Our Wet Walk Necessities
Our Wet Walk Essentials
I know what you’re thinking, why think about the rain when the weather is so beautiful at the moment? Well, if you live in the UK then you know you always have to be prepared for a torrential downpour. After a seriously soggy July and a few too many wet dog walks I thought it was finally time to put this blog post together featuring my favourite things for hounds and humans.
hounds
redhound for dogs whip-it-away Cardiff coat (gifted)
Something that completely changed our walks last year, the wettest summer on record, is this coat from Redhound for Dogs. It’s a lightweight coat that keeps your dog dry and can also take a little chill off but, you can easily fit either a snood or fleece jumper underneath for when it’s a little colder. The neck of the coat when your dog is off lead is easily pulled up to create more of a hood style to keep the rain off the ears, something that Edie loves. If you get the Carlisle style it is perfect for harness users as you can keep the hood up at all times. Due to the lightweight and breathable fabric, it’s perfect for the summer showers (or surprise downpours) but with the addition of another layer, it can be easily taken into the colder months making it a complete wardrobe staple for any hound. Josie and Edie don’t like the rain at all, not even to pop outside for a comfort break but they will tolerate a walk if they’re wearing their whip-it-away mac!
paw washer
This slightly inappropriate looking contraption is something that I’d seen for years and to be honest, I thought they were a useless gimmick. But actually, they’re a complete staple for muddy paws and I’ve noticed that Josie and Edie’s paw pads aren’t as prone to cracking since we started to wash them after really muddy walks. You simply fill it with water, slide onto your dog's paw and use a twisting motion, and the dirt lifts away. When the girls have had paw injuries we put some hibiscrub in this with water and it’s been great at dealing with any pad irritation which Edie seems to struggle with on occasion.
dorwest herbs dog shampoo (PR sample)
With a good wipe down we might be able to avoid a bath after a wet walk but sometimes, its unavoidable and lately we’ve been using the Dorwest Herbs shampoos (PR sample). For Josie, we like to use the Soothe & Calm Shampoo (PR sample) as she struggles with dandruff and this helps soothe her skin and after washing she’s never left with a flakey coat. It’s a PH neutral shampoo free of SLS and other known skin irritants which I think is possibly the reason why it leaves her skin feeling so good. For Edie, we use the Scent & Shine shampoo (PR sample) as she doesn’t have any skin issues at all and her fur is incredibly fine. So when we bath her we just want to make sure her coat is clean, smelling great and that's exactly what we get when using this shampoo. Despite both of these shampoos being free from SLS I find they lather up beautifully which is something I love when bathing the girls as it feels like I’m properly getting all the mud and dirt off out of their coats.
humans
lightweight waterproof coat
A good waterproof coat with decent pockets is such a staple when you’re a dog walker. I recently invested in a super lightweight jacket from North Face and it was perfect for those miserable July downpours. It kept me warm and dry without feeling too weighed down which is a problem I often encounter with my Stutterheim jacket. As amazing as it is at keeping me dry it can often make me feel a little too heavy but that does mean it’s a great option in Autumn. When the cooler months do roll around my all time favourite jacket for dog walks, wet or dry is my Barbour coat. I love them so much that I have two, the classic Beadnell and then the Kelsall jacket which is more of a parka style. The wax cotton makes them incredible as even in the heaviest rain storms you’re always protected and it helps keep the wind out too. And the abundance of pockets makes them perfect for any dog owner as you can never have enough pockets when you own more than one dog.
wellies
In summer, generally I like to wear trainers for dog walks or sometimes I can even risk sandals if it’s really dry but my wellies are never too far away no matter the season. For soggy wet walks, especially in the warmer months I prefer wellies over something like walking boots because not only do they keep my feet dry I also find they’re better at keeping my legs dry too with low hanging brambles and ferns.
