Tell me about dog dressing gowns.

Boogie

Moderator
Location
Manchester UK
We are re-decorating downstairs and I’m considering getting doggy dressing gowns. Zaba is the worst culprit - he’s a mud monster, hosing down and using aquasorb towels helps but our walls are proof this doesn’t completely eliminate mud and mess. There’s a muddy line at dog hight round the whole of the downstairs - and I’m hoping that diligent use of doggy dressing gowns may keep the walls somewhat cleaner.

Do you use one?

Are they worth the money?

Did you get one and stop using it?

I know they look fabulous in them - but do any of your dogs dislike them? Spencer loved his medical suit so I know he’ll be fine, I’m not so sure about Tatze.

I’d love to see photos too - I love your doggy dressing gown photos!

:)
 
I love ours, although they don't get much use because of where we live. It seems that on the rare occasion that the dogs do get wet and muddy, the robes are in our other house :facepalm:

But when we were in the UK, I used them every day and thought they were brilliant. The dogs all tolerated them on - I should have put more effort into properly conditioning them, but I was rather busy with PUPPY - and they all adored being rubbed down while wearing them, so I think that helped them not to totally hate them. Shadow especially generally hates anything around his body, but he also adores being rubbed down, so that took the edge off for him.

If I started using them more frequently, I'd start off with just making them lovely things without putting them on (which is easy if they like being towelled - you can do this when dry, too), then training the dog to put their head through the hole. That sort of consent always makes things much easier for the dog than just having it shoved on them (which, in all honesty, is what I did!).

My three Labs trying them on for the first time. Willow looks worried but was actually looking at food!







Squige was a baby at the time, and that robe has since been passed on to my sister's cocker spaniel, so although she doesn't look too different now, she was a miniature back then. :D
 
I guess "it depends" :D
I was using them mainly for sand and seawater, which isn't as dirty as mud and just shakes out for the most part. I washed them about once a week, I guess. They dried in a couple of hours in the airing cupboard, if that. If I was dealing with seriously muddy dogs, I'd probably get the mitts as well, to get the worst of that off. And I did still use my Aquasorb towels to dry them off when they were dripping, as nothing beats those for the amount of moisture they take on! The robes were to chuck on to keep the dogs warm in the car - and the car protected from shaking dog! - and then I'd give them a rub down at home, and pop the robes back on in the house until they'd properly dried, to save the walls.
 

Boogie

Moderator
Location
Manchester UK
Yes, that makes sense. For me they’ll be to chuck on to protect the walls - after they’ve been dried with the aquasorbs.

Our car journeys are only ever five or ten minutes and the boot buddy keeps it protected.

:)
 

Cath

MLF Sales Coordinator
Boogie I have just had a look at the Ruff and Tumble site, there is a code for £10 off if it is your first order.
 
I do have a couple of Ruff and Tumble coats but their are not really the ones I use all the time. They look good and are well made but when you put them on a wet dog they absorb the moisture and then just stay wet and you couldn't leave the dog wearing it over night for example. I find equafleece jumpers and rugs or rugs made from thermatex material a far better option. They wick away the moisture rather than absorbing it. In the winter I will quite often put the jumpers or rugs on the dogs straight after exercise and leave them on over night. Murffi is not too keen on having a jumper put on so he has an equafleece rug which is very simple to put on and take off. The jumpers are a bit more of a faff.
 
Location
Norfolk
Ripple tolerates his, par for the course with him though. He still manages to shake himself up the conservatory wall before I get it on him :rolleyes:. His is from dog robes and seems to dry him off reasonably well, but I would never leave it on for more than an hour or so.
Toffee loves playing 'wrap up' and 'little red riding hood' (don’t ask :D ) in the towel so he’s easy to get dry. I’ll probably get him a robe eventually.
 

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
I finally bowed to peer pressure and bought Carbon a Ruff and Tumble drying coat at Crufts. He's only worn it once so far but frankly I was rather amazed that he just curled up on the sofa with it on and had a deep (snoring) snooze. He obviously finds it very comfy, He wasn't soaking wet as we'd just been in a light rain, so I can't say if it actually would get him dry if he was soaked through or if the material would stay wet long after putting it on. I like the idea that I can put it on him in the car after a swim and he will stay cozy and the car (maybe) won't get that 'splashed on' look that it frequently sports.

As to whether it is worth the effort/money, I used 'doggie bathrobes' back in California and found them excellent. I didn't have Labs and all my dogs prior to Labbiness would have rather died than get soaking wet outdoors, so I used them for weekly bathing. The ones I had weren't as cuddly as the R&T ones...they were cut like horse blankets, just made out of terry cloth. Both my Rottweilers took 6-8 hours to dry after a bath, so the robes would keep them warm and speed up the drying by a few hours. I could leave them on at night and they'd be dry and warm in the morning. It also kept the spray of wet dog hair off my walls as while they were wet - even damp! - a shake would send all the fur flying. I found them well worth the cost (which admittedly was much lower than the R&T coats).

So far the only thing I don't like about the R&T coat is the massive amount of velcro strips. Yes, it holds everything together and the way they've placed the non-sticky half of the strips looks very nice. But do they really need velcro around the hood? Otherwise, the quality is very good and the cost (30GBP at the show) seemed quite reasonable. I also liked learning that it's a family-run business. We met the owner at Crufts as she was manning the booth and she is lovely - and it's actually her dogs in the model shots. I know that has nothing to do with whether the coats are good or not, but it did give me the warm fuzzies. :)
 
I do sometimes use ours, more on Merlin than Poppy, but more for quick drying (for instance after swimming, when I don't want him sitting wet in the car or at home) than in order to keep the house clean.
 

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Oh, just a thought...the horse blanket style was MUCH easier to get on the dog. Having to get the R&T coat over their head was for me a bit fidgety. But then the horse blanket style had no head covering, so I guess it depends on what you want.
 
I use it for initial drying and protecting the car.
Hunter also "tolerates" his Ruff n Tumble. His bathrobe material quality is 10 times better than mine!
I use it for after his hydrotherapy session and the short car journey when he is wet and muddy, so basically every off lead walk.
He never sleeps in it...but yes he does sulk in it. He is getting better wearing it though.
 
I have an Equafleece for Ginny and I really like it. Sadly, it's too big for her so needs some adjusting, and man is it a faff to get on and off her! Hers has back legs as well. I'm hoping to get one custom-made for her for next winter.
 

Jacqui-S

Moderator
Location
Fife, Scotland
I have the hotterdog fleece. A cheaper off the peg version of the equafleece.
I find it great for popping on IN the shower after a rub down with a towel. It saves the house getting shook over with wet dog.
Originally wanted it to put on for walking to stop the muck in the morning walk but it was a faff and got filthy.
Mine has just front legs. Took a bit to get Lilly used to it but fine now.
 

Candy

Biscuit Tin Guardian
Joy has three R&T coats, two here and one at my brother's house, which has a lot of beige and cream which can be a bit daunting with a young excited wet Lab. Initially she didn't like them going over her head but seemed quite happy once they were actually on. They have saved me hours of wiping down paintwork ( or more correctly hours of thinking I probably should wipe down the paintwork but it'll only need doing again after the next walk) Here she is modeling two of them.IMG_20190303_133124.jpgIMG_20190126_155312.jpg
 
Top