A lot of dog owners and pet lovers simply adore the way their pooches look in their colorful and trendy dog raincoats. Experts say that this incessant desire to dress up our mutts in the same way as we dress is nothing more than a projection into the pets of our inner desires. However, being called man’s best friend, it should be perfectly alright if Fido looks really like its master, shouldn’t it? With that said, and in response to the clamor of our readers, we’re sharing with you the 15 best raincoats for dogs for you to start mulling about.
12 Top-Rated Dog Raincoats
1 Ethical Pet Dog Raincoat
- Reflective strips for high visibility at night
- Lightweight
- Durable PVC construction
- Waterproof
It’s sporty and wipes easily. That’s what you are actually getting with the Ethical Pet dog rain gear.
The Ethical Pet is constructed of smooth and comfortable polyester on the inside and a fully waterproofed exterior made of durable yet flexible PVC. This combination gives your pooch the kind of comfort that it needs while protecting its body from the cold rain.
Its vibrant yellow color helps increase its visibility even from afar and in low light conditions. Its reflective stripes, however, are what make it highly visible in the night.
The Ethical Pet comes in 6 different sizes which make it a lot easier to pick one that’s perfectly sized for your mutt. Adding to the comfort fit is a belly strap that can be easily adjusted. Also included is an ergonomic hood to help protect your pooch’s head from drizzle or heavy downpour.
2 NACOCO Large Dog Raincoat
- Adjustable clothing
- Light in weight
- Reflective strip hoodie
- Waterproof
There’s nothing better than having a raincoat that offers full coverage for your dog, while you go on your favorite walks. One of the best dog raincoats we have encountered is the NACOCO Dog Raincoat, a large piece of clothing manufactured and designed with dogs of all sizes in mind. This unit is spectacular in design and is made from a professional outdoor material known for its durability and strength.
It is also highly resistant to water thanks to the high breathability of the material used in its construction. This is advantageous for dog owners because it keeps your furry pal safe from the rains and other weather elements. For your late walks, the NACOCO raincoat offers reflective strips in its design, a feature that ensures visibility of your dog no matter where he treads. Other features include the highly adjustable belly strap of this raincoat and leg straps that are also highly elastic in design.
3 PROPLUMS Lightweight Dog Raincoat
- Lightweight raincoat
- Adjustable for a variety of dogs
- Harness holes
- For medium and large-sized dogs
Many dog owners and per enthusiasts are aware of the Proplums raincoat, and they much admire its performance as animal clothing. The size of your dog is no issue with this unit, thanks to its highly versatile design and adjustable parts which help it accommodate dogs of all sizes without any problems. This raincoat fits many dog breeds and offers them a style that other brands can only admire.
The back strap and collar of the Proplums coat are adjustable, with the inclusion of reflective strips for visibility in low light. An additional feature of this unit is that it helps it stand apart from its competitors is a harness hole. This feature is added to reduce the risk of you losing your dog. It enables the owner to connect the leash to the coat, an act that ensures the safety of your pet at all times. The Proplums raincoat is known to be a hot unit thanks to its mesh lining, and this keeps dogs warm during colder weather.
4 RC Pet Products Dog Rain Poncho
- Water-resistant
- Access hole for leash
- Adjustable sizes
- 30-day guarantee
We present to you the RC Pet Dog Rain Poncho. When we are exposed to rain, our bodies tend to react, and this may often lead to the contraction of colds or the flu and sometimes more severe illnesses such as pneumonia. This is the same for animals, especially dogs; thus, it is imperative that we ensure their protection from the cold weather as much as possible. Just as human have warm protective clothing, dogs have been provided with raincoats and ponchos that help keep them warm, comfortable, and secure no matter where they may be.
The RC Pet Dog Rain Poncho is the ideal protective clothing for your furry friend in the market today. This unit is well suited for long-haired dog breeds and comes with a leash access hole as well as an adjustable Velcro waistband to accommodate different sizes. It is waterproof and manufactured from extremely lightweight materials, which makes it easy to move around with. Storage isn’t a problem since this poncho comes with its carrying pouch for safety.
5 Ellie Dog Wear Zip Up Raincoat
- Insulated jacket
- Reflective stipes
- Neoprene button for more movement
- Wind and waterproof
If it’s a fashionable rain jacket that can double as a venerable daily wear for your canine friend that you’re after, then Ellie’s Yellow Zip Up Dog Raincoat is worth the try. It comes with a fully removable hoodie, something that other products obviously haven’t considered. The bright yellow color of the Ellie improves visibility from far distances. The addition of reflective buttons instead of the more usual strips is also quite noteworthy. It even comes with multiple buttoned pockets, giving you and your dog additional storage for its treats and what-have-you.
