Ears and necks are where a short-coated dog loses heat fastest, and they are the two places a coat never reaches. A whippet or a greyhound out on a frosty morning has almost nothing over the skull, and older dogs with thinning coats feel the wind in the same spot. A knitted hat and matching scarf cover exactly that gap, which is why the pairing works better than either piece bought on its own.

Both pieces are worked in a soft cable-knit yarn with enough give to sit close without gripping. The hat has openings for the ears so it sits on the head rather than clamping them flat, and the scarf ties rather than buckles, so you set the tension yourself and can leave it comfortably loose. Nothing here is waterproof and nothing is structured; it is a wool-style layer for dry cold rather than for sleet.

• Cable-knit hat and matching scarf sold together as a set
• Tie fastening on the scarf so you set the tension
• Soft knitted yarn with stretch
• Red in small and medium, navy blue in medium
• Made for autumn and winter wear

Worth being honest about. Headwear is a short, supervised item, not something to leave on a dog around the house. Hats slide, and a hat over the eyes is worse than no hat at all, so check it every few minutes on a walk and take it off indoors. Only three size and colour combinations exist, so if your dog is larger than a medium this set will not fit them.

Who it's for: Small and medium short-coated dogs on dry winter walks, and owners who want a warm layer that happens to photograph well.