Product Review: Martha Stewart Pets Puffer Coat

This Martha Stewart Pets Puffer Coat definitely came from Petsmart, before I found it at a thrift store. This is a 100% polyester coat stuffed with fluff and made to look like a winter jacket for people. There are no sleeves, instead there are straps with velcro closures at the neck and belly. Our jacket is a size small.

Photo by Erin Koski

This little dog coat is slightly more functional than many of the Martha Stewart Pets products we've tried. As I've mentioned before, I always feel like the Martha Stewart stuff was designed by people who never actually had to use it. The brand is filled with good intentions and clever ideas that often don't pan out in actual reality.

Most of Ru's everyday wear is from Petco. This is because Petco's house brands are cut to fit dogs with medium and long backs. Wider or fatter dogs can still wear them just fine, but the clothes will fit longer on them.

All of Petsmart's dog clothes are made to fit dogs with short backs. This means that they fit body types like pugs and English bulldogs, with comparatively wider chests. Dogs with longer backs and smaller chests can wear them, but the clothes will usually end up ridiculously short on them. The puffer coat shown here is a good example of that fit. The tail end of the coat is cupped to fit around the dog's rump and hold in heat. Since the coat is much too short for Ru, it just bulges awkwardly around his loin instead.

Were this a size medium jacket instead of a small, the neck and belly straps would be much, much too large for Ru. He's longer than most chihuahuas, but clothes made for dogs with average proportions usually fit him reasonably well. Petsmart makes some super cute dog clothes, but they seem to be designed entirely for a certain body type.

Pros: Warm, easy to put on. No sleeves, sits well clear of armpits.

Cons: Cut to fit cobby, short-backed, wide breeds.

Bottom Line: I do not have a bulldog, shih tzu, pug, or sturdy terrier to wear this.

Product Review: All Seasons Dog Robe

The All Seasons Dog Robe is a warm fleece blanket-style coat that is both warm and light. It may be worn by itself or as an insulating layer under a waterproof shell. It is available in eight different colors and eight sizes to fit dogs measuring 8-26" from neck to tail.

Photo by Erin Koski

I've seen All Seasons dog coats in a number of different horse tack shops, probably because they look just like horse blankets. This robe is not waterproof, and it's really quite thin. I think that's why Brisbane likes it. This was what he wore most often when he was chilly after the dramatic shavedown.

These blankets are very durable and easy to fit, but they don't offer much in the way of adjustment. The belly strap has a decent size range, but the neck is a fixed size. Since Brisbane has a long back, having a long enough coat means the neck is huge on him. I could probably take it in by at least 6". This causes it to slide down his shoulders and restrict his movement a bit.

Pros: Warm, light, and versatile. Easy to put on and adjust. Comes in very small sizes. Very durable. Doesn't look like people clothes, if the idea of dressing your dog up troubles you.

Cons: Only fits standard dog-shaped dogs, with little to no accommodation for long backs, wide chests, and other weirdness.

Bottom Line: I've been planning to sew the neck smaller for the last nine years. This has not prevented Briz from wearing it, though. It's nice, simple, and comfy.