Clothes for dogs – Why do dogs need them in winter
Clothes for dogs – Not wolves
Have you ever secretly thanked your clothes for protecting you against the cold ? Do you know that in general dogs won't complain when they suffer if they cannot relate their suffering with an event that just happened ? So that they won't complain about the cold ?
Dogs are not wolves. The latter breed has been designed by mother nature to sustain the cold. For the former, it really depends on the breed and the weather conditions. So in core winter times, don't fool yourself believing that your dog does not need extra protection against the elements.
Some breeds have no problem with winter times. Huskies even welcome them because of their huge fur. That is also the case with malamute dogs, that usually love to play outdoors in the snow.
While other simply cannot cope. There are furless dogs. Those should not be allowed outside in winter without protection. In case you forgot, they will certainly find a way to let you know they do not want to go out. Besides, as a general point, small dogs will have a hard time maintaining body temperature without help in winter.
Watch for the signs. If your dog is shivering or whining when outside, or even refuses to go, then you will know for sure it will appreciate a warm coat. However don't think the dog might be safe with an extra coat on alone. Watch for its paws, exposed to hazards such as antifreeze liquid and salt. Salt can and will sting, whereas you absolutely don't want your dog to lick antifreeze out of its paws, for its safety. According to vets, one lick of antifreeze could kill a dog.
If you think that clothes for dogs should not be for the sole fancy of a dog owner, I am fully on your side.
However, if you don't happen to own a dog breed that can perfectly stand the cold by design, then clothes for dogs are not an option. At all.
Categories: Clothes for dogs Tags: Clothes for dogs, outdoor, warm coat, winter times
Dog clothes patterns : a nice gift
However, since it won't profit from the patterns but what you do with them, will your dog give you an angry look for that ?
Dog clothes patterns – Do something nice for your dog.
Anyway, there is more to it here than going downtown and buying your dog some present or treat.
Well, you will still buy things, but this time, you will also take your time and your skills to design and sew a piece of clothing, for your dog, by yourself.
It may seem surprising, but there are actually places where you can get free clothes for dogs patterns, whether you want to do crochet or use a sewing machine.
You might also want to take a look at other cheap dog clothes patterns sources here for example.
Some other dog lovers have already thought it out, therefore you can come up with anything customized. Collars, all sorts of them, leashes, shirts, coats, rain coats, even dog ties, you name it !
Granted, you will have to have some sewing or crocheting skills beforehand. You don't ? What a great opportunity to learn something ! You would for example take used or rather no more used old clothes, get the patterns, and off you go through the trials and errors process to eventually proudly put a great piece of clothing on your dog !
Using dog clothes patterns will bring joy.
The satisfaction you will get from this is nowhere near the one you have when you simply take your credit card out of your pocket to buy something that many dog owners probably already have as well.
On make and build dog stuff for example, you will be provided with plenty of ideas and patterns, many for free, some to be paid for (not costing you an arm). There are also unexpected plans for things like ramps or small bridges specifically designed for dogs. Things that you can build during a week end.
Whether you are wondering what cool thing to do next week or simply feel love for your dog, you just got very interesting ideas as regard to clothes for dogs : good old dog clothes patterns.
Categories: Dog clothes patterns Tags: Clothes for dogs, Dog clothes patterns, used old clothes
Small dog clothes – The serious part (it may be fun as well)
Indeed, it is no secret among human beings that the heavy are far more resilient to bad weather conditions implying cold, rain, wind or snow. Anything that endangers our ability to maintain our body temperature in fact. The drawback being for heavy people that they surely suffer in hot summer times.
Small dog clothes for protection.
So, not surprisingly, we assume small dogs as being more sensitive to the cold because their bodies are sometimes so tiny there is not even enough room to put fat on.
Well I must say I haven’t seen much chihuahuas or yorkies that appeared overweighted. Another reason would be that small dogs are in general quite swift and more dependent on their nerves, so that do not facilitate fat formation. We all have the image of our good old big calm dog. Quiet doesn’t that often qualify small dogs.
So be it. Small dog clothes exist because small dogs need those more than big ones. Maybe that is the reason why I see more dressed small dogs having a walk with their masters anytime I go out, compared to bigger ones running along their jogging masters.
Are small dog clothes special ?
