Posting days: Sunday and Wednesday and, sometimes, maybe, extra ‘news flashes’!

Wednesday July 6th 2016

Except for collar, harness and leads, her new mac is the first item of Hairy One’s wardrobe bought specially for her.

She inherited her last mac and her winter coat from Ellie, my previous dog. The winter coat has rarely been worn since Isis, despite her Portugese origins, does not appear to feel the cold. In fact, I’m sure that she feels no need for any protection from the weather. She doesn’t appear to mind being soaked to the skin. What she does mind, however, is being dried. Since we spend several hours a day outside and the rain smacks down relentlessly day after day through most of May and June, a mac is definitely in order.

Ellie’s spotty mac, which is plastic, is disintegrating rapidly. I search in vain locally for a lightweight mac, then follow up Gr.’s suggestion and check out http://www.innerwolf.co.uk

I find exactly what I want. The make is ‘Buster’ and it is modelled below by Isis.

I am delighted with the mac. (No, honestly, I’m not getting paid for writing this.) It is very lightweight, made of breathable material and waterproof. It covers the dog’s underbody which prevents him/her from getting covered in mud, but is very, very easy to put on as the neck and underbody cover have velcro fastenings. You only have to:

1. place the coat on the dog’s back

2. fasten it under the neck

3. fasten the underbody cover

4. place each back leg through one of the two elastic loops.

The coat does not restrict the dog’s movement in any way. Isis, who is usually very uncomfortable with being touched by foreign objects, seems perfectly at ease in her new mac, and races around, twirls and leaps up and down as vigorously as ever.

As you can see in the photo, there is a slot through which you can attach a lead to the collar. This has a double zip so that the lead can be positioned accurately and the rain cannot get through. There is also another, smaller slot at the neck so that you can attach a lead to the collar. This slot is covered by a little pocket.

Excellent!

Isis came from the Aeza cat and dog rescue and adoption centre in Aljezur, Portugal. For information about adopting an animal from the centre, contact kerry@aeza.org or  www.dogwatchuk.co.uk