Dressing dogs up

[Cherrypies]

Always hated dressing up dogs, ridiculous.
Understand it for very young, very old, or unwell. Or the thin coated like whippets/greyhounds, when very cold.
Every day adult dogs, just no. If you really want to spend more money on your dog, why dont you donate to rescue, for dogs in need.
www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news/vets-warning-over-dogs-wearing-22527546

Why do you seem to have it in for jumpers on dogs who feel the cold?

I thought from the thread title you were objecting to reindeer antlers and tutus on dogs, which I think you'd sort of have a point about, if it wasn't for the fact that most are put on for 5 minutes to take a photo then never seen again.

I had labradors, I loved the look of dogs in outdoor proper doggy coats, but mine never needed them. I bought one for my ancient arthritic girl, thinking she'd appreciate it in winter, but she was much happier without it so she never wore it.

I have a totally opposite stupidly nesh cross breed rescue now who shivers violently when she's too cold - so of course I'm going to put a coat on her when we go out for our walks in winter. She never seemed to have strong opinions about her coat either way for the first two years but this year if I offer it to her she will actively poke her head in and help put it on. I never thought I'd be the type to have a dog who needed a jumper in a centrally heated house either, but again, she's made it very obvious that she is cold this winter and is a demanding pain in the ass little madam fractious in the evenings until I put a jumper on her and she settles down happily.

Same dog manages to accidentally pull her legs out of, or step out of the neck hole of jumpers that don't fit her well because she's an awkward shape. If that happens and I take the jumper properly off its about 50/50 if she will settle quite happily without it or will clamber over me, poke me with a cold nose or paw, and eventually start yapping at me until I hold the jumper open for her and she pokes her head through again to put it back on.

And yes, shock horror, she has a Christmas jumper!

Dogs are individuals. You have no idea why any specific dog is wearing a jumper, whether it's festive or not. Even if it's for fancy dress, it's not the biggest crime in the world for a couple of weeks in December, and please credit most dog owners with just about enough nauss to recognise when their dog is too hot or is distressed by their clothing and to do something about it.

Thanks for reminding me to put my dogs Christmas jumpers and Christmas leg warmers on for their walk today. They don’t get cold (except the puppy) but they look cute as hell and make people smile, I can’t see any harm in that. Ps, one is a rescue dog and I regularly both donate to and volunteer at the rescue he came from.

@Grimchmas
What an over dramatic post, got it in for jumper wearing dog owners, yes I chase them down the street, brandishing a machete.
I saw the article and wholeheartedly agreed with it, and decided to share my opinion on a forum designed to share opinions, in your words shock! Horror! Using a forum with an opinion, how very dare me!
It's just a fashion fad, which a lot of you have fallen for.
I have already stated that I can understand for very young, very old and unwell pets, thin coated if very cold.
But the vast majority is for fashion, because everyone else is doing it, in my opinion they look ridiculous and uncomfortable, and as pp said have natural beautiful coats.

@tooearlytobeup

They dont get cold, but I like to make them uncomfortable and overheated, because it suits me, wow, don't worry about how comfortable your dogs are, as long as it makes people smile.

🎄

My beagle shivers and shakes when the temperature drops below about three degrees. If he's out running about on the beach then he's fine as he is, but DH takes him fishing a lot and unsurprisingly, he does feel the cold when he's standing about on the beach, especially in winter. He wears a thermal fleece-lined, water-repellent coat on those days.

I don't really care if people think he looks ridiculous - I know my dog and he's miserable and grumpy when he's cold. Pop his coat on and he's much happier and isn't stood around shaking like a leaf.

At home he buries himself under blankets and duvets - he loves being cosy and wrapped up!

@Cherrypies My dogs are happy, well cared for and well loved. No issues with them being overheated or uncomfortable. You are entitled to your opinion though, as am I. I won’t respond further as I have dogs to walk.

@Saucery

Not a fan for my dog. Labrador, so she doesn’t need a coat, nature provided her with an amazing waterproof one with a warm underlay. Anyone else can do what they like as long as their dog is happy with it. Don’t really like those all in one things that people put on working breeds “so they won’t get muddy”. Come on, get a teddy if you’re that bothered about a bit of mud

Same here.

