We’ve hit that point in the year where it's a constant internal battle of whether or not to crank up the thermostat. And while I’d sooner wrap up in a hat, scarf, coat and gloves, before putting the heating on, I have a little rescue dog called Phoebe who is - as we say in Stoke - a bit ‘nesh’ and feels the cold more than our other pooch Frank.
Phoebe can often be found snuggled under a nest of fluffy throws (four to be precise), and will live in this blanket burrito most of the day until it’s time for tea, walkies, or she hears me get the cheese out of the fridge. You only need to turn the fire-looking lighting on our electric fireplace and she’ll lay in front of it, she worships the sun in summer, and if there’s a radiator on, you’ll find her leaning up against it.
Her sad little eyes when the temperatures dip remind me of the day I picked her up from a cold concrete kennel at the rescue centre - needless to say, it’s enough for me to put the heating on.
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When I’m working from home in the winter, I’ll typically wear an oversized hooded blanket to keep me snug and warm, and Oodie has got their own version for dogs that provides the ultimate solution to keeping my dog warm without needing to put the heating on.
There are 12 dog Oodie designs to choose from, but many of them have sold out. Naturally, owning Staffy crosses, I’d have gone for that design, but since my beloved canine companions are also obsessed with puppuccinos, I thought the coffee design would fit Phoebe’s personality quite well.
We often really struggle to find anything this cute in ‘big dog sizes’, but the Oodie comes in XS/S, M/L, XL/XXL and XLP . The XL/XXL size was best for Phoebe having checked the size guide, and because she’s got quite a wide chest sometimes conventional pet clothing doesn’t fit her quite right and we have to size up, but the fit of the Oodie was perfect for her.
Just like regular human Oodies, the fabric is made from super-soft Toasty Tek fleece fabric that is snuggly, cosy and warm but won’t overheat your pooch. It was also really easy to get on, with snap buttons down the front instead of Velcro, which can sometimes rub and cause irritation on the skin.
As soon as I put Phoebe in the Oodie , she looked not only ridiculously adorable, but also very cosy. As I say, she loves nothing more than being tucked up in bed, and the dog Oodie is a wearable blanket for pets as much as the human version is for us. The hood is a wonderful touch and covers her head nicely, and there’s even a handy opening in the neck area to attach a lead, so I could even walk her in it, if I wanted to.
I do actually find that Phoebe is more relaxed during stressful events like Bonfire Night when she has a jacket on of some description, be it a jumper or a snood, and she also walks better on her lead wearing one, because she feels more secure and safe. The dog Oodie acts like a calming hug for her, and she really settles when I put it on for her.
However, we’ve had just one issue. While Frank is much more hardy when it comes to the weather, I did get a bit of side-eye and sulking from him for not having his own dog Oodie. He has even stolen it off the kitchen table and tried to have a little nibble on it in protest of not having his own, but much to my surprise, the fabric is super durable and completely unscathed, which can’t be said for any of the toys he’s had in the past. Thankfully, they’re also really easy to machine wash, so I can sort the dog slobber right out with no fuss.
Other dog owners have also loved their pet Oodies , with one writing: “Got this kind of as a joke as I have one and meant we could match, however my dog Dave absolutely loves it. As it’s been cold he has worn it frequently and when he hasn’t got it on he looks for it and seems happier in it.
“The popper buttons make it easier to get on/off also. And he looks super cute in it so bonus! I had expected it to be a slightly looser fit on him given we got an XL/XXL however it does fit him fine and he has good mobility in it so isn’t really a problem.”
Another added: “I've been waiting for the Coffee Dog Oodie to come back into stock for a year, totally worth the wait. Not only does it look great, the quality is good, the material is very soft and warm like my human Oodie. Whilst the size is true to measurements I found it to be a little snug around the chest (for her - Cockerpoo), however this is enough room for her move about, curl up and of course doodle dash all over the garden.”
While a third also agreed the sizing could be improved, commenting: “Pooch loves but it could do with being two inches longer on the back but fits perfect on the chest and neck.”
Other retailers have also launched their own take on a wearable blanket for dogs, like this Online Home Shop version for £5 , which comes in three sizes, while Snuggy’s version is now under £20 in an early Black Friday sale.
The dog Oodie has helped me stall putting the heating on for another couple of weeks, keeping Phoebe quite literally ‘as snug as a bug in a rug’. For £39, it’s well worth the money for what you could save in energy bills, and I guess I’m going to have to buy Frank one now, too.