Dog fashion; what's the point?

[Lace Neil Singer]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1062539/A-12-000-dog-coat-Mohamed-Al-Fayed-hat-stole-greyhound-Welcome-crazy-world-canine-couture--yes-barking-mad.html

These people seem to be completely unable to grasp the fact that their pets are dogs; they seem to be labouring under the delusion that their dogs are furry children. -.- What the hell is the point of dressing dogs up in stupid clothes? They have fur coats to keep them warm. -.-

[Sylvia727]

It's hardly the silliest fad among the rich and elite. That doesn't bother me nearly as much as some of the other crap. Sure, the dogs walk funny, but they're not being hurt.

I always put my dog in holiday costumes. She prances around for a few hours, and when she starts to paw at it, off it comes.

[AFPheonix]

What's the point? So people can all go D'AAAAAAAAWWWWWWW!
WHAT A CUTE WIDDLE POOPSIE WOOPSIE!

Our short haired dogs get little doggie coats in the winter so they don't get all cold when they come outside with me >.>

[AdminAssistant]

The only thing we ever dressed our dogs in was a bandana. Of course, we've always had big dogs.

That said - I think it's silly, but meh. As long as the dog isn't bothered, and it's not my money, I don't care.

[DesignFox]

That's silly as hell...but whatever. I guess rich people need to waste their money on something... :rolleyes:

There's worse things they could do with their animals...at least the dogs seem happy and pampered.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

The point of that particular fashion show was to raise money for charity. Most of that stuff was designed for free by big name fashion designers, like Vivian Westwood. It is a form of art. And yes, some art is sillier than others. Doesn't make it any less art.

[Boozy]

My dogs (pugs) wear coats and boots in the winter. Otherwise, they freeze and the road salt cracks the pads of their feet and they can become infected.

Why yes, they DO look ridiculous. It's a pain in the ass and I hate doing it. Unfortunately, Canadian winters pretty much require people to dress up any breed that wasn't bred for harsh climates.

[Kirkygirl]

I agree with dog fashion as far as having old dogs and those dogs with really short hair manage to stay warm and dry. But as far as fashion accessories and affairs like sunglasses or "dog weddings", count me out. A new line of supidity as far as I'm concerned.

[AdminAssistant]

Now, I have to say, when/if I ever get married, I would be really tempted to stick a bow tie collar on my dog and include him. Don't know that I'd do it (stress of having a dog around a LOT of people).

But, I agree, whenever people "marry" their dogs to other dogs? Bizarre. They just want to have sex!

[Boozy]

They just want to have sex!

So did I. But my husband insisted.

I kid, I kid. :D

[Bloodsoul]

I hated selling those doggie jackets at my old job; no matter how much you straighten out the display, all the coats would be out of their package and discarded everywhere by the end of the day. I don't think we were ever able to match all the coats to their corresponding packages (for those that still had packages).

[tropicsgoddess]

the only thing I ever put on my dog other than his collar and harness (collar has his tags), is a bandana and that's it. It's cute, but kinda silly to dress up a dog all the time.

[Jadedcarguy]

My ex-GF loved to put little coats and sweaters on my dog(who I no longer have either). It drove me batshit.

Me: Dogs don't wear clothes!!

GF: But she looks so adoreable!!

Me: No, she looks confused.



No longer have the GF because she was nuttier than squirrel shit. No longer have the dog because I learned the hard way I'm not a dog person. (But I am a GF person. Need another one of those. :o)


EDIT: To ward off accusatory questioning, the dog is fine to my knowledge and living in Santa Rosa somewhere. :p

[Lachrymose]

Me: Dogs don't wear clothes!!

GF: But she looks so adoreable!!

Me: No, she looks confused.





And that's just the thing. When people dress up their animals, they are annoying the crap out of another living creature for their own selfish amusement.

[AFPheonix]

I think annoyance on the part of the animal is a very individual thing. Do my horses get annoyed if they wear blankets? I would suspect not since they poke their own heads through the neck holes when I present the blanket. Do the dogs get annoyed at collars with their contact info on them? Probably, but it's a necessary evil. If it's not physically, mentally or emotionally hurting them, who cares? Our pets get fed, cleaned up after, and cared for well in general, if they have to put up with wearing a sweater now and again, I would consider it a small price to pay.

[Boozy]

I had forgotten this incident until now:

I put my pug into a Santa suit for about five minutes last Christmas. He didn't seem to care for it (I think it chafed a bit) but he wasn't going so batshit that I couldn't get him to pose for a few pictures for our Christmas card.

Yes, it was pointless and stupid and totally for my own amusement. But I can't consider it an act of cruelty. Consider that my dogs get fed better diet than I do, see their docs more often, and my daily schedule revolves around walking them three times a day. All I ask for in return is a few laughs.

My husband was against the Santa suit idea, not for animal welfare reasons, but because he didn't want to be "one of those people" who dress up their dogs.

[Jadedcarguy]

I don't consider it cruel, just silly.

I don't want to be one of 'those people' either. :p

[LewisLegion]

I think its silly too, but that said, my doxie wears sweaters. Why? Because she has no body fat and no undercoat. She also has a slightly high body temperature...which the vet says is normal for her. So, she gets cold VERY easily...it can be 70 degrees and she'll sit there and shiver and her paws and ears will be cold. So she wears generic knit sweaters to keep her comfortable.

I see the store selling dresses and stuff for dogs and it drives me bonkers. They're not dress-up dolls! And I know people see me walking this little dog in her sweater and think I'm one of these goofballs who think putting clothes on a dog is 'cute'...and I so am not. I just want her to be comfortable.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I would like to point out to all those people who seem to have misunderstood my dislike for dog fashion that I'm not talking about coats etc for such mundane reasons as stopping your dog from freezing to death. I mean the whole "Paris Hilton/let's put dresses, hats, jewelry, high heels etc etc on the doggie!!1!eleventy" thing, which to me might not be cruelty in the broadest sense of the term, but isn't necessary. Just like carrying your dog around in a handbag and not training it, cuz it's small. Small dogs like to walk just as much as large dogs, and can also be trained.