Now, are there any specificity about these kind of dog clothes ? The truth is there are ! Since their main purpose in winter is to keep the animal warm, you have to make sure this is the case. You will want to to avoid being lured by the fancy stuff that turns out not providing heat at all.
Second, since outdoor winter conditions are often times dirt, ash, mud, etc, those kind of clothes will have a tendency to be more exposed to dirt. So you also have to be careful as to their wear and tear capability.
One thing is for sure, though : there are many sources to get interesting clothes for dogs, including ways to design them yourself.
So why not think of that sort of special gift as a hand made bunch of warm small dog clothes ?
Categories: Small dog clothes Tags: bad weather conditions, body temperature, Clothes for dogs, Small dog clothes, wear and tear
Dog life jacket – Can your dog afford not having one ?
That would be a better subject for human summer water play conditions, at first sight. However, everytime the cold season arrives in western world, I see many clothes for dogs on our four legs best friends running alongside their masters, doing their jogging.
So more people have developed the correct awareness about their dog’s comfort in the cold.
What about thinking about all kinds of activities implying water way in advance (or at the right time for those who live in tropical or ever warm countries) ? We will get into that in another article.
For the moment, let’s examine the necessity of a dog life jacket in winter or say, cold weather conditions.
How necessary is a dog life jacket ?
First of all, maybe your job or your duty have you regularly face water, in all kinds of weather. Maybe you just like going fishing on a lake with a small boat. Maybe your dog is always with you and you never thought about the risks of dog drowning. After all, dogs have a built in swimming ability, don’t they ?
Most of them do, many don’t or aren’t as good swimmers as we would like them to be. Besides, there are many factors that could seriously diminish the dog swimming ability. Such as very cold water, unfriendly water conditions (wind, waves, …), a sudden unexpected fall off overboard that triggers anxiety, the presence of other wildlife species or unfriendly fishes, illness, age, too much weight, or not enough body fat… Sadly, there have been reports of owners deaths trying to rescue their drowning dogs.
So if it would not be for helping the swimming, think of a dog life jacket as a piece of cloth with a very handy handle or hook to make it very easy to take the dog off water.
The dog can stay afloat and warm with a dog life jacket.
There are two other factors that cannot be ignored as regard to a dog life jacket. The first one is making sure the dog stays afloat, especially those with diminished swimming abilities. The second and often overlooked is maintaining the body temperature, which in turn can cause problems once the dogs gets back ashore in summer conditions.
Fortunately, there are all kinds of models, sizes and even fashion for a wide range of dog breeds. You can afford it. You dog, well, cannot afford not having one.
Categories: Dog life jacket Tags: body temperature, Clothes for dogs, dog drowning, Dog life jacket, owners deaths
Small dog clothes – Anything for those babies !
Have you ever thought there is something special about small dog clothes ? For at least two reasons.
Small dog clothes … for family members
First, more than bigger dogs, small dogs are considered as part of the family. Very much like small children that require special attention. So they ‘have’ to be carried and being more taken care of than those big independent dogs.
Regardless of their age. An ‘old’ small dog will still be regarded as a ‘baby’ 
So, second, designers have come with many ideas to dress your babies up, be it for everyday use or special occasions. So, for everyday use you will find many dresses, coats, boots, shirts, sweaters, you name it.
In addition, it is a well known fact that small dog clothes are easier to deal with from a shop owner perspective. If you are on a budget, or if you are good with scissors and a sewing machine, you have an advantage with the size of these clothes for they can be build based upon unused baby clothes. Internet has several places where you will find ready to use patterns for that.
Small dog clothes for special occasions.
For special occasions, Halloween, Christmas, birthdays, you will find numerous costumes and outfits so that your four legs best friend is considered a full member of the family. Everyone dresses up for the occasion, including the dog. From a garment builder point of view, those costumes are easier to build for small dogs.
That is another advantage. Think about the cool photos you will come up with on those special occasions.
My personal favorite are messenger shirts, when your dog is assorted to your style while walking by your side downtown, and the shirt is saying something cool or funny that is only funny when a dog says it (for example : ‘don’t look at her, I am the master’).
To keep things on a fun side for everyone, here is one trick you will want to implement when you dress up your dog, on any occasion : compliment him/her by handing something good to eat. This way the dog will associate dressing up with pleasure.
