Riley had a winter coat that was water proof and sherpa lined when he was younger. Unfortunately that coat died a miserable death (it was also 10 years old!). So this year we got him a new one…and with the deep freeze we ended up in we are so glad we did.
We wanted something that would be warm, but not too warm. Something that had a velcro closure either on the belly or a zip on the back. Something that had a slot for harness D-rings to clip to his leashes. And we did not want to spend more than $30 on it.
We ended up in Winners/HomeSense and found this gem of a winter coat. While this coat doesn’t hit ALL of our ideal wants, it does hit most!
Fit: 5/5
Riley has always been a bit of a challenge to fit in the chest. The coats that fit his chest are always too big (too loose, to long, to wide, etc). The coats that should fit him…are always too tight because of his chest. Those of you with barrel chested dog I’m sure know this struggle well!
The chest is snug but not tight, I can still fit my full hand underneath the coat with a little room to spare. This was important to me because it is a poly fill coat. That little extra space means there can be a bit of wind flow through the coat to prevent overheating. It was also the perfect length for him! The coat comes to the top of his wiggle-butt though I wish it was just a couple inches longer to cover his nub. It’s not the end of the world though.
We tried this coat on him in the store, and it fit perfectly! If you are ever shopping for something for your pup and try it on them in the store – just do it! It will save you time and money later.
Leash attachment options: 4/5
I really like to see multiple leash attachment options on dog items, you never know when one will bust and back ups are needed. This coat only has one option and it is a key hole between the shoulder blades that you can clip your leash to the harness underneath the coat. Riley wears a step-in harness from Great Choice and we put the D-ring up through the key hole to clip to the leash. It works. The hole looks like it is a standard button hole that you would see on a dress shirt. I’m not sure how it will hold up over a few years but it is working for now! I think a re-enforced stitch would benefit the keyhole to prevent tearing with an active dog who likes to run and maybe tugs on the lead a bit.
Warmth: 5/5
We wanted a warm jacket but not a hot jacket. I think we hit the middle.
This coat is thick polyester-cotton outer layer and a fleece lining. Between the layers is poly-fill. It makes for a warm coat which is perfect for my pampered boy. Despite the fur, Riley tends to get cold.
I’ve met other mini aussies that don’t have this penchant for getting the chills but Riley has always gotten chilled in the cold. So we bundle him up a bit and we take extra blankets camping for him and he snuggles in. For a jacket, we wanted something that would be warm and not hot for him. We are still careful when we put the coat on so that we aren’t overdressing him but it kept him warm enough for our walks when we hit -17 Celcius!
Water resistance: 1/5
The fabric is a little resistant, emphasis on little. It won’t hold up to any rainfall but a light misting would be fine. We usually have wet snow in the lower mainland so this coat will be perfectly fine for a romp in the yard or a walk in the snow. But for those heavy wet snow fall days, we layer his raincoat on top for water proofing.
Because of the fabric the function is a little limited for water. It just means that we have to be careful not to let the coast get too wet or it could cause Riley’s body temperature to drop and lead to hypothermia in cold weather. For the most part in our region, we don’t get enough snow fall or severe cold snaps to worry about it.
Unique Options: 4/5
Cold Alert Indicator
This jacket actually has a built in cold alert. Its a snowflake on the hood that changes color depending on the temperature outside. This has helped tremendously when I think Riley might be too warm!
- Light blue is freezing (0C/32F)
- Dark Blue is about -10C/14F
- Black is – 15C/5F
This feature was worth the jacket for me. When the weather is -10C and colder, I’m not usually worried about it being wet snow but the temperature is important for me to know to keep Riley comfortable. This feature is easy to read and easy to read even when walking as it is right on top of that hood!
Poop Bag Pocket with Dispenser
On the back of this coat is a little snap pocket and black rubber toggle. Its for your poop bags! Fido can carry then and you don’t have to anymore.
Tuck the tail of one of the bag up through the black toggle to make it easy to grab when you need one. While Fido poops, you can pull a bag from his back and scoop!
It’s not a huge pocket but it will hold one roll, possibly 2, of poop bags easily enough.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Two things that I wish were in this jacket that would have brought the score up:
- Waterproof outer shell
- Re-enforced keyhole for leash/harness connection or a second leash attachment option
This jacket cost us $24.99 CAD plus taxes. We have used it for 3 months now and in some of our coldest winter weather yet. It has held up well so far, Riley is comfortable in it and it doesn’t restrict any movement. He runs, jumps, plays and chases snowballs without hindering from the coat! And it keeps him warm enough that we can enjoy a few romps in the snow for 20 minutes or so depending on the chill.
ASR Adventures 
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