Say No to Canine Outerwear
If you find yourself putting outerwear on your pet, you might want to take a moment to reconsider things.
Explanation: On my big trip outdoors yesterday morning, I drove by a man walking a dog. Well, it was a bit more like an oversized rat, but regardless, the dog was wearing a big thick coat. The dog looked toasty warm and adorable as it lifted its leg to do its business on the neighbor's tree. I take issue with this.
A dog has fur. A dog's fur is designed to protect it from the elements. They walk on four legs, sniff each other's butts, and don't need clothing. Period. But wait. You say "I have a frail breed that cannot handle the harsh winters here." I ask you this. WHY? People in Florida don't buy pet polar bears. Perhaps you should have considered your local climate before making such a purchase?
Here's a simple quiz that will help you determine if your dog should be wearing clothing:
1) Is your dog capable of putting said clothing item on without assistance?
There. It's that simple. If the answer to each of the quiz questions is "Yes" then by all means, let your dog dress itself up in whatever clothing it wants. Otherwise, just let it be a dog. If you feel the need to dress little cute things, get a stuffed animal like this:
Oh wait... that's a real dog. Never mind.
2 comments:
As someone who puts clothing on pets for a living (I walk 3 dogs under 20 lbs) I will say this. SOME dogs have hair, not fur, and you have to cut it or it gets all matted, and then they get cold. But again, that's because of their human, not their actual ability to maintain body heat. I agree- if you want a dog that can't handle the cold, get out of New York. On the flip side, no one except people who live in cold climates should own dogs like Huskies, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Samoyeds or the like unless they plan on shaving them for the summer. Dogs can't sweat. That's my two cents. G'day.
I agree no dog should be wearing a coat or sweater, pants that's another thing.
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