Pup-and-coming: dog clothing market soars amid cold, wet UK weather

Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian are some of the many who have long indulged in mini-me dressing – wearing the same clothes as their children – but now the trend is being extended to people’s four-legged companions, too. The dog clothing market is soaring and this winter it is coats that are topping the most in-demand list.Bestsellers at Pawelier, a London-based luxury pet accessories shop include a £135 four-leg puffer coat complete with a fuzzy hood and toggle detailing, and a £110 reversible down-filled jumpsuit in cornflower blue and cappuccino brown that wouldn’t look out of place on a designer catwalk. The Italian greyhounds and whippets pictured bundled up in them appear to be prepped for an Alpine adventure rather than a lap around the park.At John Lewis, searches for dog coats are up 33% year on year. Its bestseller is a £22 own-brand tangerine-coloured puffer jacket with a utility style belt.Three-in-one dog coat from Danish Designs. Photograph: Adam Marsden/Danish DesignsRob Newsome, director of sales at Danish Design, a Leeds-based pet product manufacturer, says Britain’s increasingly cold and wet weather is driving sales. The company started out creating pet bedding in 1981, but over the past 40 years has experienced a huge increase in demand. Its current bestseller, the 3-in-1 coat, looks similar to a Dryrobe and features a waterproof and windproof outer layer and a detachable inner fleece.Oli Port, the editor-in-chief and founder of Dogue magazine, says due to social media dogs are now “the ultimate fashion icons”. Brands including Burberry and Louis Vuitton have included dogs in recent advertising campaigns; while some dogs have become lucrative standalone influencers, such as Samantha, an Afghan hound based in Edinburgh who has worked with brands including Jimmy Choo and Tommy Hilfiger.Brands including Barbour, Carhartt and Ralph Lauren sell matching dog/owner coats. Port says puffer jackets have become a top choice this winter (its latest issue stars Theodore Thurston, a mini Australian labradoodle in a padded Moncler vest), while she has also noticed an increase in trench-style coats that are “perfect for city dogs who want that chic, polished look”.Aurorapuff downshield suit from Pawelier. Photograph: PawelierBut do dogs, particularly in Britain where the temperature rarely drops below freezing, really need a winter coat? Julian Hoad, a veterinary surgeon and president of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association says it depends on the breed.He says: “Dogs that have very thin coats and thin skin, for example lurchers, greyhounds, chihuahuas and Yorkshire terriers, can get quite cold particularly if it is wet, so a coat isn’t a bad idea in those circumstances. Other dogs such as malamutes and German shepherds have quite thick coats of their own, so really don’t need any.”He also cautions against coats for brachycephalic dogs such as French bulldogs and Boston terriers that have a short skull shape. “The problem is if they get overheated they can really struggle to pant effectively.” Other warning signs of a dog being too hot include a hunched posture and disinterest in walking.While some coats such as the Korean brand Merlot’s raincoat offer adjustable hoods, Hoad says most dogs will “resent having anything around their heads” and focusing on the dog’s trunk is usually sufficient. When it comes to heat loss, Hoad says it depends on the dog’s total surface area. “A small dog will have a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio. And if it has a thin fur coat, it’ll lose heat more quickly than a great big German shepherd with very thick fur because it has a relatively smaller surface area.”A dog’s proximity to the ground also plays a part. Hoad points to dogs with short legs such as miniature dachshunds whose bellies can rub against cold, wet grass.The UK is home to 13 million dogs, nearly double the number in 2011. Millennials and the gen Z demographic bought two-thirds of all dogs in Britain in 2022. Louise Nindi, co-founder of the dog lifestyle store Mutts, says a modern generation of dog owners are driving it. She says: “As young people are having fewer children, dogs are getting closer to being family members who understand you. Dogs aren’t just going to the park any more, they’re coming to work, restaurants – even on holiday – so they do naturally become an extension of yourself, your values, your style.”For those cynical of the trend, Ports also points to the normalisation of dogs everywhere from hotel stays to in-cabin airline travel. “Most of the time dogs are naked, but as they are participating more in our lives they need clothes. You wouldn’t allow your child to go outside in cold weather without wearing a coat. It’s the same thing for us. Dogs are our babies.”