Fever pets

Dog Clothes - Yes or No?
By Jill Taylor

Pampering our pets has become the "in" thing to do. But have we gone too far? Come on, dogs wearing coats, boots, hats or sunglasses? Surely all this is for us humans, the dogs don't need it. Or do they?

There seem to be 2 opposite schools of thought on the subject of dog clothes. On the one hand, they are members of our family, why shouldn't we treat them as children. On the other hand, they are animals and mother nature probably never intended them to wear clothes.

Yes, your dog is an animal, even if they don't believe it. And yes, most dogs have beautiful fur coats of their own, why put a polyester one on them? Well there are a few very valid reasons for raincoats, winter sweaters and the like. We have domesticated the dog over a few thousand years. They live in our nice climate controlled homes with us. We have even bred some of them to have different coats than they originally came with, in fact we have bred some to intentionally be bald. Unfortunately, we still have not been able to teach the majority how to use the toilet. So its outside for them. Great in the summer on a nice sunny day. But how about mid January north of the equator? Not so nice out there. Your dog will probably agree. After all, you bundle up until only your eyes are showing, but your dog is not supposed to feel the same degree of cold?

What about the rainy season? Your dog still needs a walk. Raincoats may not be a necessity, but there is a very practical purpose for one. Wet dog smell! Nobody likes it, and there is no need to put up with it. A raincoat will keep the majority of your dog dry and better smelling. A dog t-shirt is perfect in the spring to keep their bellies clean on your walk.

And come on - boots? Who came up with this? Someone with compassion. Most search and rescue dogs wear protective boots when they are working. And if you and your dog live in the city, boots are an excellent idea. Not everyone seems to be able to use the garbage can. One look at a dog's feet after they have run through broken glass should be enough to convince a person that dog boots are not just for working dogs, but necessary if dogs are to live in our world.

As we make our pets more like family members than possessions, we transfer our likes onto them. Dressing up our pets is a trend that will probably keep on growing. And if we are all honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that if nothing else, dressing up our pooches makes us smile.