The quick answer
For wet weather walks, choose a manageable route, keep a towel ready at home and dry both your dog and their walking equipment properly afterwards. Check care instructions before washing a harness, collar or lead.
There are two types of London rain.
The rain you planned for.
And the rain that appears once you're exactly far enough from home for it to become annoying.
Either way, a small routine helps.
Keep the route realistic
Heavy rain probably isn't the day for an unnecessarily complicated cross-London expedition.
Choose a familiar route and pay attention to:
- Slippery surfaces.
- Large puddles near traffic.
- Poor visibility.
- Areas that become heavily muddy.
- Your individual dog's willingness to be outside.
Some dogs couldn't care less.
Others step outside, look at you and immediately file a complaint.
Set the front door up before leaving
This sounds boring.
It also works.
Before leaving, put a towel somewhere reachable.
Not upstairs.
Not at the bottom of the laundry basket.
Reachable.
It prevents the post-walk sprint through the house with a wet dog.
Don't throw wet walking kit into a cupboard
After the walk, inspect the harness and lead.
Remove obvious dirt and allow damp equipment to dry properly before storing it.
If it needs a proper wash, check its specific care instructions first.
For Pawda London products, follow the care information on the individual product page rather than assuming every fabric can be treated the same way.
Our full cleaning guide covers this in detail.
Check the hardware while you're there
Wet walks are a useful reminder to look over:
- Stitching.
- Buckles.
- Adjustment points.
- Lead clasp.
- Rings.
- Heavily worn areas.
It takes less than a minute.
Make rainy walks normal
Not every walk needs cinematic golden-hour lighting.
Sometimes it's raining, your coffee is getting cold and the dog has found the deepest puddle in the postcode.
That's everyday dog ownership.
And, strangely, part of the fun.