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Poor dog constantly being washed and ending up damp - are equafleeces the way to go?

42 replies

Cannothtinkofaname · 03/04/2018 11:32

We have a very shaggy cockapoo and love her shaggy coat for the winter but just lately with all the rain, she is being washed every time we go out, so mornings and afternoons.
The trouble is her coat takes so long to dry, the groomer says it takes her 1.5 hours to dry her!
So we wash her and towel dry her or blast her with the hairdryer, but when we touch her later, she is still damp.
I'm concerned now that she might end up with arthritis or something where she is damp so often.
We're all getting a bit fed up now with the constant washing and are looking at equafleeces. I don't like them but we're starting to think it might be for the best during this horrendous weather.
Has anyone got one and any thoughts please?
Thanks.

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MammaAgata · 03/04/2018 11:40

Why don’t you like them out of interest? Admittedly my dog doesn’t like wearing coats but I think these are best of a very bad bunch.. they can be worn either on a walk to keep the dog dry and clean or when the dog is wet/washed after a walk to dry off the dog. I have the ‘tankie’ version for my dog as she has very short legs (basset hound).

I went out on a walk recently and I saw a man with a spaniel who was wearing one. They had been out for about 3 hours in the lashing rain, the fleece was sodden but the dog dry underneath. They can also be washed and tumbled.

I don’t use mine much as my dog short haired but I’ve found them to be best on the market when browsing different options.

They used to make horse rugs, I discovered them when my horse had a skin condition in the middle of winter and needed to be washed daily for about 2 weeks. I would put the rug on a sodden horse and about 45 mins later the horse would be dry and outside of fleece soaking wet where it had drawn the moisture out.

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MammaAgata · 03/04/2018 11:42

Also, can you get your dog groomed and get fur cut really short, that may help with the amount of daily washing required?

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Yourownpersonaljesus · 03/04/2018 11:48

I bought one of these recently and it's the best thing I've ever bought for my dog. My dog also takes ages to dry and as she's close to the ground she gets very muddy on her off lead walks. Now I only need to shower off her paws after a muddy walk. It's also great in the rain and snow too.

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Bluebell9 · 03/04/2018 11:48

Would you think about getting her clipped?

My dog is has long curly hair too so I feel your pain. We don't wash him when we get back from walks (unless he has rolled in mud) but he loves to jump in water so is often wet. We towel him off and then wash the dirty towels. It stops him being damp all the time. We also put towels in his bed and on the sofa so when he lies down, the towel soaks up any excess moisture and can be removed when he is dry so that his bed doesn't get damp.

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carbuckety · 03/04/2018 11:50

We have a shaggy labradoodle and I feel your pain with this weather. We keep the dog clipped quite short and when he gets wet we towel him dryish and let him finish off naturally. We never bath him except when he goes to groomers ( maybe 4 or 5 times a year). I have got very fed up recently as when he's had his second walk of the day in the afternoon he's never dry enough to go into the sitting room where we have a carpet and I feel sorry for him. But the house we live in has pale carpets and I can't afford to replace them

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FoxesAreFabulous · 03/04/2018 12:06

I second what other posters have said about Equafleece - we have a mini poodle and he loves rain and mud! He has one of the jumper type Equafleece coats with sleeves for the front legs and honestly, it has made a huge difference. It keeps him bone dry, even in really wet weather, and although he still needs to have his feet rinsed off when we come in, it stops his tummy getting covered in mud. Also, if he rolls, the fleece gets the mud rather than the dog and they wash really well and dry quickly. Our boy has very long legs for a mini poodle and doesn't love having his feet put into the coat sleeves but is happy to be bribed with liver paste!
I know what you mean about shaggy dogs getting very wet though - we tend to keep our boy quite short even in the winter for that reason - also makes him easier to brush!

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puffermunkin · 03/04/2018 12:17

One of the best things I have ever bought and great customer service too, their website shows you how to measure to get the correct size. Our Equafleece is often wet and muddy but the dog is dry. Easily washed and tumble dried too.

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MrsJoshDun · 03/04/2018 12:22

My dog has two Equafleece’s and a Pawasamore coat. The Equafleece’s are amazing, dog hates the Pawasamore one as it’s rustly, though I think you can get a soft shell version which may have been a better choice.....anyway she won’t walk in that one so waste of money. But the Equafleeces are amazing.