@MarleneDietrichsSmile

I never knew that the words, 'why not' meant dictating, thought it more of a question.

@tooearlytobeup

So have I, and they will comfortable and free of any encumberment, except the lead

@Saucery

Not a fan for my dog. Labrador, so she doesn’t need a coat, nature provided her with an amazing waterproof one with a warm underlay. Anyone else can do what they like as long as their dog is happy with it. Don’t really like those all in one things that people put on working breeds “so they won’t get muddy”. Come on, get a teddy if you’re that bothered about a bit of mud

But labradors are easy to clean - you just need to hose them down and towel them off,, but getting sticky mud and brambles out of the coat of a poodle or other curly-coated breed is a whole other story.

While I wouldn't put an equafleece on a labrador as they're easy to clean, I really can't judge owners of curly-coated dogs who use them. Cleaning a muddy cockapoo or poodle is not an easy task!

I'm a dog walker myself and actively encourage owners of all curly-coated breeds to use the body suits because it's so much easier to keep them clean, and it stops their coats from matting which can be really painful for the dog and can even cause skin infections.

@Chesneyhawkes1
What a shame that you dont think natural beauty is enough, you have proved my point, does not look too happy to me.

My springer hates being cold. She’s not a particularly hairy springer

She spends a lot of time with us at work (which is a freezing, draughty warehouse) and when we’re at our yard with our horses and gets chilly so she has a jumper and a coat unless she can run around

She seems happy enough wearing them. Drags them out of the box in the hall and will follow you around chucking them at you until you put it on her.

Our old boy springer was a big hairy beast and he never had a coat or jumper

Lurchers , whippets and greyhounds mostly need them this time of the year. Maybe not so much the other types of dogs, l would think most owners know their own dog and what it requires.

@Cherrypies oh give over. The dog is perfectly happy. He never wears a coat to walk in, he's got his own for that.

I hardly think wearing a hoodie for 5 mins for a photo does him any harm.

He's never know pain, hunger or fear in his life. I think he's doing ok 🙄

Waterproof coats are useful for long haired dogs to prevent the wet dog smell in the house. We use a high vis jacket at night for safety

Ps mountain rescue dogs wear coats despite them being border collies typically, even hardy breeds get cold.

How does a dog look happy on a photo OP? Smiling and laughing? Stop being such a misery guts, it's Christmas.

@furbabymama87

If you dont know how a dog looks happy, I cant help with that.
Misery guts, for expressing an opinion, in that case every single poster is a misey guts, including you.

@gogohm

I wonder if a lot of people can't actually understand the written word, how do mountain rescue dogs, even remotely compare to dogs trussed up in Christmas jumpers, or ridiculous sparkly tat compare, at all?

It does seem to be about the amusement or convenience of the owner rather than for the dog’s benefit.
Too muddy doing what dogs like to do - cba to clean it, stick an overall on it.
Don’t like the smell of damp dog but cba to dry it properly - stick an overall on it.

It does seem to be about the amusement or convenience of the owner rather than for the dog’s benefit.

Assuming the dogs' welfare isn't at risk, what's wrong with doing things for convenience? A dog in a coat or fleece in the middle winter is hardly likely to overheat or suffer in any way.

Too muddy doing what dogs like to do - cba to clean it, stick an overall on it.

It's not necessarily anythign to with "CBA" - muddy poodle coats matt very easily and can lead to pain and skin infections. It's much easier (for both dog and human) to prevent the issue in the first place by using fleeces or coats if possible.

Fancy dress: no, I don't like that.
Practical wear: yes. For example, my MiL's dog is a chihuahua and the breed originated in Mexico, so a wee jumper or coat during the British winter is perfectly acceptable.

Dogs are so varied in their likes and dislikes that you can't possibly generalise. Of course some dogs will enjoy wearing a jumper or a coat, and some won't.

It's also completely impossible to tell if a dog is happy or sad from a posed photo @Cherrypies
If you don't understand that a dog who has been told to 'sit' will probably be slightly tense and focused (on the opportunity for praise or a treat or whatever) then you clearly don't understand dogs the way you think you do.

It does seem to be about the amusement or convenience of the owner rather than for the dog’s benefit.

We put children in shoes which don't actually benefit the natural function of their feet but have the advantage of convenience and it's hardly an issue. Get over @Saucery