Any dog owner will attest that at this time of year, a lot of time is spent walking in the rain, wind and even snow. My terrier cross, Oli, loves rolling in whatever he can find, whether it’s puddles, mud, or questionable-smelling grass, and in his old jumper-style fabric coats, he would often come back wet, cold and caked in mud. 

We would spend a lot of time cleaning him up, and his coat would have to go in the machine every time and then take ages to dry. This winter, I’ve had the chance to try out one of Dryrobe’s dog coats, which at £45, are an investment, but now we wouldn’t be without it. 

Oli has the pink and black design, and it does exactly what you’d hope: it keeps him warm, dry and clean, without any fuss. 

This coat slips straight over his head, and the straps go underneath and fasten on his back with Velcro, which makes getting it on and off incredibly easy. There’s no wrestling with zips, and it sits securely without restricting his movement. Once it’s on, he is instantly cosy thanks to the fleece lining, and more importantly, stays that way as the outer part of the coat is waterproof. It dries quickly and dirt wipes off easily. 

Oli is relatively petite; he’s a terrier cross and weighs around 10kg, but has a long body and neck. Size-wise, I initially tried an extra small, but we ended up going up to a small, as it was much too tight over his head. The coats are available from XS to XXL to suit different breeds, and if bright pink isn’t to your taste, it comes in different colours and patterns. All the coats are the same price, regardless of size. 

The coats have elasticated loops for his back legs, but Oli is a bit of a strange shape, and after trying them a few times, we realised he didn’t like them. I don’t think we could have gone up a size because it would have then been too big for him. And we’re not the only ones, one customer who reviewed the coat shared: “Excellent product, fantastic quality, wish I had one for myself. Jealous every time the dog gets to wear it. He’s not too fond of the two elastic bands around his back legs, too near his rear end bits.”

In terms of fit, another customer shared: “Excellent coat, keeps her warm and dry, size medium was a perfect fit for my cavapoo.” Another user wrote: “Absolutely brilliant, easy to put on, medium is a perfect fit for my spaniel. It keeps him warm and dry.”

Not all shoppers have found the right fit, however. One reviewer said: “Beautiful, but unfortunately, my dogs are between sizes.” We recommend using Dryrobe’s size guide before shopping. 

Where it’s really earned its keep is after wet, muddy walks. The Dryrobe acts as a waterproof barrier, keeping most of the mess off his fur. It’s also great for nighttime walks as it has reflective stripes on the side, plus, the pink is so bright there’s no chance he’s not going to be spotted by cars.

It’s also been brilliant during the recent cold snap with the fleece lining. Oli dries off quickly after the rain, and the coat keeps the chill away while we head home. I’ve noticed he settles much faster once we’re indoors, too, rather than shivering or pacing while he dries naturally.