Faux paws on the 'Canine Catwalk'

Emma sports a herringbone jacket to protect against the cold

When is it right to clothe your dog? Never? Sometimes? Canine Couture events are popping up everywhere and luxury doggie clothing items are more popular than ever. And while larger dogs generally get away with rarely needing to satisfy a human’s desire to play ‘doggie dress-up,’ owners of small dogs regularly array their pooches with everything from tiaras to tee shirts to designer duds. Where is the line? Or is there one?

Wendy Diamond, pet lifestyle expert, author, and editorial director of Animal Fair Magazine comments in New York’s ‘Metro Pets’ that dressing up your pet is acceptable under two basic conditions: (1) when donning that coat of vest protects your pooch from the weather and (2) on rare, special occasions or events. “Grab that coast or vest when the cold winds blow, the rain pours or the snow falls,” she writes, “but leave it at that!” She further notes that clothing can also be useful in protecting some light colored dogs with little hair from the very real problem of sunburn in the summer.

Beyond that, though, Diamond insists that clothes on canines is a ‘doggy-don’t.’ “Your dogs sensitive skin is its most important organ, made up of necessary layers of cells, lubricating glands, blood vessels, nerve endings and hair follicles that protect canines from infections, parasites and prevents a loss of body moisture.” Furthermore, clothes can interfere with a dog’s body language, which is crucial to canine interaction. And items like doggy-booties, which may seem as though they protect sensitive canine paws from ice and the chemicals used to melt that ice, actually prevent a dog from using his nails to grip and can actually cause more harm than good.

So the bottom line: keep the clothes to a minimum. And if that doesn’t satisfy your need to play doggie dress-up, buy a stuffed animal.

Canine Catwalk Guidelines:

If you really MUST dress up your pooch, follow these guidelines:

• Make sure your pet is comfortable: That means the clothes must fit well, not drag or chaff or inhibit movement. And that also means that your dog accepts the clothes. Some pups are OK with the occasional doodad, some are absolutely not.
• Keep it simple: A bandana, necktie or fancy collar speaks volumes.
• Make it special: Save the fancy duds for the rare occasion: a wedding, birthday or Red Carpet event. Holidays are also allowed.
• DON’TS: Never let your dog wear clothing while playing with other dogs with the exception of winter-wear for short-haired dogs. Because clothing hides body-language, you could be setting your dog up for a fight. Furthermore, other dogs may grab hold of fabric which could lead to serious injures.