Which Hound-Tee Is Right For Your Sighthound?

Hound-Tees makes ethical garments for Greyhounds, Whippets and Italian Greyhounds, and our styles even fit some other breeds! But how do you know which style is right for your doggo?

The main factors to consider when choosing a Hound-Tee are:

• Temperature 
• Activity 
• Your dog's preferences
• Sizing

Let's break down each factor!

Temperature

We have a comprehensive guide to help you choose the right warmth level for your houndie, but we'll give you the highlight reel here:

Hound-Tee warmth factors are graded from one through to four.

Warmth factor 1: Sleeveless Tees

Warmth factor 2: Long Sleeve Tees

Warmth factor 2.5: Long Johns

Warmth Factor 3: Tweaters

Warmth Factor 4: Sweatshirts

The golden rule is if you're cold, your hound is probably already cold! Dress them to the level of comfort you would dress for each temperature or weather condition, and when unsure, err on the side of warmer! Their thin skin, short fur and lean bods make it really hard for long dogs and velcro dogs (aka greyhounds, iggys and whippets) to keep themselves warm. The exception to this is if you're taking them to stretch their quick stix and do an activity like sprinting that could cause them to overheat if in a garment too heavy. That brings us to our next point!

Activity

If your Houndie is saying good night, settling in for a nap, or planning a full day of roachin' and hogging the couch, then it's usually safe to opt for a warmer garment like Long Johns or Sweatshirts (unless it's a particularly sweltering Aussie day!). 

The trickiest part is dressing your hound for outdoor activity on a cooler day. This is when layering can work a treat; consider a base layer and sweatshirt combo, let your doggo walk up a bit of body heat, and then remove their sweatshirt before a sprint. Then layer them back up for the walk home – again, pretty much how you would dress yourself!

 

Your doggo's preference

One of the biggest bugaboos houndies can have is not liking how it feels to have their back legs covered. These "free the twig" types will hate Long Johns! It's okay; we don't take offence – there's something these good dogs will luff instead. A Tweater or a Long Sleeve and Sweatshirt combo can be a good alternative. 

You then have the option of crew necks or skivvies (turtle necks). Not every day or activity level will call for a skivvy, so it's a good idea to have both style on hand. You may notice your doggo has a preference, for example, they like a skivvy neck when they're being walked on the lead but prefer a crew neck when chilling at home. We also make Snoods and Neckwarmers, so you can always pair a neck warmer with a crew neck to adapt to your hound's mood and activity level on those in-between kinds of days. 

If your hound is new to clothes – maybe you're their first foster home – it could be a foreign feeling for them. Try easing them into it with a classic sleeveless at first – this is the least fabric to work with, and it's possibly the easiest garment to get your doggo in and out of. A lot of hounds, especially new-to-the-family hounds, won't enjoy their paws being touched, so a Long Sleeve option is usually something to try when they're more comfortable.

Sizing

Sizing involves the least guess work! Simply compare your doggo's measurements to our size chart. If they're between sizes, go bigger rather than smaller. Sweaters are a baggier fit as they are designed to be an outer layer, whereas our tees are a more snug fit. 

 

Still unsure which Hound-Tee is right for your doggo?

Check out another version of our guide to Hound-Tees styles for some helpful diagrams of the garment layouts! You can also contact us with any questions or to book a visit to our factory! You can also reach us via DM on Instagram @houndtees or join our Hound Lounge Facebook group to connect with our community of greyhound fanatics.