Should Dogs Wear Clothes?
Jodi Webb
With colder weather approaching in the Northern climates that eternal question—Should my dog wear clothes?—is rearing it’s head once again. Before you go out and buy your furry friend a cable knit sweater ask yourself a few question:
1. What breed is he? Dogs like Labradors or Collies have so much fur clothing would quickly overheat them. Dogs with short hair(Great Danes) or accustomed to warm climates(Chihuahuas) might need some extra warmth.
2. What climate is my individual dog used to? If your Chihuahua has lived in the frozen tundra of the Maine all his life he may have adjusted to cooler weather. If your Cocker Spaniel has lived in Fort Lauderdale all his life, a Christmas visit to family in Minnesota may make him chillier than if he lived in Minnesota. He might need a sweater for the visit.
3. Does he like clothes? Some dogs don’t like clothes, period. They’d rather find an alternative way to warm up such as walking faster when outside or burrowing under a blanket indoors. Dogs that don’t like clothes are more likely to try to get out of them and more likely to end up with them tangled around their neck or face.
4. Does he still need the clothes? A dog’s need for clothes can change from year to year and hour to hour. As a small puppy he might not have been able to keep warm but as a full grown dog he can brave the winter weather. He may need a sweater for an outdoors walk or even your chilly home but in a friend’s warm home or a party where a crowd of people raises the temperature he may be overheated. Once you put clothes on a dog monitor his comfort level frequently.
5. Are these clothes for me or my dog? Sometimes, we think those little sweater and hats are so adorable we buy them without even considering our dog. When you look at those little outfits in the pet store stop to think about what your dog wants and needs.
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