Coats and Boots for City Dogs

It’s really hard to think about dog coats when the weather is so spectacular.  As I write in this first weekend of November, the temperature is a glorious +16.   What an amazing fall season we’ve had here in Toronto.  HOWEVER, we know IT is coming.  We just rolled the clocks back to “DARK”, after all.   I thought I would write a quick post about a dog coat I purchased on Etsy last year.  I am really pleased with it.

Dog Coats

Our dog, Hunter, is a German Shorthaired Pointer. He’s an incredibly fit, adaptable dog. However, his short fur and city lifestyle makes him a tad sensitive to the coldest days of winter in Toronto. A coat is definitely in order.  After he had outgrown all the hand-me-down dog clothes from our kind neighbours across the street, it was time to make an investment.

The coat I found on Etsy is from Voyagers K9 Apparel. The best feature? Custom sizing. That means a great fit – important if your dog is not an “off-the-rack” kind of girl/guy. Winter can be uncomfortable enough – chafing or tightness is NOT comfortable when running around in the cold. I loved not having to think about whether a particular size was going to work or not.  I also appreciated not having to try different coats on in the store. Picking a custom colour combination – the best, if you care about that kind of thing.

The turtleneck is long enough to pull up over our guy’s ears if the weather turns nasty. The coat has been washed at least five times now and it still looks amazing. It fits exactly the same as the day we got it. I’m pretty pleased!  (Uh, no I’m not affiliated with any company mentioned in this post, just passing on some happy purchasing decisions.)

A number of people in our German Shorthaired Pointer group have had wonderful things to say about the coats they bought from Chilly Dogs. Have a look at their site.  The coats are well made, beautifully designed, and Canadian, to boot!  While there isn’t a custom-made option, Chilly Dogs do provide an informative video on how to measure your pooch.  It looks like there are many options, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find what you need. Check it out.

Dog Boots

Our last dog was a beautiful German Shepherd, Raven. Her thick furry coat meant we never had to think about buying a dog coat, but she did have very sensitive feet when it came to salt on the sidewalks. I remember having difficulty purchasing boots for her back in the winter of 2001-2002. The pet store stated there was a shortage of boots that season. Fabricators had forwarded the season’s supply of dog boots to New York City for search dogs working on site at the collapsed World Trade Centre.

The following year I found some boots with “injection moulded” rubber treads (running shoes for dogs) and reflective velcro leg wraps. They are sold by Neopaws . These dog boots are amazing. They lasted the remainder of our Shepherd’s life.  Then, miraculously, the boots fit Hunter’s feet and have helped him through two winters of salty sidewalks. I’ve just lost one of the boots and will have to make a trip to Neopaws to get a replacement. That’s quite a testament to the durability and functionality of these boots – 13 years of use! I can’t compare them to any other brand because I simply haven’t had to try another brand.

Do you have any recommendations for canine apparel?  I’d love to hear from you in the comments!  I’m particularly interested in hearing about harnesses.  My dog is a puller and he’s got tender skin under his arms.  Chafing to the point of welts under his arms is an issue.  Tell me about any products you are thrilled with.