Particularly this time of year I seem to have soggy spaniels 24/7. With no warm weather to dry them off I need to step in and lend a hand. There are so many great drying products on the market at the minute so I thought I’d share just 3 of my favourite drying coats, all which I alternate and use every week.
These are coats for drying dogs after a walk; if you’re looking for coats to wear during the walk read my post ‘The Best Dog Coats’ here.
A lot of companies have similar styled coats to the Ruff and Tumble Dog drying coats. However having tried and used many different brands the Ruff & Tumble coats win for me. Their towelling material is thicker than other towelling coats, meaning it dries them off better overall but also isn’t a damp coat keeping the dog cold and wet.
This drying coat also has a snood built in, perfect to tuck those spaniel ears in and velcro it up. Some people say that say it slips because the straps are velcro rather than a rope tied round but I’ve never experienced this, and I have a speedy spaniel who runs around with it on. It is also flexible and comfortable for mine to move around in but also snuggle up in a ball.
Wilma had a gorgeous light blue Ruff and Tumbles coat but has grown out of it so I need to buy another to update her wardrobe. Woody has Navy & Mustard which was their special Crufts design this year. You can also have the coats personalised with the dogs names on, so there’s no mix up in coats. Of course measurements are important but these guys easily size up your dogs through their weight. Woody is 17kg so wears a ML which is about £49.95 depending on your colour.
Equafleece
These are probably the most well known of the dog drying coats, particularly in the Gundog world. These fleeces come in a variety of styles, Woody has the jumper which is the full body coverage with the front two legs covered. Then Wilma has the suit which is the same but all 4 legs covered. If like me you’re wondering how they go to the loo whilst wearing the suit; there is an opening underneath so they can still wee as normal.
The fleece is great for warming the dogs up after they’ve been out, most importantly keeping them warm. The water does tend to collect on the stomach of the dog, so if you leave it on for hours just take into consideration that a cold wet tummy won’t be too good for them. If they’re sandy from the beach as they dry all the sand collects their and it’s amazing how much you pour out!
Compared to the others, this is the only coat that includes the dogs legs; Which are the fluffiest part of my dogs, and the body part that is going to get the wettest & is most likely going to need drying.
Usually I put these on after a walk to dry off and warm up. They also work as a great mud preventative so you can just take the Equafleece off, put it in the wash and have a clean dog. However for many fluffy breeds, Doodles in particular, the combination of fleece, fluff and friction [The 3 F’s], means absolutely awful matting. 5 minutes wearing her Equafleece and a quick run around means Wilma is matted all over, and I’d rather have to wash mud off her than brush or cut out the horrendous matts.
Another great use of the Equafleeces is for the snow. My dogs get to the end of the road and can no longer walk because their legs are so weighed down with huge snowballs formed on their fluffy legs. So these keep them warm but also snowball free!
Depending on the style or size you’d like the prices vary. But for a jumper in a spaniel size you’re looking around £30. There’s an online calculator which works out what size you need, however it can get a bit confusing. The Equafleece customer service is brilliant, so just give them a ring up with your measurements and they’d be happy to help. Of course wear and tear happens, if you find a tear in their jumper you can just post it back for a quick repair which I believe is only £5. You’ll also spot Wilma on the back of the Equafleece catalogue.
Siccaro
No movement and the straps on the legs keep it secure so it definitely won’t slip or fall off whilst they run around. Although a bit stiffer than the other drying coats, so Wilma refuses to move whilst wearing it! [What a lazy bones]. But it covers the head, neck, chest and body right down to the tail, doing a great job at drying them.
We’ve got two different designs, both are made using Wet2Dry technology: highly absorbent yet durable viscose blend and are designed in Denmark and made in EU. Wilma wears the Supreme Pro Drying Robe and Woody wears the Spirit Outdoor Drying Coat. If you’re in Denmark you can go to the Danish site here.
The main difference is in the outer layer: Supreme Pro has an outer layer made of viscose terry towel that makes it slightly more absorbent than the Spirit. Also, Siccaro Supreme Pro has a longer neck which makes it more suitable for dogs with fluffy ears so you can tuck them in and everything gets dried.
Spirit, has an outer layer made of cotton blend, that makes it more suitable for outdoor use. For instance, if your dog likes to lay in the sand while wearing it, it picks up much less sand and dust. Shorter neck makes it a better fit for dogs who don’t love high necks and hoods.
What makes the Wet2Dry technology so special: Wet2Dry is breathable: allows moisture to evaporate instead of trapping it inside. In Supreme Pro, both layers are made of a special viscose blend: the inner layer is hollow fibre and outer layer is a viscose terry towel originating from organic bamboo. Due to the properties of viscose fibre, it picks up and retains a lot of water which makes it the first choice for products that require absorbency, like medical or hygiene products. Treated in the right way, it also becomes machine washable which allows for multiple uses .
Woody is a large, so depending on how big your dog is, these are both £115; the most expensive out of these three drying coats, but you pay for the quality you get.
These are my top 3 Dog Drying Coats; I hope these recommendations can help in some way if you’re trying to solve the wet dog situation this Winter. Or if you have another drying coat that you absolutely love then let us know in the comments! It’s always great to hear about products that others have tried and tested.
Thank you for reading,
Megan, Woody & Wilma x
The Cotswold Spaniels 
I have just bought my Equafleece coats for my spaniels but I made a school boy error and forgot Ollie will not let me hold his paws to pull them through so if we can’t get past this I’m going to have to cut the legs off 😣
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Oh no! Work on lots of desensitisation whilst at home watching tv. Every time your hand is near his feet give him a treat. Over the weeks progress to touching then holding his feet.
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That is exactly what we are doing 😊👍
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You need to try Freckles Designs drying coats! Microfibre towering inside, fleece outer to warm them up (and make them dry faster). We have the ultimate drying coats for 4 spaniels and I wouldn’t use anything else , great fit, can be made to measure and handmade in Scotland
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I have two of these coats . I bought them for Pepper and Liath . Sadly I no longer have Pepper or Liath as they are both over the bridge now but the coats are still being used on the next generation Rolo and Cora. The coats are years old but good as new. And a lot easier to put on a wet wriggly spaniel than an equafleece!
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Absolutely love my freckles drying coat for my parsons, he’s got the ultimate with his name embroidered on it. The ultimate has a higher up neck for extra warmth. The towelling absorbs the wet and the fleece allows it to evaporate and also keep them warm. He’s dry by the time we get home from a walk. Fantastic quality coats 🙂
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