How to wear & adjust
How to Put On and Adjust Your Dog's Coat
Every coat has drawcords that do a lot of the fitting for you. A coat that feels a bit big out of the bag usually fits once it's snugged up.
Putting it on Fix a fit problemPutting it on
Same steps for all three coats
Every coat zips at the side. Pick yours to see what's different.
1
- Unzip it all the way and hold the coat open at the neck in front of your dog.
- Slip the neck opening over the head so it sits at the base of the neck.
- Front legs in, one paw at a time. Cup the paw so claws don't catch the cuff.
- Back legs in. Same as the front, one at a time.
- Zip up the side.
- Adjust: waist drawcord snug, then the neck drawcord, then the sleeve length on all four legs.
On a real dog
Same steps, real coat
Shown with the Puddle Jumper. The Snow Warrior and Cozy Hugger go on the same way.
Older or stiff dogs: let them lie down or lean against you while you dress them, and take it off the same way. That way they don't have to balance while you work.
The adjusters
Where to adjust the fit
Middle drawcord
Around the middle of the body. Pull it snug so the coat hugs the dog instead of hanging. It also keeps male dogs from wetting the coat. It doesn't change the chest.
Tail drawcord
Shortens the back by about 2–3″. Use it when the coat runs past the base of the tail.
Neck drawcord
If the coat slides back toward the tail, tighten the neck a little. On the raincoat, the longer neck pulls up over the head like a hood for heavy rain.
Cuffs
Legs a little long? Raincoat: slide the elastic cuffs up the leg, or roll them. Snowsuit: roll the cuffs up like a shirt sleeve; they sit a little loose once rolled.
Fix a fit problem
Something not sitting right?
| What you see | Try this |
|---|---|
| Coat slides back toward the tail | Tighten the neck drawcord a little. |
| Loose and baggy at the belly | Pull the middle drawcord snug. Male dogs: this keeps the belly panel out of the way. |
| Runs past the base of the tail | Snowsuit and fleece: cinch the tail drawcord. Raincoat: this usually means the size is too big. |
| Legs too long, dog trips | Raincoat: slide the elastic cuffs up the leg. Snowsuit: roll the cuffs up like a shirt sleeve. Still tripping? Send us a side photo and we'll check the size. |
| Curly tail squeezed | Leave the last inch of the zipper open, or loosen the tail drawcord. |
| Raincoat neck slips over the eyes | Fold the neck down, or tighten the neck drawcord. |
| No tail or a docked tail, back hem sits low | Cinch the tail drawcord (snowsuit, fleece), or lift the hem for potty breaks. |
| Tight under the front legs | That's the chest, and drawcords can't add room. Exchange for the next size up. |
Still too big after every drawcord is snug? Then it's the size, not the setup. Exchanges are free: start an exchange or send us a side photo and we'll tell you which size.