This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Rain hits, the dog needs out, and ten minutes later there’s a soaked towel on the kitchen floor and a damp animal shaking water onto the cabinets. That’s the problem a Waterproof Dog Raincoat is trying to solve, and the small-dog version of this problem is worse, because a five-pound dog is basically all belly and all underside, and the underside is where the water goes.
| Size shown (XS) | Bust 13, 17 in, back length 11 in |
|---|---|
| Weight guide | 2, 10 lbs (listing calls weight unreliable) |
| Closure | Hook & loop (Velcro) |
| Fit hardware | Adjustable leg straps, oversized storm collar |
| Extras | Hood, reflective trim, leash hole |
| Care | Wipe clean or hand-wash only |
The Wet Back End Is the Whole Point
Most cheap dog rain gear covers the shoulders and quits. The extended, widened vest cut on this one carries down over the hindquarters and thighs, and that’s the single feature that changes the post-walk routine. Less wet fur means less towel time.
The rule in this category is simple. The more thorough the coverage, the dryer the dog stays. A poncho leaves the rear and the belly open, so rain runs off the back edge and lands exactly where you didn’t want it. So if your main irritation is a soggy back half, that extended cut is the reason to look at this over a basic slip-on.
Measure the Bust. Ignore the Scale.
The listing says it outright: weight is not an important reference, bust is. XS covers a bust of 13 to 17 inches with an 11-inch back length. That’s the number that decides whether this works.
Bust means the widest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs. Wrap a soft tape around there, snug but not pulling, and keep the dog standing. Then measure back length from the base of the neck to the base of the tail and check it against that 11 inches. A 4-pound Chihuahua and a 9-pound Yorkie can both land inside the 2, 10 lb window and have very different ribcages, which is exactly why the weight range is the least useful number on the page.
One more thing worth knowing: sizing inconsistency is a category-wide complaint, and neck openings running small is the most frequent version of it. A 13, 17 inch bust range is wide, and dogs at either end of it get different results. If your dog is right at 13 inches, expect roomier. Right at 17, expect snug through the collar.
What Each Feature Buys You
Every feature here is aimed at one specific failure mode that rain gear usually has.
The oversized storm collar. A lot of raincoats fail at the most basic level, which is letting water leak in around the neck and run down the chest. A tall collar targets that junction directly. It’s the least glamorous part of the design and probably the most useful.
The elastic leg straps. These keep the jacket pinned to the body so it doesn’t balloon in a gust or rotate sideways mid-walk. Ponchos without straps lift in wind and expose the belly, which defeats the exercise. The straps are also adjustable, which matters for a growing puppy or a dog whose weight moves around.
The hook-and-loop closures. No pulling anything over a wriggly head, no threading four legs through sleeves. For a dog that hates being dressed, a wrap-and-press design is a shorter fight than a step-in jumpsuit.
Reflective trim and the leash hole. Rainy potty breaks happen in the dark at both ends of the day. Reflective trim covers the visibility gap, and the leash hole means you’re not choosing between the coat and clipping to a harness underneath. If that combination is your daily reality, the current price and size options are on the product page.
Where This Coat Is the Wrong Tool
Three situations where a different style serves better, and they’re worth knowing before you buy.
Dogs with thick or fluffy coats often find this style of jacket restrictive or tight around the extra fluff. A Pomeranian in a 13, 17 inch bust range may measure fine and still feel squeezed once the coat compresses.
Hood haters are a real category. One of the most common complaints about any hooded dog raincoat is that the hood blocks vision and the dog ends up hating the whole garment. This one uses an opaque hood, not a transparent one. Some dogs shake it off and carry on. Some plant their feet and refuse. There’s no engineering around that.
And leg straps themselves are a behavioral hurdle for certain dogs. Plenty of owners report a coat that fits everywhere else and still gets rejected because of the elastic loops on the back legs. Long, low-slung breeds like Dachshunds or Italian Greyhounds are usually better served by a full jumpsuit or a made-to-measure suit, which cost more and take longer to arrive but actually match the body shape.
Does It Last a Full Rainy Season?
Treat this as a season-grade piece, not a multi-year investment. Durability is the most commonly cited shortcoming across budget dog rainwear, and nothing about the spec sheet here argues otherwise.
