WALKING your dog in summer can be delightful, but it also can be dangerous if the temperatures are high.
If your pooch is feeling the heat a dog cooling vest is just what they need.
Your pooch wears it like a regular dog coat; however, they wear it damp and the water evaporates against their body, keeping them from overheating.
The best dog cooling vests are lightweight and stay wet for several hours. You just soak them under the cold tap or in the sink until totally wet then wring them out before fitting on your dog.
You can even pop their cooling coat into the freezer to make sure it’s extra cold.
I tested a selection of cooling jackets on my dogs Dilly, Mabel and Maisie over a few weeks and all the ones I tested kept them comfortable during warmer weather walks.
Using a cooling vest doesn’t mean you can take your dog out in a heatwave — and on very hot days we stay at home — but they are good for general summer use and my dogs certainly seem to like them.
Rukka Pets Grey Cooling Dog Vest, from £29 at Amazon
Pros: Lightweight, secure fastenings, stays wet for several hours, good length
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
Mabel seems very happy in this vest, and I love that it stays wet for several hours, keeping her nice and cool.
Like most of the best dog cooling jackets, you just wet the coat under the cold tap and then wring it out.
It’s easy to put on: slip it over your dog’s head, bring the chest section through their front legs and fasten it at the sides. The plastic side release buckle keeps it secure and the elastic strap is adjustable.
The back and chest sections have an inner layer that holds onto the water, delivering its cooling effects and because it’s lightweight Mabel doesn’t mind wearing it (she’s not the best at wearing coats).
Cooling time: Unknown but it was still wet after two hours for us; Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL; Suitable for: Small to large dogs; Fabric: 100% polyester
Pecute Dog Cooling Coat, from £11.99 at Amazon
Pros: Price, stays cool for several hours, lightweight, UV protection
Cons: a little inflexible, no chest section
Rating: 4.5/5
With prices starting at just £11.99 on Amazon at the time of writing, this is a great budget buy for the summer and when we tested it, it stayed wet for more than two hours (our walks don’t tend to be longer than that).
Velcro fastenings secure it at the neck and under the stomach, but there’s no chest section, which is a shame. I found the fabric a little inflexible, especially when wetting it under the tap and wringing it out, but once on your dog, it does the job.
It’s made from polyester mesh but has a middle layer made of cotton and polymer resin that holds the water, and it’s this that makes the coat a little stiff.
Still, Dilly didn’t mind wearing it, it remained wet after our walk, and at just over a tenner, it’s great value for money.
Cooling time: Unknown but it was still wet after two hours for us; Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL, 3XL; Suitable for: Small to large dogs; Fabric: 100% polyester with cotton and polymer resin inner layer
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Pawdaw of London Luxury Dog Cooling Coat, from £39.99 at Pawdaw of London
Pros: Stays cool for several hours, UV protection, good coverage, secure fastenings, harness hole to attach a lead
Cons: Can be a little fiddly to wring out when wet
Rating: 4.5/5
If you’re a fan of long walks with your dog then this is the coat for you as it stays wet for hours. Dilly and I tested it over several walks and in the garden during the recent warm weather.
Simply soak the under the cold tap until saturated then wring out, removing most of the water until it’s just damp. The coat is lined and has a chest section so I found it a little fiddly to wring out when wet, but this is a minor issue as it works so well.
Once on, this coat is secure and isn’t going anywhere; the Velcro fastenings are so strong you really have to pull to loosen them.
There’s a hole to attach a harness so your dog could wear one underneath if needed, but the neck is low enough not to get in the way of a collar and lead if you prefer.
I like that the coat is deep at the sides, while the section that goes between Dilly’s front legs and fastens across the back cools his chest, meaning he’s pretty much covered for cooling and sun protection.
All in all this is a great coat and it’s well made, so it should last.
Cooling time: At least 5 hours; Sizes: XS, S, M, M (Wide), L, XL, XXL, XXXL; Suitable for: All breeds of dog; Fabric: unknown
Ancol Dog Cooling Coat, from £11.20 at Amazon
Pros: Good length, chest section, easy fastening, really lightweight, good price
Cons: Not lined so dries quicker than some of the coats tested
Rating: 4/5
This is a lovely lightweight cooling vest that folds down into a neat package for portability.
As with the others reviewed here, you simply wet it under the tap and wring it out before placing it on your dog. Mabel was happy wearing this on walks and our trip to the dog field as it’s so light it doesn’t get in the way.