6 RUFFWEAR Waterproof Rain Jacket for Dogs
- Adjustable
- 300 dernier Oxford fabric
- Reflective fluorescent material
- Waterproof
Simple yet sleek and sexy is how many pet parents describe Ruffwear’s Sun Shower Rain Jacket. The Sun Shower comes with a unique non-insulated design that will not bake your dog to a crisp if the environmental temperatures happen to turn toasty. And when it does turn chilly and freezing, the material can easily cover additional insulating layers on your dog. The Sun Shower already comes with its own reflective trim, although you can also opt to attach a beacon light through the Sun Shower’s light loop for greater visibility in the dead of the night.
7 Kurgo North Country Dog Coat
- Premium PVC material
- Full underbody doggy rainwear
- 4 different sizes
- Waterproof
The North Country Dog Winter Coat is one of the most expensive in this list of the best waterproof dog coats and for good reasons.
First, the North Country dog rain jacket comes with a luxurious soft fleece lining that keeps your pooch dry, warm, and cozy especially in snowy environments. The material used comes from 1200 denier fabric that gives it exceptional toughness and durability.
Second, it comes with a LED strip that continuously flashes to augment the reflective piping on the waterproof jacket itself, immensely improving its visibility even in the middle of the night.
Third, it comes with a zippered opening to allow for ease of access for your pet’s collar and harness. The exceptional quality of its construction guarantees optimum warmth, comfort, and dryness for your pooch whether it’s raining, snowing, or even on windy environments.
The North Country is available in 5 different sizes so you get to pick the right one for your pooch.
8 Best Pet Supplies Voyager Dog Raincoat
- Comes with leggings for limb protection
- Back pocket for added storage
- Drawstring on the hood for a secure fit
- Waterproof
The BPS Voyager Waterproof Dogs Raincoat features a tough and waterproof polyester construction that includes reflective strips for enhanced safety. This further enhances the loud yellow color of the raincoat, making sure to grab the attention of oncoming motorists from a few miles away. The poncho is fastened by a Velcro system instead of buttons seen in other doggie raincoats. Leash access and dog hood come as standard. Sadly, this is one rainwear your dog won’t be using under the sun unlike some other products that provide all-weather versatility.
9 HDE Dog Raincoat Hooded Slicker Poncho
- Adjustable clothing
- Light in weight
- Reflective strip hoodie
- Waterproof
Made of 100% polyester that has been finished with waterproof coating, the HDE Dog Raincoat is a good choice for those who want something simpler for their pets. The addition of fully adjustable straps around your pet’s belly should help secure the rain poncho regardless of how active your dog is in the rain. It’s got reflective strips that are now standards for dog apparel. Remarkably, the HDE is more flexible than similar products, allowing for better movement on your dog.
10 Topsung Waterproof Puppy Jacket
- Reflective stripes
- Velcro fastening system
- Polyester construction
- Waterproof
This transparent raincoat from Topsung is preferred by those who still want the bodies of their hounds to show as they are walked in the rain. However, because the Topsung Puppy Jacket is essentially made up of transparent waterproof panels, there really are really no choices when it comes to giving a sense of style to your pet, except perhaps for the colored piping that make up the edges of the Topsung. At the very least, having blue, green, pink, or white piping can improve the rather dull and boring look of clear plastic.
11 Morezi Zip Up Reflective Dog Raincoat
- Available in five colors
- Sized for small or medium dogs
- Water-resistant fabric
- Removable hood
The cute factor goes off the scale with this gorgeous dog raincoat from Morezi. But this is a pooch poncho that is much more than just good looks. Made from water resistant and pet-durable material, it features a double layered design that is super easy to put on even the wiggliest of pups. It can then be easily adjusted for a secure, comfortable fit, thanks to the drawstrings at the tail and neck.
For the necessary security when out on your walk, there’s a leash hole on the coat’s back and the design includes reflective panels for exercising after dark. And it is the attention to detail that sets this stylish dog raincoat apart, as you not only get a removable hood, but several small pockets for all your pet’s walking essentials. It is important to note, however, that the fabric doesn’t stretch so the fit runs snug so do ensure you get the right size for your small or medium dog.
12 Hurtta Rain Blocker Dog Raincoat
- Made from recycled polyester
- Waterproof design
- Adjustable with reflective strips
- Available in a choice of sizes
With full front leg cover and zip up collar, this is a substantial raincoat for canines that offers a lot of wet weather protection for your pooch. The fabric is both waterproof and breathable and also includes 3M reflective stripes and detail for added after-dark or poor viz safety. And a nice eco touch is that the fabric is also 100% recycled polyester. This well-made coat is adjustable at the back, waist, leg openings and neck so your dog will always feel snug and comfortable, and all the seams have been taped to prevent any unpleasant wet weather leaks.
With the expected leash hole at the back, there is another nice detail in the added rain trap on the collar to prevent water ingress. Available in a choice of four colors and a wide range of sizes, you are sure to find the right fit, so your dog looks outdoor smart on his walk.
How to Choose the Best Dog Raincoat
Choosing a good dog raincoat means you’ve got to look for certain features that can help make your pet warm and comfy in the rain while also improving its safety and security. Here are some of the things you need to look for when choosing a good raincoat for your dog.
Leash Access
Unless you have trained your dog to walk with you off-leash regardless of environmental conditions, putting your pet on its harness and connected to its leash is a must. Unfortunately, if the doggie raincoat doesn’t have an opening through which the leash or the D-ring of the harness can be coursed, then it would be impossible to walk your dog on a leash.
As such, having unimpeded dog leash access is a must. This hole should also have a flap that serves as a cover so water will not get through.
Adjustable and Secure Straps
While you can have the correct size of your dog, size variations in raincoats do occur, not to mention the peculiar characteristics of pets. Having secure and adjustable straps will help provide for a more secure fit on your dog. More importantly, the straps keep the raincoat in place so even if you have a rambunctious dog in the rain it remains protected since the coat isn’t slipping.
Hood
Most dogs don’t like their faces getting splashed with water so a hood should help. However, not all dogs also like having hoods over their heads. While an extended collar can help, it doesn’t really provide that much protection against the rain. So, you might want to train your dog to like having a hood over its head or you can skip this feature altogether especially if your dog is really not that rain-averse.
Reflective Surfaces
Visibility is always reduced when it rains. Having a raincoat that is designed in high-visibility colors like bright orange and neon green should help increase your pet’s visibility to motorists, pedestrians, and other dog walkers in the area so they are alerted to the presence of a dog walking or even running in the rain. Some raincoats come with reflective stitching or strips. Unfortunately, these won’t really offer high visibility in a heavy downpour.
Liners
Some doggie raincoats come with an inner liner that serves to provide warmth for your pet. This can be made of wool, fleece, or even synthetic materials. Do take note that these are usually more expensive than the conventional single-layer raincoat.
Tips for Walking Your Dog in the Rain
Everyone knows that dogs need their daily walk. However, when it pours that’s when pet parents are faced with the dilemma of whether to bring their dogs out for their daily regimen or to skip this one out and just spend the rest of the day inside playing with your dog’s favorite playthings. Veterinarians say it is perfectly okay to walk dogs in the rain, especially if you have a breed of dog that naturally loves water. However, you should always make sure that they are kept warm, lest they suffer from hypothermia. Here are some tips for walking your dog safely in the rain.
Get a Reliable Dog Rainwear
It may sound absurd that raincoats can help keep your dog warm and comfy even in the rain. As long as it is able to keep out rainwater from the rest of its body, it should do fine. You may also want to invest in rain boots for dogs, although not all dogs like wearing them. There are also doggie umbrellas that can be attached to your dog’s collar more like the makeshift halo of a kid playing the role of an angel in a stage play.
Steer Clear of Busy Streets
Some dogs love the splash of water on their bodies or even on their faces. Some absolutely hate it. Whatever the case it is best to steer clear of busy streets as the splashes created by moving vehicles can also startle your pet. They may run or, worse, develop anxiety because of it. It is not easy calming a frightened dog on the side of a busy street especially when it is also raining hard.
Head to the Dog Park
It is always better to head to the dog park for your pet’s daily walk. There are no moving vehicles to spray water onto your dog. Instead, there may be puddles of water that your pet may want to play in. Some dogs love dipping their paws in puddles, playfully jumping on the puddle to create their own splash. Expect your pet to be all muddy afterward so it is best to bring a couple of towels or so to wipe your dog’s body and feet before lifting it into your car.
Walk in Areas With Sheltering
It is advisable that you walk in areas where there is ample sheltering from the rain. Tall buildings and other similar structures can help shield you and your dog from the wind which can amplify the cold temperatures of rainwater. It may not completely block the rain but it sure can minimize the amount of rain dropping onto your pet. Walking in streets with plenty of trees should also help.
Thoroughly Dry Your Pet After the Walk
Regardless of where you want to take your pet for a walk on a rainy day, make sure to thoroughly dry it once you arrive home. For short-haired breeds, drying with a towel is often enough. But if you’ve got a double-coated or a thick-furred hound, you may require a blow dryer to completely dry your pet. Use one that is specially designed for pets, though human hair dryers are usually noisier than pet dryers.
If you need help finding reliable dog drying towels and dog dryers, take a look at our buying guides for support and recommendations.
Our Top Pick
Our choices for the best raincoat for dogs boiled down to two top contenders, Ethica Fashion Pet Rainy Days Slicker Yellow Raincoat and RC Pet Products’ Packable Dog Rain Poncho. Both canine raincoats showed remarkable rain-proofing complete with a fully ergonomic hood. Both are easy to wear, come with secure straps, and come with leash access.
