My Dog is Always Wet

 This is Puff. Puff likes water. We live on a farm. There is lots of water on the farm. There are stock tanks and water tubs all over the place. There is also a pond. It rains a lot, so there are also puddles. Lots of puddles. Puff loves puddles. 

When we lived in the desert, rain wasn't a thing most of the year. There wasn't ambient water just laying around. Puff would jump in stocks tanks and water tubs, and then dry off very quickly in the single-digit humidity. Now she is perpetually wet. This has caused some unexpected issues. The first is her collar. 

Obviously biothane was the obvious choice for Puff's collar. It's waterproof,  non-permeable, doesn't soak up nasty swamp water, and lasts forever, right? I usually see it touted as an analog to leather for dog gear and horse tack, and I have leather tack that's older than I am. In practice, I keep seeing people say that a couple of years is a good lifespan for a biothane collar. However, a lot of websites that sell biothane collars say they will last a lifetime with proper care. The biothane collars I have on my sheep tend to get stiff after a while, but that probably doesn't count as proper biothane care. 

Puff has been wearing a Farm Diggity Farm-Proof collar for three years, and it has been wet for three
years. The biothane material itself is still going strong, but the rivets are rusting out. This is not a dig at Farm Diggity, almost all my dogs are wearing their collars and they are incredible. I also have several of their dog tie-outs and some farm-proof crooks. I have nothing but good things to say about the company and their products. But farm-proof is apparently not Puff-proof.

I could just replace the rivets and wait for them to rust out again, but I am also exploring other collar options for the perpetually damp dog. Maybe stitched biothane from a company that makes horse tack. Maybe I'll have a go at making my own biothane collars. Maybe I'll have Puff DNA tested to see if she's all dog and not part seal or otter. (Just kidding, the DNA test said 100% border collie without any fun surprises.)

Product Review: Kurgo Muck Collar

The Kurgo Muck Collar is a waterproof flat buckle collar that is non-absorbent.It can be wiped clean and will not absorb odors. This collar is available in a variety of colors and patterns, and three sizes to fit dogs with necks 10-25" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is another stink-free type of collar, like our Dublin Dog and Fraggle Rock gear. It's not as thick and chunky as our Dublin Dog collar, but I have to say I'm not impressed.

See that leash ring? It also doubles as a bottle opener. This is a trend that I'm pretty sure CycleDog started. At least, I saw bottle openers on their dog gear years before anyone else started doing it. I guess it's a somewhat handy, but the one on this collar sticks straight out. Tucking the excess strap underneath it, as it was seemingly designed for, causes it to sit rigidly upright, sticking out perpendicular to the collar. It seems like it's just waiting to get caught on something.

The sizing of this collar also seems to have some issues, there's not a lot of overlap so if the medium is just a tiny bit too small, the large will be enormous. Fortunately the collar can be modified with heat, so extra holes can be punched with a heated nail, and excess strap can be cut off and the new end sealed with a lighter.

My personal issue with the Kurgo Muck collar is actually that it came, like many collars, zip-tied to a display card. It was the original packaging, and the collar was folded pretty tightly. When the zip ties were removed, the bends in the collar remained. I know the ones in the stock photos look properly round, but mine is all wavey and weird, and I have not been able to make it assume a round shape. It looks like the product has been through a redesign since I acquired mine, so maybe this issue has been resolved.

Pros: Waterproof and non-absorbent. Durable. Comes in lots of colors and patterns.

Cons: Pokey bottle opener leash ring. May require modification if your dog is in between sizes. Very stiff and remains in the shape in which it was packaged.

Bottom Line: I can imagine having all those random bits of collar poking into your neck feels good, so this collar has not become part of out adventuring gear. Hopefully the redesign has solved at least some of the product issues.

Product Review: Hurtta Waterproof Fleece Jacket

The Hurtta Waterproof Fleece Jacket is a warm winter jacket for dogs that live in cold climates. Or extremely spoiled dogs that live in temperate climates. It is waterproof and reflective, and it comes in a multitude of sizes to fit dogs of many shapes.

Photo by Erin Koski

I have hard-to-fit dogs. Brisbane and Ru are both very straight in the front, with long backs. This normally means that I have to decide whether to go with the coat that fits their chest but is short in the back, or the one that fits their back but is ridiculously large around the chest. This is pretty typical, I'm sure everyone with a sighthound, dachshund, or bulldog has had a similar experience.

Hurtta's dog coats were clearly designed by someone who understands that not all dogs are built on the average lab/cocker body plan. Their products are designed to stay on, allow freedom of movement, and truly fit.

Most dog clothes are too wide at the neck, they stretch and slide down the body. The Hurtta waterproof fleece jacket has an elastic drawstring in the neck so that it can be cinched down for a custom fit. No more stretched out dog sweaters hanging around Brisbane's shoulders. Our waterproof fleece jacket is plenty long enough to cover Brisbane from neck to tail, it would be huge on him if it didn't also have an elastic drawstring in the waist. The result is a custom-fitted coat that really keeps him toasty, doesn't slide off his body, and keeps the warm air inside. The elastic sleeve holes also help keep his entire chest and belly warm, and the waist cinch prevents him from peeing on his jacket.

Pros: Versatile and adjustable enough to fit a wide variety of dogs. Really warm, waterproof, and reflective. Back zipper makes it easy to get on a dog that lacks flexibility.

Cons: Brisbane hates wearing it. Briz hates wearing most clothes, though.

Bottom Line: I would choose this coat for lazing around, and for keeping an old creaky dog warm. I wish we had one in Ru-size. Blanket-style coats probably allow a little more freedom of movement with less possibility of rubbing, but this one is pretty awesome. It even fits Uly.