With Halloween around the corner, now is the perfect time of year to wade into a controversial topic – dressing our pets. Some people swear their dogs or cats love to dress up, while others are just as adamant that they can’t stand it. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, there’s a decent chance you’re correct!
It will come as no surprise to anyone who’s had an animal companion that they all have their own personalities, so what one loves, another may not. Today, we’ll get into what influences your pets’ love of fashion (or lack of it) and how to tell if you have a furry fashionista in your home or a pet who’d prefer to stay au natural.
Is Your Pet Warm or Cold Natured?
One of the most clear-cut signs your dog or cat might like clothing is if they get cold easily. A quick Google or Amazon search will yield hundreds of results for dog and cat sweaters and jackets.
While some of those results are clearly more for the pet parents’ amusement, others are made to warm up chilly dogs and cats. If you have a dog or cat with very little fat on their bodies, there’s a good chance they might like a shirt, sweater, or jacket.
If your pet has gotten cold suddenly, schedule a vet appointment!
Dressing Pets for a Purpose
Sometimes, such as in the case of warming we discussed above, we need to dress our pets for their own good. Examples include life vests if taking them out on the water, thunder shirts (a tight “hugging” garment) to help dogs feel calm, or, in the case of police K9s, Kevlar vests.
When possible, you should socialize your dog to be tolerant of clothing for times when you may need to dress them for their own good.
What Is Your Pet’s Personality?
The best way to know if your pet likes clothing is to see how it reacts to being dressed. Often, less anxious animals, in general, are also more likely to enjoy dressing up. When they’re first introduced to clothing also makes a difference. You will have an easier time if you begin dressing your pets when they’re younger.
You probably understand your dogs and cats better than anyone, so if you want to try putting costumes or other clothes on them, observe how they interact. If nothing changes, they’re probably fine!
On the other hand, if they start panting, try to get it off, run away, or show other signs of distress, that’s a good indicator that dressing pets isn’t going to work in your household.
Dressing Pets for Fun
Our pets (or at least our dogs) will tolerate a lot from us! But that doesn’t mean we should push them. If you picked your pup or kitty out of a Halloween costume that they just don’t seem to like, don’t force them to go out trick-or-treating with you!
Besides making your pet unhappy, the discomfort can also cause them stress. And a stressed-out dog is more likely to be a dog who bites. That’s asking for trouble on any night, but on Halloween, when dozens of kids are dressed strangely, you can have a real disaster for your sweet pup!
On the other hand, if they seem unhappy but tolerant, feel free to snap a pic for the gram and call it a night!