful carpet....
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors He looks fantastic in it. Although perhaps a little self concious. ;D
Re: In praise of coats for Labradors LOL, yes, he does look a bit like that. He always has a bit of a worried expression. It's his ginger eyebrows. He tells me that he genuinely does love the coat though
