Clothes for Dogs
To dress or not to dress… that is the question.
Some dog owners believe strongly that if they have to put on a coat to go outside the front door, then their dogs should have to do the same. After all, they maintain, it is colder outside than inside and we all need protection from the weather.
Well you do maybe. But what about your dog?
Don’t animal coats have their own in-built warmth? So are clothes for dogs really necessary?
Well, yes, there are times when dogs do need warming up.
On their first few outings after major surgery, perhaps. Or if the dog groomer has overdone the short back and sides. Or if the dog is elderly and infirm and his blood is running thin. Old people are more conscious of the cold than their younger family members, so it stands to reason that old animals are too.
Owners who wouldn’t be seen dead walking a dressed-up dog are quick to point out that animals in the wild don’t wear overcoats. Quoting the old adage about survival of the fittest, they reckon that animals (dogs included) will survive, if they are strong enough. Their bodies work pretty efficiently – possibly better than ours – and their own thermostatically-controlled inner mechanisms enable them to heat themselves up or cool themselves down whenever necessary.
It’s a contentious subject and no amount of argument with sway the ‘pros’ into the ‘cons’ section or vice versa.
Little old ladies will continue to dress their companions in warm, furry jackets when they venture out in the winter and big, macho he-men will continue to race their semi-naked playful Boxers around the park with nothing more than ball games to warm them both up.
There’s no easy answer to the question, really.
As long as pet shops continue to supply clothes for dogs, there will always be a market for this type of merchandise. Equally, there will always be a different section of the dog-walking community who wouldn’t dream of dressing up their pets.