The fabric is breathable but because it’s not lined, it does dry quicker than some of the heavier cooling coats.
However, we found it remained wet enough for an hour’s walk (though of course how long it stays wet depends on how hot it is outside).
It has a chest section and easy fastening Velcro straps, and the length is good. It’s also well-priced for a cooling coat.
Cooling time: an hour or so; Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL; Suitable for: Small to large dogs; Fabric: Polyester
Rukka Pets Crisp UV Cooling Jacket, from £52.98 at Rukka Pets
Pros: UV protection, chest, neck and top part of the back stay wet for several hours, adjustable neck, good length and depth, secure fastenings, leg straps
Cons: The rear part of the back dries more quickly than the rest of the jacket
Rating: 4/5
Rukka’s Crisp UV Cooling Jacket is designed to offer protection from the sun, as well as cooling your dog in the heat.
It’s a great length, reaching past the top of the tail, and deep at the sides, providing maximum coverage.
It has a chest section that goes between the dog’s front legs and fastens over the back with a side release buckle, so it’s very secure. I love that it has a neck section too, for extra cooling benefits.
The coat is super lightweight and lined through the chest, neck and upper part of the back. These parts stay wet the longest, and I wonder why the entire coat wasn’t lined as the rear part of the back dries out quicker than the rest.
On the plus side, this is the only coat we tested that has leg straps that keep the coat in place when it’s windy.
Cooling time: Unknown but the rear of the back dries quicker than the rest; Sizes: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65; Suitable for: Small to large dogs; Fabric: 100% polyester
Island Breeze dog cooling vest, from £18.99 at Pup Chic Boutique
Pros: Super lightweight, colourful design, good length, stretchy so easy to put on
Cons: Not lined so doesn’t stay wet as long as some of the other vests, armholes rather than straps
Rating: 4/5
Maisie loves the sun and will lie in it until she is panting, looking like she’s melting in the heat. Even then she still won’t move into the shade, so this cute cooling vest was perfect for her.
It’s so lightweight she doesn’t mind wearing it at all and it gives me peace of mind knowing she is not overheating.
The style is more akin to a t-shirt than the others I reviewed, as you put it over her head and then her front legs go through the sleeves, so this might not suit less accommodating dogs.
Happily, Maisie has never had a problem with clothes and just takes everything in her stride.
Again, simply wet the vest under the tap and squeeze out excess water before putting it on your dog.
Like the Ancol coat, this one doesn’t have a lining, meaning it dries more quickly than some of the others tested, but it stayed wet for around an hour in pretty warm weather.
Pup Chic Boutique also sells matching cooling bandanas and they are so cute!
Cooling time: an hour or so; Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL; Suitable for: Small to large dogs; Fabric: Polyester
Sunny Daze Elastofit Dog Cooling Vest, from £14 at Pets at Home
Pros: Stays wet for up to six hours, UV protection, easy fastening, chest section, lightweight
Cons: Doesn’t cover all the dog’s back, very stiff when dry, not appealing to look at
Rating: 2.5/5
When this cooling vest is dry, it is stiff and cardboard-like but when it’s wet it softens up to fit your dog’s shape.
The fabric reminds me of a dishcloth; it’s easy to wring out and it stays wet for a lot longer than I thought it would (up to six hours according to the Pets at Home website).
To fit, just pop the vest over your dog’s head, pass the chest section through their front legs and secure with the strong Velcro fastening at the sides.
Dilly wore it for an hour or two at a time and it remained damp, keeping him cool. However, it isn’t very long and only covers half his back, which I don’t like.
I received the vest in XXL and it should have been big enough as he’s usually a large (or sometimes extra large), but he could have done with an even bigger size for more back coverage.
Practically speaking, the cooling capabilities are good, but aesthetically speaking, it’s no looker.
Cooling time: Up to six hours; Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL, Giant; Suitable for: Small to large dogs; Fabric: 95% polyvinyl alcohol, 5% polyester
Thanks to their increasing popularity, dog cooling coats and vests are more widely available than ever.
You should be able to find them in pet shops, such as Pets at Home and Jollyes, and you may even find them in larger homeware stores and supermarkets, especially during the summer.
For the biggest choice in dog cooling vests check out online pet retailers and dog specialists, who often design their own products with great features and cute designs.
We found the dog cooling coats in our feature at:
