Hurtta are no strangers to extreme weather. Based in Finland, they have developed highly functional dog gear to keep their pups warm and dry in the unrelenting Finnish weather. They've now expanded globally, being available right here at Mountain Dog!
However, the UK benefits from a temperate climate; our winters are cool, our summers are warm and it can rain at any given moment. Despite the changeability of our weather, it is very rarely extreme.
This fact is important to remember when selecting a coat for your pooch. Certain short-haired breeds, such as pugs, greyhounds, Rhodesian ridgebacks and Staffordshire bull terriers benefit from a warming coat. However, for a lot of dogs, rain protection is key - a dry dog is a warmer dog, after all!
Cold Weather
The Extreme Warmer is the most insulating of the Hurtta coats, perfect for pups that feel the cold. It features thick, insulating wadding and a foil lining to protect the most imperative muscles for heat production. This coat is particularly popular with dogs who are used to warmer climates, such as Romanian rescues.
The Expedition Parka is great for the UK winters. It features insulating wadding, featuring a shorter cut and more rugged materials. This coat was developed especially for short-haired dogs and dogs without an undercoat. It is also suitable for dogs who need a little extra warmth due to age.
Wet Weather
These jackets are the sweet spot for our woolly breeds of dog. Not too hot, but highly practical to defend against wet weather. Hurtta's special fabric does a good job of protecting from rain, but do remember there is always a saturation point - short of fitting them in a rubberised suit, nothing is truly waterproof. We know this from our experience trotting along the fells in atrocious conditions - sometimes adventures are best left for another day.
The key offers are the Monsoon & Downpour (now known as the Mudventure.) Both are extremely well-made waterproof jackets but each with a slightly different use case.
The Monsoon is perfect for rainy days. The seams are vertical, allowing the collar to be taped so that it is fully waterproof. Additionally, there is a rain collar made of waterproof tricot around the edge of the collar, preventing water from going inside the coat along the dog’s neck. The belly flap protects the dog's belly from mud and sand.
The Mudventure is more of a near mud-proof suit! Made of durable and comfortably flexible outdoor fabric that does not rustle when the dog moves. The adjustable leg length, neckline and waist mean it can be adjusted to fit your dog. makes it possible to modify the overall. This coat covers approximately 90% of the dog, preventing your dog from getting (too) mucky!
For all jackets, it is important to note that waterproof material is not especially thorn proof - so if your pal is likely to enjoy the undergrowth, do contact us to discuss alternatives. Some materials are more durable than others, which is why we sell a variety of jackets from different brands.
All product particulars are provided on their own product page on:
www.mountaindog.uk
Getting the right size
To help you get the best fit, we recommend taking a few minutes to understand Hurtta sizing, before making a purchase.
Most of our customers, by employing this guidance, get the fit they need first or second time. Hurtta's coats increase in increments of 5cm along the back, so most dogs will find a great fit.
Don't be discouraged if you end up with a coat that's too big/too small! You can use the coat you have to establish how far off the rear of the coat is to the base of the tail - that's an easy way to establish which size you should be replacing the coat with.
Even with all of your efforts when measuring, we cannot guarantee a fit until the jacket meets the dog. However, a great starting point is by following the below steps.
Back-length (Measure me first)
The back measurement is the most important measurement when it comes to fitting a coat. This should be measured from the very highest point of the shoulder blades, to the root of the tail.
The measurement taken of your dog is indicative of what the length of the coat should be. This is reflected in the sizing options, (30, 35, 40 etc.)
Be careful when measuring - even the slightest over-measure could result in you buying the incorrect size! This is especially easy to do with Hurtta, as there are only a few cm between each size.
After you have captured your dog, measure from the very bottom of the neck to the root of the tail. A lot of people get this step wrong and we don't want your dog looking like a kid wearing their dad's coat or trying to squeeze them into something far too small.
The following pictures will guide you:
Top Tip!
Unlike the pictures, do not use drawing pins to secure your tape measure!
What to choose?
In the example above the dog measures 42cm length.
If your dog is stocky, like this mannequin, size up to 45cm. If they are more slight of size, it may be best to start with a 40cm. Whilst back length is the key parameter there are more considerations discussed below before making your final size choice.
The picture below shows our mannequin wearing a 45cm version of the Monsoon jacket.
This Monsoon jacket also benefits from a drawstring that cinches up the length too - not all jackets have this so please check the individual description if you feel this extra feature will help the fit.
Given the size of this dog (42cm) they could have possibly squeezed one size down into a 40cm version too - this is down to your judgement - If you choose to do this, please note all proportions of the jacket are smaller too.
Step Two - Girth Size
Once you have established/shortlisted the likely length you need (you are always welcome to order two and return one if unsure), it is VITAL that you then cross-check the chest (girth) size of your dog with the size chart for your chosen coat length.
For our example, a 45cm Monsoon jacket, the chest size is adjustable from 45-85cm. Our model, on Miriam the Mannequin, was 63cm around there so absolutely fine for the jacket length we chose.
Neckline
This is simply a measurement of the aperture of the hood opening. Hurtta try to accommodate round faced dogs, so if you don't have a breed like this, don't be surprised if this measurement is huge compared to the size you really need for their head. The good news is this can be cinched up on fitting.
Downpour Legs
For the Downpour the process is the same but it is key you then establish the leg length in addition to the other measurements.
Help!!
I did all this and it still didn't fit!
It can be the case that you follow all the above steps, and you still didn't get a great or close fit. There can be a couple of reasons for this:
Your Breed is Inconsistent with Hurtta's Sizing
Hurtta try to provide solutions for the majority of dogs, but very rarely, we get the odd dog whose waist is too small for the length, or other similar challenges. Luckily, we don't see this very often, as Hurtta sizing is extremely flexible. You can visit www.hurtta.com to see a handy tool where you can cross-check your breed to the likely size they'll be. This can help you understand roughly which size your dog will be.
Very slight dog breeds may require the size down, such as sighthounds.
Understand Hurtta's Sizing
Hurtta sizing charts are 100% accurate.
Here is the back length of the 45cm jacket we put on the model - the key is the hood is not part of this calculation.
From the bottom of the hood to the tail end of the jacket is 45cm.
Here's a different jacket - this time a 30cm Expedition showing the same:
Most of our customers, by employing this guidance, get the fit they need first or second time and we sincerely hope this blog helps get your dog into the right size jacket as quickly as possible.
We want dry and snug pooches all around the UK!
Mountain Dog are always willing to help guide you and our 30 day return policy should give you the comfort to try it on at home.
Let the jackets meet the dogs
As a last resort if you've ended up with one a little too big/small from your order - do use the coat you have to establish if it is sitting 5cm, 10cm too big/small off the back of the tail - that's an easy way to establish what size you should be replacing it with.
Any questions, just bark at us!
bark@mountaindog.uk