So, how did we break the deadlock? We evaluated every feedback to help identify recurring themes for both the positive and negative aspects of each product. In cases where the issue is more related to logistics and not directly on the product itself, we had to nullify the feedback. Our main focus was on the canine raincoat itself.
In the end, our choice for the best raincoat for dogs is RC Pet’s Packable Dog Rain Poncho. It’s more fashionable than Ethical Pet and comes in 7 different sizes for more optimized fit. It is let down only by the fact that it doesn’t come with a reflective strip. Still, it is a formidable raincoat for any dog to wear especially in a heavy downpour.
These 8 best raincoats for dogs have been chosen primarily for their exceptional weatherproofing, durability, and ease of wearing. Many come with reflective features to improve safety, especially in low light conditions. Should you opt to look for your own doggie raincoat, make sure to take these things into consideration as well.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When it rains, we have hands to hold umbrellas to keep us dry. Our dogs cannot stand on their hind legs for too long and be taught to carry an umbrella the way we carry them. As such, they must have raincoats for obvious reasons. While it is true that they will not get sick from the occasional drizzle, prolonged exposure to the cold rain can increase the risk of hypothermia. If the body temperature gets unusually low, the brain can shut down completely.
Of course, not all dogs are prone to the effects of cold weather since there are breeds that naturally thrive in Arctic conditions such as the Tibetan terrier, the Alaskan malamute, and the Siberian husky, just to name a few. There are also breeds that love the water such as the retrievers. But the point is that not all dogs have bodies fully capable of standing up to cold weather. And while rain itself may not be that cold, add in the cold draft and it can already be freezing.
Raincoats make your rain-averse dog feel more comfortable and safe when walking in the rain. It knows that rain is not going to drench its head and body. Raincoats also keep your pet a lot cleaner especially if you’ve got a hound that loves to play in puddles. You’ll only be cleaning the exposed body parts of your dog and not the whole body. This simplifies cleaning and drying up after the walk.
Most doggie raincoats come with reflective surfaces, increasing their visibility to motorists. As you may know, visibility can unusually drop to within tens of feet in a heavy downpour. With reflectorized strips and body panels, these raincoats can make it a lot safer to walk your pet even in low-visibility, heavy-downpour conditions.
Not all dogs like to wear a dog raincoat. But if your pet is already accustomed to wearing a variety of doggie clothes, then wearing a raincoat shouldn’t really be a problem. The important thing to keep in mind is to teach your pet to associate the dog raincoat with pleasurable experiences. This “new” experience must be associated with something the dog likes.
So how do you get your dog to wear a dog raincoat? First, introduce the dog raincoat to your pet. Just leave it there. Allow your pet to sniff it and investigate. Give your pet a treat every time it tries to sniff or touch the coat. Do this for the next couple of days before proceeding to the next stage.
Touch your dog with the dog raincoat. Do it briefly and give its treat. Over the course of several sessions, you’re going to increase the length of time the dog raincoat is in contact with your pet’s body, giving treats every time you do so. Try rubbing it all over its body but most especially on its back. Your dog should feel comfortable with the raincoat on its body within several days of training.
Put the raincoat on your canine friend. Give its treat and offer other rewards such as praise. Remove the dog raincoat after about 5 seconds and wait 10 seconds before putting it back again. Repeat the cycle several times, increasing the time the raincoat is on your pet each time. On the first day of this training phase, you can stop at the 30-second mark. The following day, try to extend the wear for about a minute, and gradually extend the time each day thereafter.
Since a dog raincoat is nothing more than a piece of waterproof fabric material that is draped over the back of your dog, there is only one measurement you need from your pet – its length. To get this, place your tape measure along your dog’s back with one end of the tape on the base of the pet’s neck and the other one at the base of your pet’s tail. This is its length. Now choose the appropriate size according to the manufacturer’s sizing options.
If the dog raincoat comes with a collar, then you will also need to measure its neck circumference. Simply look for the widest part of your pet’s neck and wrap the tape measure around it.
If the dog raincoat is more like a jacket that has to be wrapped around your pet’s body, you will need to measure its chest circumference. Stand on the side and look at the widest section of your pet from its back down to its chest. Place your tape measure over this area, wrap it around, and take the measurement.
If the dog raincoat comes with leggings or pants, you’ll have to check the length of your pet’s front legs. Place the tape measure on the inside of your pet’s leg and extend the tape measure towards its wrist bone.
It is important that the dog raincoat has a hole for a leash and harness unless you don’t mind walking your pet in the rain without its leash. It is equally important that this hole has a flap or covering mechanism to help prevent rainwater from gaining access into your pet’s body.