Now in case you did not, head to your downtown or online shop and get cool small dog clothes.
Now in case you did not, head to your downtown or online shop and get cool small dog clothes.
Categories: Small dog clothes Tags: Clothes for dogs, Small dog clothes, small dogs, special occasions, unused baby clothes
Clothes for dogs – Seven reasons why you should consider them.
If you happen to live in countries where the weather is never cold, you might really wonder why you should have clothes for dogs. You would be right, except I would ask whether your dog is completely free to go everywhere safely.
I mean is it guaranteed it won’t cross the road without notice, or won’t be taken by the pound that would have mistaken it for a stray dog ?
Ok, you get the point. Let me give you seven more.
Clothes for dogs : good idea ?
1. Clothes for dogs are at the very minimum a leash and/or a collar, so that everyone knows your dog has an owner that cares for her pet.
You may be very surprised to discover the diversity and gadgetry built in collars, leashes and harnesses available. Have you ever thought of dog collars with built in gps (to let *you* know where the hell that dog is) for example ?
Let’s say you don’t live in an ever hot weather country, but in western ones, where we have real four seasons. Especially if you live in town, or in the countryside. Would you let your dog outside all of the winter season ? Probably not. Ok, you get the point # 2.
2. Clothes for dogs can be some specialized warm blanket or pillar, to ensure dog warmth and health for your dog. Those are considered handy kennel accessories by your best friend. Some designers even craft those items with padding out of bottles plastic caps, to ensure longevity.
3. When you go walking the dog and it is raining, both of you will appreciate the rain coat. It will prevent your dog for catching a cold. It will prevent it from shaking its fur dry once it gets back home, and it will save your nerves to know the dog won’t soak the house when you get back home.
4. Even in warm conditions, the cute dog is also a constant shedding machine, thus preventing you or your hosts to taste the comfort of a good chair or couch. So by providing a tee shirt, this can save you from using the vacuum cleaner twice a day for example.
Clothes for dogs as your messenger.
5. If you want to say something bold or express some kind of revolt publicly, there are plenty of very cool messenger shirts for dogs. Sometimes a dog comes handy to safely say what its owner cannot. For example : “I hate cats” (very risky when talking to a woman) or “I sniff a lot” (very risky while talking to a policeman)
6. Dogs sometimes consider their clothes as toys . I mean from the dog point of view. So maybe you can buy the dog real shoes, not to wear them, bu to chomp them.
7. If you are a fashion victim, you cannot imagine walking the dog and letting everyone notice the dog and yourself are not properly paired as for clothes. So you have to do something about it. In sunny days, a pair of glasses will do, but not any glasses.
Now that you are armed with those reasonable seven reasons, get your dog some new cool clothes for dogs, to let it know how much you care for him / her. The dog will notice.
Categories: Clothes for dogs Tags: Clothes for dogs, Coats for dogs, outdoor, pet owner, Shirts for dogs, weather conditions
Dog clothes patterns – Do it yourself clothes for dogs.
Dog clothes patterns are an excellent alternative to buying clothes for dogs.
When I was young, my mother liked to crochet and was a very talented sewer (with her sewing machine). So every once in a while, I would ask her about how she could just come up with a new piece of clothing. Her answer was always the same : once she had the pattern, it was easy to finalize any shirt, dress, trousers, etc, you name it.
There are many advantages : you can adjust size to fit specifically your dog, you can use old no more used children or teenager clothes and recondition them into clothes for dogs. This is particularly a good idea when it comes to warm clothes. So an old coat or out of human fashion coat will turn into a particularly handy coat for dog.
Save money with dog clothes patterns.
Another major advantage is you will actually save money, especially if you use an old piece of clothing that you already bought once. those patterns are not that hard to find online, even the free ones. So by the end of the process your dog has a new piece of clothes, you saved money, and both of you are happy. We all know we are happier when we actually participated in building something instead of just buying it.
An extra benefit of going that route is you will certainly stumble upon great ideas that otherwise you would not have thought of. Or even something you thought was hard turns out to be easy to make. You can start with boots that will protect your dog's paws for instance. No big risk as to fabric waste.
Now if you happen to be already a sewer, and if in addition you own a sewing machine, there is no reason why you should not give dog clothes patterns a try to come up with great and unique clothes for dogs.