Got a fleece one and a summer suit. Dog will still get damp through the summer suit but not muddy. She stays bone dry under the original fleece one.

Poor dog constantly being washed and ending up damp - are equafleeces the way to go?
Poor dog constantly being washed and ending up damp - are equafleeces the way to go?
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Cannothtinkofaname · 03/04/2018 12:24

Thank you for all your replies.
I suppose I don't like the look of dogs in equafleeces but I'm getting past that now as I'm seeing more of them and we're all getting so fed up.

We do have her clipped short in the summer, in fact she's booked in for next week but her coat is so thick and grows so quickly, it's long again before you know it!

My husband has actually spoken to equafleece and they were very helpful. We're going to buy her a summer suit as the fleeces will make her too warm, but it's still waterproof. The description says it isn't 100% but the lady said it's improved so much it almost now is so that's a bonus.
Only 4 colours to choose from so not sure which colour but that won't be a problem.
We did buy her a rainsuit once but she looked so funny in it. It was navy with red and white cuffs, like a mini bomber jacket but when we were out she couldn't run in it, she wasn't very impressed at all so that went in the bin!
Thanks for all your recommendations about the equafleeces, I feel a bit happier getting one now and it's fairer on the dog.
The website had a demo of a lovely well behaved greyhound being put into the suit. I think we'll be more running round trying to grab her - she doesn't even like her harness going over her head for a couple of seconds!
Thanks again.

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Cannothtinkofaname · 03/04/2018 12:26

mrsjoshdun - thanks for those photos.

Is that the cornflower blue?

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Cannothtinkofaname · 03/04/2018 12:28

The other thing the equafleece lady said was that they also help stop thorns and twigs and bits getting stuck in their coat.

I'm getting quite excited about getting one now!

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SuburbanRhonda · 03/04/2018 12:28

I suppose I don't like the look of dogs in equafleeces

But it’s a better look than a dog with joint problems, isn’t it? Hmm

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FlexTimeCheekyFucker · 03/04/2018 12:30

Mrs JD your dog looks familiar Wink

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MrsJoshDun · 03/04/2018 12:40

Oh dear, have I outed myself on MN? Grin

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MrsJoshDun · 03/04/2018 12:44

Yes, it’s the cornflower blue.

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SweetLike · 03/04/2018 12:48

I'd be more worried she'll start getting hotspots if she's damp. Being damp makes my golden retriever itchy so he wears overalls if it's raining or we are going on muddy fields.

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Cannothtinkofaname · 03/04/2018 12:49

SuburbanRhonda - oh definitely, that's why we're going to get her one.
As I said, I've seen so many dogs wearing them now that I'm getting used to them.
I keep thinking of all the positives now so am really looking forward to getting her one.
Mrsjoshdun - I like the cornflower colour, I think that's the one we'll go for.

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FlexTimeCheekyFucker · 03/04/2018 13:08

Not at all Mrs JD. I recognise the dog from online I think but have no idea who you are Grin

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puffermunkin · 03/04/2018 13:14

My 2 in their Equafleeces.

Poor dog constantly being washed and ending up damp - are equafleeces the way to go?
Poor dog constantly being washed and ending up damp - are equafleeces the way to go?
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TheHodgeoftheHedge · 03/04/2018 13:29

I know it's a bit late, but I cannot recommend Equafleece enough. Both as a company (super pleasant and easy to deal with) but also their product. I honestly don't know how my dogs would have survived this winter without their coats. As everyone else has said, the coats prevent them getting soaked to the skin every single time we step out the front door and can just be bunged in the washing machine whenever.

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Cannothtinkofaname · 03/04/2018 13:29

Puffermunkin - your dogs look really cute in their little coats.

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MrsJoshDun · 03/04/2018 13:38

flex, I’ve put photos of her in her Equafleeces before on here, so you might have seen the photos previously.

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Knowivedonewrong · 03/04/2018 15:58

Would an EquaFleece be any good for a Golden Retriever? Or would he look a wally?

Really fed up of this rain.

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SavoyCabbage · 03/04/2018 16:02

I bloody love them! We’ve got two and the dog wears one on each walk and then they are washed. She is always completely filthy as she runs through woods. This morning she jumped in a massive puddle and swam to the other side. At least half the dogs where we go have them on.

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puffermunkin · 03/04/2018 16:04

@Knowivedonewrong we live in the frozen north and I see plenty of larger dogs wearing them.

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