Rugged up and raring to go

You’d rug up a thoroughbred after a race, so why not a gundog after a drive or day on the foreshore? David Tomlinson finds in favour of dog coats for working breeds

- David Tomlinson

THOUGH it may seem strange to their human owners, dogs are generally happy in the fur they are born with and don’t really need to wear a coat when they venture outdoors. However, it is now almost de rigueur for city dogs to wear a coat when they go our for winter walkies, whether they need the coat or not. During a recent visit to India, I saw several pet dogs there similarly dressed up, a somewhat ludicrous sight. Not surprisingly, this enthusiasm for dressing up the dog has spread to the shooting field: Barbour, for example, does a smart line in waxed dog coats, matching those of the dog’s master or mistress.

While I’m deeply sceptical as to whether a poodle needs to wear a parka for a stroll in the park, I welcome the move to put coats on working dogs. I started using them for my spaniels more than 20 years ago. Both they, and I, had to endure hoots of derision from our shooting friends, especially as the coats made them look like miniature jousting horses. However, the dogs didn’t seem in the least bit embarrassed and by the time they had arrived home from a day’s shooting they would emerge from the car dry and warm.