We’ve officially run out of content for DirtRoadTrip and we’re now reviewing dog clothes. So if you don’t have a dog, you can stop reading now unless you like cute dog pictures, and if you don’t like dogs, please stop reading our website, because you probably suck.
A few weeks ago I wrote a piece called Ten Tips for Overlanding With Your Dog, and I figured sharing some of the gear our dog Coco uses in the field would be a good follow up.
Our dog Coco is a 5 year old Pitbull mutt, and like all Pitbull’s (the rapper included) she doesn’t have much hair, and prefers the weather in South Beach over Vermont any day of the week.
For the longest time, I was always one of those guys that said “my dog is a real dog, and I will never be one of those people that own dog clothes.” Well obviously I should stop making generalized statements because it seems like with everything I say, the opposite comes true; examples are “I’ll never own a Jeep” and “I’ll only have 2 beers”.
Anyhow, after our first winter we quickly realized Coco wasn’t made for cold weather. It should have been obvious when I saw her shiver on a 50 degree day, but I thought it was just pure excitement. Luckily for me, my wife was right there to tell me I’m an idiot, and that I needed to go get her a coat. Pro Tip, even if you listen to your wife 99% of the time, she’ll still say you never listen to her because of that 1%.
So after a lengthy google session, I settled on ordering a Ruffwear Climate Changer Fleece Dog Jacket in orange. I went with this particular jacket because it provided plenty of chest and belly coverage, while also having an easy to use zipper down the side.
Visibility was also very important for me, so I went with bright orange in order to insure Coco was never mistaken for a deer by even the most incompetent hunter. It’s also equipped with reflective strips that are stitched into the seams, so in low light conditions you can easily pick out your dog with a flashlight or your awesome 50″ light bar.
The one downside is the fleece material is not waterproof, but it still keeps her dry in light rain and snow. Don’t worry too much about it though because it also dries exceptionally fast when thrown in the drier or left out in the sun for an hour. Being that it is fleece, it’s also very flexible so she has a wide range of motion for running, jumping, begging, and all sorts of dog stuff.
We’ve been really happy with this coat/jacket over the past 3 years that we’ve had it and it has held up surprisingly well. Although after 3 years of use it is starting to show it’s age and it’s probably time for us to buy her a new one. Considering these coats retail for $60 bucks, we’ve definitely gotten our moneys worth.
Pros:
- It will keep your dog warm and dry.
- High visibility in both day and night time conditions.
- It’s not a TAD hoodie, but your dog will look almost as cool as you.
Cons:
- You’ve officially bought dog clothes.
- It is not 100% waterproof so it won’t keep your dog dry in a rain storm.
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