Why are dogs wearing clothes all of a sudden ??!

[Isntfurenough]

For years and years (I’m old!) I’ve only ever seen the occasional greyhound type or yorkie wearing a simple coat if the weather was really cold …….

Since October this year suddenly about 90% of the dogs I’m seeing daily (I jog twice a week in park and go for long walks) are wearing coats or jumpers or what look like wetsuits with legs ??!! These are fluffy / furry breeds too (poodle mixes , collie / lab types) all sorts and this has been when the temperature has been mild ?? Nowhere near freezing !! Is this a new thing? Won’t they overheat ??!!

We live rurally, so once the dark nights roll in our dog wears a hi vis jacket (as do we), with a reflective lead on evening walks, purely for safety.

He also wears a jumper for most of the winter as once he’s had a groom he acts as though he is living in a walk in freezer, and will insist on sleeping on me for warmth at night (will not entertain being under the covers or a blanket) so a jumper keeps him warm and allows me to get some sleep! Our old dog was absolutely fine though, this one makes me question how the dogs of today can be even remotely related to wild wolves.

My whippet has an expansive wardrobe of jammies and gilets and raincoats and jumpers but my spaniel would kill me if I even put a raincoat on her 😃The whippet will refuse to go out until I get her jumper, then she puts her own head in it

My dog only wore a coat if we were out hiking all day. She wore it 12 years ago and no one had them back then. Normal day, no coat and I didn't wash her, I just rubbed her dry with a towel.

They do seem overkill, unless you have a super skinny breed.

I saw these 'a-poo type dogs yesterday wearing what looked like a onesie- bananas as it's not even that cold! Our Yorkies used to have coats for cold/wet weather as they'd shiver when they come home, we have a snow / Siberian dog now so wouldn't dare as she's likely overheat!
Shoes are stupid too

The onesies aren't to keep them warm, they're to keep them clean. Poodle/doodle coats are a nightmare when they're muddy.

Because it's cold? My greyhound wears a coat all winter. She also had a jumper, pjs and a raincoat.

Actually it's pretty mild here and borderline whether she may be a bit warm, but most of the winter she needs it.

We have a rhodesian ridgeback, very short haired, and she really feels the cold. She wears a coat if I'm wearing a coat, otherwise she shivers and whines, and is generally miserable during on lead walks. Off lead she runs around enough to get warm though so doesn't need it. Her coat also has reflectors on it for night walking to keep us visible. We also have a cairn terrier, who is tough as boots and probably wouldn't wear a coat even if it was minus 5.

I absolutely call my dog my furbaby. He's absolutely massive and a long, double coated breed and I think I'd actually pay to watch someone try and put clothes on him.

Shoes are sometimes for medical reasons though.

My very old dog is in a coat if temp gets to 5 degrees or colder. She’s 15, severely arthritic and vet told me to.

My young, white dog is in a lightweight mud coat when it’s muddy because, well, mud.

To keep the pooch clean and dry! Also she's a small puppy who shivers a lot when wet and I'm a softy who feels bad when shes visibly feeling cold

Mine is thin coated. He also won't toilet in our garden. Nor does he like the rain or the wind or the cold.

Mostly though he doesn't like wearing a coat.

Winter can be quite trying 😀

Mostly we have a coat that is a towel for when he has been in water. And a Christmas jumper to keep some rain off so I can get him out for a wee.

Ill have a look at equafleece now though

My dig is a breed that you'd "expect" to wear clothes but she won't let me humiliate her like that she's very proud.

dog obviously

Tbh I'm very much of the 'don't get a dog if you don't want to deal with mud' types.

Dogs are animals. Their natural instinct 99.9% of the time is to roll around in mud, eat shit, chase animals and genuinely be grubby little b*stards.

I love my dogs. But let's not pretend that they are anything other than dogs. With the v. rare exception of little dogs like Italian Greyhounds, no dogs need coats. It's just cos the humans CBA to deal with the mess and dirt that comes with dog ownership.

I bargee, it's gone too far. Can see the need for them when it's cold for thin coated breeds like whippets or for older dogs.

But in my local London park (I'm in it a lot exercising & running) 90% of dogs are in coats or jumpers, including some that must be overheating. One yesterday with a thick padded jacket was a double coated breed and it's 12-14C at the moment. Totally unnecessary. And also yesterday, one poor dog was in a fleece type Christmas onesie that was clearly restricting his movement especially his back legs. I felt really sorry for hm.

I get the mud problem can justify it sometimes, especially for rural off lead walks, but certainly in London most dogs are on leads in parks and on paths where they don't get that filthy. Plus I think if you get a dog you should be prepared for a bit of dirt and dog washing. It's not fair on a dog to make them hot and uncomfortable just to put selfish human needs first.

A friend is launching a range of canine accessories next year. I guess there's money in it.

Apparently a (but not "the" ?) big driver is instagram.

I have a greyhound, who is single-coated and zero body fat. Also has many bald patches due to the ravages of the racing industry. Once the weather gets chilly she has a thin vest layer for the house and always has a coat for walks. Also sleeps under a blanket.

They are identifying as humans.

Mine too. You know when they're cold as they curl up all small. Mine is tucked in a blanket for sleep too.

It's to keep them clean usually or owners treating them like babies!

It'll be coats for cats next. Watching somebody persuade a cat to get dressed without their hands getting scratched to buggery would make good viewing.

Nothing to do with treating them like babies, how fucking rude and judgemental!

Dogs get cold same as people. More so if they are old, thin, have single coat, or a thick coat that holds water.

Coats are used to keep them safe and warm or godforbid, clean.

Oh god that reminds me of a house I viewed when looking to buy. The owner had two chihuahuas and they had a bright pink room with their own little beds and racks of clothing.

These 3 don't wear any coats or clothing of any kind but they wash off easily and dry quite quick (thin coat)