When it comes to our four-legged friends, we love pampering them and making them look as cute as possible. This includes dressing some dogs up in a variety of costumes, including special occasion costumes such as Christmas and Halloween dog costumes. But what does your dog actually think about being dressed up to the nines in these costumes? Do they feel as though their dignity has been unrelentingly stripped away by an over-zealous owner or do they feel a million dollars in their new outfit?
Well, whether or not the dog actually likes the costume depends on the individual animal. Of course, there is little chance you will find him strutting back and forth in front of a mirror looking proud. However, some dogs do not mind being dressed up – it’s not that they like the costume because they don’t know what it is. It’s just that it doesn’t bother them. Other dogs will make it clear that they don’t want to be all dressed up in a costume by struggling and looking uncomfortable.
The health issues relating to costumes for dogs
One thing you do need to think about as a responsible owner is not how cute your pooch looks in the new outfit you have just purchased but how healthy it is for him to be wearing it. Your dog may feel uncomfortable in the costume but obviously cannot tell you that other than through his actions, so this is one thing to look out for. If he is wriggling, struggling, or looks unhappy then the chances are he probably is.
The other thing you need to remember is that the costume could result in health hazards for the dog, particularly if it is left on for a while. This includes the dog overheating while wearing the costume, restriction in movement and sight as a result of the costume, and injuries that can arise from the dog trying to struggle out the costume. Many costumes also have buttons and other attachments that can easily be chewed off and swallowed by your dog.
Of course, there are costumes that do not have such a serious impact on dogs, and these are probably the best ones to choose if you want to dress him up. For example, for a Halloween dog costume, you could simply get a black tie-on cloak for the dog. This will not cause overheating or restrict his movements, and he probably won’t have a huge issue when wearing it. It also won’t have buttons and other attachments that could cause a health hazard.
The one thing that you need to remember when it comes to doc costumes is that your pet is not a human. He already has fur, and this is his clothing so when you use a dog costume you are essentially putting more clothing over his own. This is why it is best to stick to something very simple such as the cloak mentioned above if you do want to dress your dog up for a special occasion.
