“To Dress or Not to Dress?” - That is the Question.

Have you ever seen people walking or carrying their dogs, and the dog is dressed up? I have to say, on many occasions, I have seen this. I wanted to talk a little bit today about how I feel about people clothing their pets, and offer my advice to you, the owner.

First of all, I believe most dog owners consider their dog as a real member of the family. Dogs are often treated as if they’re just another human being. It’s common they get fed table scraps, carried around in women’s handbags, get dressed up or clothed, and even sleep in their owners’ beds.

Personally, I would not put clothing on my dog. However, I see nothing wrong with other people doing it (as long as your dog doesn’t mind). Some of the toy breeds (such as the Chihuahua, Pomeranian and Miniature Pinscher) enjoy all that attention, and it is a good way for them to feel even more important and special. Dressing your dog will not have any effect on him emotionally, but if you see that your dog is uncomfortable with what you are doing, you should stop clothing him and consider giving him another form of attention.

Although getting your dog to feel important and special is great for his self-confidence, too much spoiling and attention encourages your dog to think he is in charge. My advice for anyone thinking of dressing their dogs or spoiling is ‘they should think long and hard about the personality they are helping to create’. Do you want your dog to think he is in charge of the household? Probably not. YOU are the dog’s owner, you are the one that needs to be in charge.

Above all, please remember giving your dog attention and affection is VERY important, but you need to add discipline and exercise into the mix. Everything needs to be balanced in order for your dog to be mentally (as well as physically) healthy and stable.

Thanks for reading! As always, your participation in discussion and comments are encouraged and greatly appreciated!!