Fashionista - Winter Coats

I hope this will be one of the first of many posts I do regarding G and her incredible fashion sense.

As the owner of a short-haired pup in an unpredictable climate, I've learned the importance of a good coat, rain jacket, fleece sweatshirt, etc. to keep her warm. From the time G was a baby (She was born in December, mind you), I've had to put her in sweaters, jackets and knitted tops just to keep her protected from the elements.

These images are from G's first trip over to Roosevelt Island in Manhattan. She's wearing a double layer in this photo of a soft, cotton t-shirt and a pink, puffy coat (albeit cute, but not so warm):

Long gone are the days that I can go into any pet store and they'll have something cute that will keep her warm and fit her at the same time. Now that G is 44 lbs., I've had to research and order clothes online.

In addition to our evolving purchasing methods, we've also evolved what we consider a good coat. I am now a major fan of form and function over style, but I can say I found a VERY happy median in the good folks at Voyagers K9 Apparel. The company specializes in breed-specific clothing, based on typical characteristics as well as your dogs individual measurements. I should note that I saw these coats on numerous greyhounds and whippets around the city, so I knew they must be very warm - I've found that greyhounds are always decked out in the best jackets!

For Christmas this past year G and I received the K9 Voyagers Winter Coat in maroon and Tummy Warmer in tan from my mom. They were honestly a life saver this year as NYC had some of the worst weather in years!

As you can see from the below, the coat has a built in grey fleece snood (basically like a neck and ear warmer) and the main jacket is lined with super warm, soft tan fleece. In addition, the outside of the coat in wind and water resistant and has a large belly band that protects the most sensitive and exposed skin. Finally (and what a great idea!) the back of the coat overhangs her tail a few inches and sports a reflective strip for protection when walking in the dark nights of the winter.

Interestingly, what's so great about the breed specific coats is that while I chose a coat that overhangs on G's behind, for pups with cropped tails (Bostons, bulldogs, boxers, etc.) you can choose a shorter coat that allows their tails to wag freely. They thought of everything!