PetPal Gear Score

How well the shell keeps water out, from the maker's product page or the Amazon listing title. Scoring: 10 for a published water column over 10,000 mm with all seams taped; 9 for at least 10,000 mm with the maker stating that seams are taped (critical seams, or seams with no qualifier); 8 for a published 10,000 mm waterproof rating with no statement that seams are taped (seam tape listed only as a material does not count), or a waterproof listing title plus taped seams; 7 for a maker's statement that the coat is waterproof with no rating or seam taping among the verified facts; 4 for water-resistant; 3 for a shell that sheds light moisture only. Where a maker's page gives two different statements about the same coat, the lower-scoring one is used. A maker's note that limits how a coat should be used, such as Hurtta's notes that the Extreme Warmer III is not a raincoat and the Expedition Parka II is not designed for heavy rain, maps to no scoring level; it is printed on the card, in the comparison table and under when not to buy instead. Weighted joint highest because PDSA describes a multipurpose dog coat as waterproof, windproof and insulated, and this guide covers cold, wet weather.

How much of the dog the coat covers and how warm the maker says it is. Scoring: 10 for a full-body coverall with sleeves; 9 for a sleeved jacket with 250 g of insulation, or a maker temperature rating down to -20°F; 8 for a maker rating down to -15°F; 7 for 250 g of insulation with no sleeves among the verified facts; 6 for 120 g of insulation with extended hip and thigh coverage; 3 for no insulation figure or rating among the verified facts. Hurtta's temperature ratings and Ruffwear's insulation weights are maker figures, not measurements. Weighted joint highest because the AKC and Cornell both describe small, short-haired, hairless, young and older dogs as the most vulnerable to cold.

Whether the coat can be worn over a harness. Scoring: 10 for leash portals on the chest and the back; 8 for one back leash portal, or a 2-way zipper for harness access; 6 for a harness opening on part of the size range only; 0 when no harness opening is among the verified facts. The AKC lists a built-in hole for a harness's leash attachment among the features to look for.

Whether the maker publishes how to size the coat. Scoring: 10 for a published measuring basis (chest or rib-cage girth, or back length, including a size chart on the product page) plus a between-sizes rule; 8 for one of the two; 0 for neither among the verified facts. A between-sizes rule means one direction the maker gives for that coat; Ruffwear's general note to size up for a relaxed fit or down for a snug one is not counted as a rule for any coat. Weighted because the AKC warns that a coat too loose can entangle a dog, PDSA says a badly fitting coat irritates a dog, and Ruffwear and Hurtta size in different ways. Price is not scored: each card's figure is for one size and color only, so prices on this page cannot be compared like for like. The per-factor scores for every pick are printed in the comparison table, so each total can be recomputed. Ties on the total are broken by the higher Weather Protection score, then the higher Warmth & Coverage score.