Thin-coated dogs lose heat fastest through the chest and belly, which is precisely the part a rug-style coat leaves open to the weather. This one closes with a full-length zip and covers back and chest together, so the cold wind coming up off a wet pavement in January has considerably less to work with on the way round the block.

The shell is padded and lined with fleece across the chest and back, and the zip runs the length of the coat so it goes on without a wrestling match over the head. Reflective trim picks up car headlights at the dark end of a walk, which between October and March is most of them. A D-ring is sewn into the back, so a lead can clip straight to the coat rather than burrowing underneath for the collar.

• Full-length zip fastening
• Fleece lining across chest and back
• Padded outer for cold-weather warmth
• Reflective trim for darker walks
• Sewn-in D-ring for lead attachment
• Sizes XS through to 3XL
• Wine red, pink and blue

On the lead ring. A ring on a coat is convenient, but it is only ever as strong as the stitching around it, and a coat is not a harness. For a dog who pulls hard or lunges at things, keep the lead on a proper harness or collar and treat the coat ring as a light-duty convenience for calm walks.

What the options mean. Sizes run from XS to 3XL — £13.99 for the smallest, £19.99 for the largest.

Who it's for: Short-coated and small dogs who start shivering in November, and owners who want warmth, visibility and the lead all handled by one layer.