Behind the Brand - Ruff & Tumble
Ruff and Tumble
Alison Priestley, from Norfolk love walking her dogs and passionately believes that dogs are happiest when running around outside, whatever the weather but she also realistic about the mess they make each day. The car and house ends up sandy, muddy and smelly!
She tried several Drying Coats on her dogs but couldn’t find one that was good enough. So over ten years ago in her kitchen she designed the first Ruff and Tumble Drying Coat to meet a need. The natural cotton towelling coats started to attract attention, so she made more and the business idea was born.
Alison’s Solution.
Ruff & Tumble Drying coats have many detailed design features which makes them effective at drying whilst being comfortable for our dogs to wear and stylish!
Alison searched everywhere for the best quality cotton towelling and eventually found it in Turkey. Unlike man-made fabrics, like plastic microfibre, natural cotton towelling breathers, and is more efficient at drying.
The Science behind the Drying Coats
A crucial feature of the coats is that they use two layers of towelling. This is key because the under-layer wicks away the moisture from the dog’s fur. Their body heat then pushes the moisture through to the outer layer of the coat, thus ensuring that the dog doesn’t sit in a damp towel. The dog dries first, followed by the coat which dries itself from the inside out whilst being worn. This science makes Ruff & Tumble Drying Coats more effective at drying than the single layered coats.
The Fit of Ruff & Tumble Drying Coats.
The coats use Velcro for fastening because it’s quicker and easier to use, as well as being more comfortable for the dog than straps or a tie around the middle. And as the owner of three mud loving Labradors whose main ambition after a muddy walk is to make my kitchen as dirty as possible by shaking, these drying coats can certainly be applied quickly!
There is a lot of tailoring in the coats, clever darts and tucks ensure the coat fits snugly like a proper dressing gown.
The thick collar which folds up into a hoody and dries the ears and head is a very poplar feature.
The final unique difference is the very wide belly flap. The underside is the dirtiest and wettest area, so the belly flap is designed to be generous for maximum effectiveness.
The Future of Ruff and Tumble
Alison continues to tweak the design of the coats and add new sizes. She is always open to suggestions about improvement form customers. During the last ten years She has added the Drying Mitts, Lead, bed covers and throws – all practical in so many ways for all dogs. Alison won’t rest until every dog lover has some Ruff & Tumble products in their life as they have made such a positive impact on her life. Something I can relate to with my 3 girls.
Muddy Dog Day
Alison has very kindly agreed to being 1 of our judges for the Muddy Dog Day search for the UK’s muddiest dog as well as donating a Drying Coat and matching mitts to the bundle of prizes the winner will receive.