The 4.2-star Amazon rating reads exactly like the category. Solid, not exceptional, with enough mixed experiences underneath to suggest fit and longevity are where the frustration lives. There’s also no published hydrostatic head rating for this coat. Some comparable products in the category publish figures like 3,000mm, which covers light to moderate rain and drizzle. This one makes no equivalent claim, so the fabric is described as impermeable without a number attached to it.
Two wear points to watch. Front leg openings that sit narrow or badly placed can rub behind the elbows on longer walks, so check the dog’s armpits after the first few outings. And loose strap ends collect mud and make a tempting chew target. Straps should lie flat and fasten away from the skin.
Cleaning It Without Wrecking the Waterproofing
Wipe clean or hand-wash. That’s the whole instruction, and no machine-wash claim is made anywhere on the listing.
For most rainy-day use, a wipe-down is all it needs, since the fabric sheds water rather than absorbing it. Muddy days get a hand-wash in cool water with a mild soap, then hang to dry. Skip the dryer and skip fabric softener. The absence of a machine-wash rating is a genuine caveat if you’ve got a dog who finds every puddle in the neighborhood. Premium options like Ruffwear or Kurgo are machine washable and better engineered on fit, at a price that puts them in a different bracket entirely.
Who Should Buy the XS, and Who Should Size Around It
The XS suits a small dog with a 13, 17 inch bust and a back around 11 inches, doing short walks and potty breaks in ordinary rain. That’s the sweet spot.
If your dog measures at the very bottom of that bust range, expect the coat to sit loose and lean on the leg straps and the belly closure to take up slack. If they measure near the top, the storm collar is the part most likely to feel tight, so measure the neck too before committing. Stiff-fabric jackets in general make dogs walk a little carefully and avoid sharp turns, which makes this a better pick for a walk around the block than for a fetch session in the park.
If the picture is a small dog, real rain, a wet back end you’re tired of towelling, and a budget that isn’t Ruffwear money, this is an easy one to try. Current sizes and pricing are on the product page.
Pros
- Extended, widened cut covers hindquarters and thighs, not just the shoulders
- Oversized storm collar targets the neck-leak point most raincoats fail at
- Adjustable leg straps stop the coat lifting in wind or rotating sideways
- Hook-and-loop on/off avoids the over-the-head wrestling match
- Reflective trim plus a leash hole for dark, wet potty breaks over a harness
Cons
- Hand-wash or wipe clean only, with no machine-wash rating
- No published waterproof rating to compare against 3,000mm-rated alternatives
- Opaque hood is a common source of dog refusal
- The 13, 17 inch XS bust range is wide, so results differ at each end
- Budget-tier durability, best treated as season-grade
What we’d improve
Three fixes that wouldn’t be hard for a next version:
- No published waterproof rating, printing a hydrostatic head figure would let buyers compare it against the 3,000mm-rated options instead of guessing at “impermeable”.
- Loose strap ends, a keeper loop to tuck the tail of each strap would stop the mud collection and remove the chew temptation.
- Opaque hood, a clear panel or a removable hood would salvage the coat for the many dogs that reject it on sight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it fit over a harness?
Yes, and the leash hole exists for exactly that. Clip the harness on first, feed the leash through the opening, then fasten the coat. Just account for harness bulk when you measure the bust, since a padded harness eats into that 13, 17 inch range.
How does it compare to a cheaper poncho-style raincoat?
Ponchos are cheaper and faster to put on, but they balloon in wind and leave the hindquarters exposed. This one trades that convenience for leg straps and extended rear coverage. If your walks are calm and short, a poncho is fine. If it’s windy, the straps are the difference.
Will repeated hand-washing wear out the waterproofing?
Frequent washing is the usual culprit in any coated rain fabric, which is why the listing leads with wipe clean. Use cool water and mild soap only when mud demands it, skip fabric softener and the dryer, and hang it flat. Most rainy-day use needs a towel wipe, not a wash.
Is it suitable for a puppy that’s still growing?
Reasonably, thanks to the adjustable straps that take up slack across changing body shapes. The limit is the fixed 11-inch back length, which doesn’t adjust at all. Re-measure the bust every few weeks and plan on sizing up once the back outgrows it.
Get it now
Waterproof Dog Raincoat with Hood, Extended Coverage Rain Jacket for Samll Dogs, Wind-Resistant Secure Fit with Leg Straps, Reflective, Leash Hole, Easy Hook & Loop Fastener On/Off, Blue, XS
Get the best price on Amazon →This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
