Hiking gear for Pharaoh Hounds on cold trails

The essentials for hiking with a dog are a well-fitting harness, a collapsible water bowl, and — depending on your terrain — boots, because paw protection on rocky or hot ground matters far more than most people realise. That said, for a dog like a Pharaoh Hound, there's a fourth item that jumps straight onto the essentials list: a proper insulating jacket. Sighthound breeds have almost no body fat and very thin skin, so they lose heat fast once you're at elevation or moving through shade. What's your dog's weight, what kind of rocky terrain are you tackling, and how long are your typical hikes?

Scotland, 3–5 hours, moorland and mountain — that's exactly the scenario where a Pharaoh Hound can get into trouble. At 22kg she's on the larger end for the breed, which helps slightly with wind, but that thin coat and lean frame still means she'll be chilled long before a Labrador would even notice the temperature. What harness is she currently in, and have you tried any kind of coat on her before?

The Julius-K9 is a solid base — it'll layer well under or over a jacket as long as you pick one designed with a harness cutout or side-release clips. The fleece shifting issue is really common; most fleeces aren't cut for deep-chested sighthound proportions. What you want is a padded, windproof jacket — not just a fleece — with a longer body coverage and a fit that won't ride forward when she's moving over uneven ground.

For her specifically, I'd go with the Hurtta Expedition Parka. It's a padded, windproof and water-resistant jacket with excellent coverage — it runs down the belly and over the lower back, which is exactly where sighthounds lose the most heat. The fit is designed for deep-chested dogs, so it's far less likely to shift than a standard fleece. It has a leash hole that works alongside most harnesses including the Julius-K9, and it comes in sizes up to 65cm back length — for a 22kg Pharaoh Hound you'd likely be in the 55–60cm size, but measure her back length from collar to tail base to confirm. It's available on Amazon UK and it's genuinely built for the kind of exposure you're describing in Scotland. This is the one coat I'd trust on a lean-breed dog doing serious mileage in cold conditions.

Worth considering, yes — rocky Scottish moorland can be tough on paws over a long hike, especially if there's any scree or sharp stone. Pharaoh Hounds don't have particularly thick paw pads either. That said, boots are something a lot of dogs resist, so if she hasn't worn them before it takes gradual introduction at home before you're relying on them on a trail. Sort the jacket first since that's the more urgent need for her breed in cold conditions — then try the Ruffwear Grip Trex boots if you want to address the paw side too. They're the most reliable fitting boot for active trail dogs and also on Amazon UK.