Dog clothing and raincoats – how to choose the right one?

30. September 2025
Psí oblečky a pláštěnky – jak vybrat to pravé?

When winter comes, it will be too late to quickly find the "right outfit" for your furry (or hairless) friend. You need to get ready now. In other words, your dog needs to be as snug as a bug in a rug. Where can you find the best quality and where can you find Vogue-level style? Read on!

Jacket or raincoat?

That is the question. It depends on the climate and the four-legged friend's sensitivity. A raincoat is of course mainly for rain, but some also offer an additional warming function, making them great to wear throughout autumn. With the arrival of snow and frost, however, they are usually not enough, and it's time to reach for something "puffier," ideally. Although today there are more sophisticated materials.

How to recognize a quality dog outfit?

First and foremost, it must meet a few basic rules:

  • It should be breathable so that moisture doesn't get trapped between the fur and the fabric. Moisture = illness.

  • It should be waterproof. If you encounter a downpour and the dog is soaked in a minute, the outfit/raincoat is pointless.

  • It must cover all major joints of the body. These are the knees and elbows, ideally also the nape of the neck and the base of the tail. Rain and cold should not be in these areas. A crucial question – where does a dog have knees?

  • If the material is also thermal with a warming effect, you've won, and such a piece of dog wardrobe is indispensable!

Harness under clothing

Because a good dog owner knows that a collar can harm the spine, psyche, and everything else, most owners walk their dogs on harnesses (where, of course, they don't pull at all - wink, wink). That's why the majority of manufacturers today try to implement openings in clothing for attaching to a harness, without compromising the function of resistance to cold and rain. It's almost such a standard that there's no longer a reason to buy clothes and raincoats without openings.

From withers to tail

And how to choose the right size? You should measure the dog from the withers to the base of the tail; these are the centimeters used to size clothing for the fashionable four-legged guru. When choosing, it's important to consider whether you need a more sporty or fashionable item and select accordingly.

Wash practically

And because both jackets and raincoats can withstand anything and will likely become a shield for a clean undercarriage, they will probably need frequent washing. Carefully check how many degrees they can handle in the washing machine and whether you can add scented fabric softener to suppress any unpleasant smells. If you choose the wrong program once, there's a risk you'll be buying new items for your dog's wardrobe one after another.

Published   30. September 2025