What Are the Pros & Cons of Dressing Up Dogs?

From raincoats to Halloween costumes, from winter boots to tuxedos, from warm woolly sweaters to Santa hats, there are many outfits for a dog to wear other than the traditional collar. Sunhats, glasses, scarves and toques make it so that dogs are ready for a trip to the beach or a walk on a cold winter day.

  1. Appearance

    • Dog clothes look cute and often attract attention. Putting clothes on your dog gives the impression that you and dog are friendly and approachable. Dressing your dog in cute outfits can spark conversation between dog lovers and encourage people to interact with your dog. As most dogs are social, friendly and enjoy the company of people, this is a positive aspect to dressing your dog.

    Protection

    • Many dog outfits are designed to keep short-haired dogs warm and dry in cold or rainy weather. Some dogs with very little hair should not go outside in cold weather without warm clothing. People living in cold areas can provide warm clothing for short-haired dogs. Also, dogs with short hair can sunburn so wearing clothing and sunhats can protect them from harmful ultraviolet rays.

    Grooming

    • Taking your dog for a walk in the rain can leave your dog's fur disheveled, damp and dirty. Clothing designed to keep a dog's hair dry also helps prevent the dog's fur from matting. This allows for easier and less expensive grooming. Dogs with long hair are especially susceptible to tangles, including Collies, Malamutes, Poodles and Shih Tzus. Rather than forgo your daily walk, dressing your pooch in a simple dog sweater or coat will minimize matting, tangles and dust collection.

    Stigma

    • Some people do not agree with dressing animals in clothing because they believe it does not look or feel natural for the animal. If you choose to dress your dog in outfits, you may have to deal with negative reactions from these people.

    Comfort

    • A variety of sizes of dog clothing exists, and each breed fits specific outfits differently. If an outfit does not fit a dog properly then it can restrict the dog's mobility, cause blisters and be generally uncomfortable for the dog. It may take extra time or money to find the right fitting or even to have an outfit properly tailored, but making sure your dog is comfortable and mobile should be a priority when dressing your dog.

    Cost

    • Because animal clothes are specialty products, they tend to be expensive. Although less material is used to produce the clothing, the fine needle work and unique designs increase the price of the product.