Well-Fitting Dog Coats Can Keep Your Dog Safe And Out Of Danger

Well Fitting Dog Coats Can Keep Your Dog Out Of Trouble

I never really thought too much about how well dog coats should fit.

I figured that any dog coat would be good

enough to give my dog Max that little bit more protection he needed when we would go tramping through the snow-covered woods and fields.

I started putting a coat on Max after he got a bad scratch on his side from running through the brush on one of our hikes through the local wilderness park.

The coat not only gave him some protection from the deadfall and sticker bushes he loved to squeeze through, but also offered a warm barrier to the snowy landscape.

With all the choices and options for dog clothes these days, it�s good to know that there are some great online sources for dog coats.

They have expert advice on how to measure your dog for a proper fitting coat. I didn�t know much about the importance of measuring to make sure the fit is right when I decided to get Max a dog coat.

A Bargain Dog Coat Isn�t Always the Best Deal

I got his first coat at a local barn sale for a great price. It had never been used and it was made of tough material . . . but fitted him kind of loose and floppy.

I figured it would still be ok and started putting the dog coat on him for all our outings.

But I�ll never forget this one time we went out and he went racing off the trail into the undergrowth of the forest. It really taught me how important well-fitting coats for dogs can be.

Usually Max would tag along close enough so I could see or hear him. Even if he was just off the trail in the more wooded areas. But this time there was no indication of him by the trail so I stopped to see where he was.

After a minute when he didn�t come back to the path as he usually did, I quickly started backtracking, whistling for him as I went.

It wasn�t until I called out his name a few times really loud that he finally barked an answer.

I followed the sound of his bark and finally found him. Although Max was very agitated, luckily he was safe and unharmed. But boy was he stuck!

He must�ve been sniffing around this fallen tree and somehow one of the branches got stuck through the loose opening of the dog coat.

It had a little backward facing branch that acted like the barb on a fishhook so it couldn�t pull back out of the opening in the coat!

If I hadn�t been able to find him I don�t know what he would have done to get free!

It was obvious that the branch only got caught on the dog coat because of the loose fit. Most clothing for dogs that I had seen on dogs and in catalogs fitted much better than the one Max was wearing.

I calmed him down and because the branch was so tangled through the coat opening, I finally just undid his coat and let him run free while I untangled it from the tree branch.

I don�t know why I bothered though, I never put that loose fitting dog coat on Max again after that incident!

But it sure showed me that it�s really important to measure your dog correctly so that the dog coat you get fits the way it was designed to fit. And that bargains aren�t always the best deal in the long run!

Dog Coats For All Occasions

Dogs just love the great outdoors! Max wouldn�t stand for being left home . . . even after our little mis-adventure in the wild.

He did his usual excited �I�m coming with you� dance every time I reached for my coat. There was no holding him back. But I still thought he needed a protective coat.

Well, buying him a well-fitting doggie coat online was a snap! A friend recommended an online store and I made doubly sure that I followed the measuring directions on the site.

You know . . . measure twice . . . cut once. (Although I wasn�t doing the cutting, of course).

I got him a sturdy canine coat that would not only protect him from the sharp sticks and such out on the trails, but one that was also water resistant.

Before I got him a coat, he had come in from our outings some times soaked to the skin from the wet, dew covered bushes and grass. So I figured a waterproof dog coat would be worth trying.

It worked out great! The dog coat was snug enough so that he didn�t get caught on anything and it kept his fur much dryer.

But I still got worried sometimes when he left the trail and disappeared into the brush.

Seeing as how this dog coat worked out so well . . . I decided to get another similar to it but this time in a bright orange color.

What a difference! It was really easy to spot Max in the woods. And the dog coat had reflective stripes on it so I could see him better on our way home at dusk!

But we weren�t done yet. The first time we got caught in a downpour I went online to my now favorite dog coat site and checked out dog raincoats.

Some types looked like they would probably be warm enough as well as water repellant.

But I decided to go with a lighter one that could easily be put on over another dog coat or a nice warm dog sweater.

This way I figured there would be more options for Max through all the seasons of the year. He seemed to be more comfortable with just his rough-and-tumble dog coat.

And I could keep his lighter dog raincoat in my day pack just in case the clouds burst.

It�s great to have so many options in dog coats to keep Max warm, safe, and out of trouble. And ordering them online from recommended shops is comforting and convenient.

Make sure that the coat has all the practical features you want. Like openings for harness leashes, quick adjustment closures, and enough room for your pooch to relieve himself without making a mess.

So avoid getting your dog snagged on things in the house, yard, or out on the trail!

Measure your dog before you shop and get a well-fitting dog coat that�ll keep your dog safe and warm! Next, I�m looking into protective dog boots.

See you on the trails!

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