Categories: Dog clothes patterns Tags: Clothes for dogs, Dog clothes patterns, old piece of clothing, save your money, sewer
Coats for dogs – Did you think only humans wear coats ?
Maybe you walk your dog in the morning, with your coat on, but what about coats for dogs ?
Being a pet owner is not an easy job indeed. Our four legs best friend deserves care and attention in return for the love it gives us. That does not only include feeding or the casual visit to the vet, but also making sure the dog feels comfortable at home or outside.
Two obvious reasons for coats for dogs.
Coats for dogs are recommended for obvious reasons, such as our dog being as exposed as we are to bad weather conditions and diseases that can come with those. Preventing the dog from catching a cold or anything else related to outdoor environment can also save a few vet bills.
At the minimum, you can get your dog a waterproof coat for rainy days. As a side advantage, there will be less water splashes when you come back home for the dog won’t feel the need to shake its fur dry.
The second obvious recommendation is a warm coat for chill mornings and cold days. Do this experiment : ask one of your friends to lend you a dog coat, put it on your own dog before the daily stroll on a future cold day.
Then after say three days of daily walks with the coat on, try to go for the same walk without putting the coat on the dog. This will speak louder and clearer than if your dog could speak.
Bear in mind that those types of clothes for dogs should not be a punishment. So make sure you make the correct measurements beforehand, to achieve a dog’s comfortable wearing experience. Those coats have to be easily washable, easy to put on or take off. Velcro are the best choice here. And by the way, it has been reported in many cases that dogs feel very special while wearing coats.
Of course, when you go shopping for your dog, you are under no obligation to forget about style. Fashion is also a concern for the coats for dogs designers.
Categories: Coats for dogs Tags: Clothes for dogs, Coats for dogs, outdoor, pet owner, weather conditions
Clothes for dogs – Useful and beautiful altogether
If a dog could speak it would say clothes for dogs are useful and, although not hundred percent guaranteed, beautiful, from a dog point of view.
Ever heard a woman cry she has nothing to wear, while her drawer is full of clothes ? This is not going to happen with a dog, apart from those we watch in sci-fi movies, which unfortunately we don't own.
How can a dog profit from clothes for dogs ?
There are many circumstances when your dog will really benefit the clothes it wears. Since dogs are not born with everything ready for life among humans, clothes for dogs will help dramatically keeping a dog safe, warm, dry, and secure.
The general purpose dog is a breed that does not exist. You can argue you have your husky at your winter home and you keep your chihuahua for your tropical island or summer vacation, but the majority of owners have one or several four legs family members that follow them everywhere they go.
The very least you can provide is a collar, and maybe a leash (I personally am not that fond of leashes, but I digress). The former will say to the world "I am not a stray dog, I have a home !", especially if the collar has some id stored in. The latter will help preventing our best sometimes wild friend to get caught by a car or making somebody fall and crush it.
Almost all dogs will really appreciate some warm suit in winter as an extra – fur protection, otherwise you might get the "who do you take me for ? A husky eh ?" look. Similarly, dogs are not water proof therefore a rain coat for rainy days will do just fine. In both circumstances, you keep your pet warm, dry, in addition to having it not soak the house when you come back home.
But even under friendly weather you might want to protect your dog's paws from all sorts of hazards due to human activity. Chemicals and detergents used to clean floors, sidewalks or
underground passages can bite and damage paws. You would not want to go barefoot on such treated floors, would you ?
You can design "your own" clothes for dogs
Now, while in some rare cases you would have to design and build your dog's clothes, there are hopefully all sorts of dog fashion styles to be found, thanks to the imagination of some smart designers.
Be it for leashes, collars, suits, boots, fur accessories, beds, or some funky and funny shirts, you will have plenty of choice to be in garment harmony with your dog when you go out. Your dog in most circumstances will stand running naked in the house (while you wash its clothes).
Where to find clothes for dogs, what budget, how to choose them are other very interesting and important topics.
But for now, there is little doubt regarding how necessary and how beautiful clothes for dogs are and can be.
Categories: Clothes for dogs Tags: Clothes for dogs, collar, dog fashion, fur protection, keep your pet warm, keeping a dog safe, protect your dog's paws
