My Labrador, Biscuit, is a large, enthusiastic, fundamentally optimistic dog who is afraid of exactly one thing: rain. Not thunder, not fireworks, not the hoover — rain. The moment he feels a drop on his nose he stops walking, looks at me with an expression of profound betrayal, and refuses to move. This is a problem when you have a dog that needs two substantial walks a day and you live in the north of England, where it rains approximately three hundred days a year.
I’d tried various approaches to the rain problem. Waiting it out didn’t work — British rain doesn’t wait. Encouraging him didn’t work — Biscuit has strong opinions and treats are not sufficient compensation for getting wet. The Ancol Muddy Paws Stormguard Dog Coat is what finally worked.
The Rain Walk Problem
Biscuit is a Labrador, which is a breed that is theoretically water-loving — they were bred to retrieve waterfowl, they have water-resistant coats, they will happily swim in a river. But Biscuit has apparently not read the breed description, because he treats rain as a personal affront. His reluctance to walk in wet weather had become a genuine problem by last autumn, when we had a particularly wet October and November and his exercise was suffering as a result.
I’d been sceptical about dog coats for a dog his size — he’s an XL, about 40kg, and most dog coats I’d seen looked either too small or too flimsy to make any real difference. The Ancol Stormguard was the one that looked substantial enough to actually work.
Why I Chose the Ancol Stormguard
The Ancol Muddy Paws Stormguard Dog Coat had several features that made it stand out. The waterproof outer with fleece lining was the combination I needed — waterproof to keep the rain off, fleece to keep him warm on cold mornings. The chest protector was important for Biscuit specifically, because his reluctance to walk in rain is partly about the cold wet feeling on his chest and belly. A coat that only covered his back wouldn’t have addressed the actual problem.
The elasticated neck and leg straps meant the coat would stay in place during a walk rather than shifting around, which had been an issue with a cheaper coat I’d tried previously. And the XL size with a 60cm length and up to 86cm girth was right for Biscuit’s dimensions — I measured him carefully before ordering and the fit was exactly right.
Ancol is a brand I’d used before for leads and collars and trusted for quality. That familiarity made me more confident about buying a coat at this price point.
The First Rainy Walk
I put the coat on Biscuit for the first time on a wet Tuesday morning in November. He was suspicious of it initially — he’s suspicious of anything new — but once it was on he seemed comfortable with it. We went out into the rain. He walked. He didn’t stop. He didn’t look at me with betrayal. He just… walked, in the rain, for forty minutes, as if this was something he’d always been happy to do.
I cannot overstate how significant this was. Forty minutes of rain walking from a dog who had previously refused to walk in rain at all. The coat was keeping the rain off his back and chest, and without the cold wet sensation he’d been objecting to, the rain simply wasn’t a problem for him anymore.
Six Months of Winter Walking
We’ve now been through a full British winter with the Stormguard. It’s been worn in heavy rain, light drizzle, sleet, and on cold dry mornings when the fleece lining is useful even without the waterproofing. The coat has performed consistently in all conditions.
The waterproofing has held up without any re-treatment. The fleece lining is still intact and hasn’t pilled or compressed. The elasticated straps are still secure and haven’t stretched out of shape. The poppy red colour has stayed bright despite regular washing — I wash it every couple of weeks and it comes out looking the same as when it went in.
Biscuit now walks to the coat hook when it’s raining, which I choose to interpret as enthusiasm rather than resignation. Either way, the rain walks are happening, which is the outcome I needed.
Fitting Notes for Large Dogs
For anyone with a large dog considering this coat, I’d strongly recommend measuring your dog before ordering rather than guessing by breed or weight. Biscuit is a standard-sized male Labrador at about 40kg and the XL was the right size — the 60cm back length covers him properly and the 86cm girth allowance gives enough room for the coat to sit correctly without being tight. A coat that’s too small will restrict movement and won’t stay in place; a coat that’s too large will shift around and won’t provide proper coverage.
Where to Find It
The Ancol Muddy Paws Stormguard Dog Coat is available in the Pet Coats and Pet Apparel collections, within the broader Pet Supplies range.
If you have a dog who objects to rain and you’ve been struggling with winter walks, a proper waterproof coat with chest coverage is worth trying before you resign yourself to short walks and a frustrated dog. The Ancol Stormguard is the one I’d recommend. Six months of British winter and Biscuit is still walking in the rain. That’s all the endorsement I need to give.
— Sarah Brennan, owner of Biscuit the rain-averse Labrador, north of England resident, and now a person who actually looks forward to wet weather walks
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