Critter Alley

Critter Alley

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Clothes for Critters

Do you dress your pets or let them roam in a state of glorious nakedness?

At our house the answer is both. Most days, we prefer to live in Bohemian splendor. Other days it seems fitting to dress Indy in his sweater or put a hat (briefly) on Bogey. One serves a practical purpose. Indy is old, thin, and arthritic. In cold weather he needs a little help. The other is purely for my own entertainment. Or a photo op.

Apparently many people have extensive closets for their critters. Do a Google search and be amazed at what's available. You can find anything...sweaters, coats, dresses, shirts, hats, boots, necklaces. It's frighteningly true. Your dog or cat can (for a price) be better dressed than you are.

I ran across a picture of this fine fellow. He emphatically sums up Bogey's position about wearing anything except his furry birthday suit.














On the other hand, my son's dog has at least a half dozen outfits. What's more he loves to be dressed up in them, literally growling when you try to remove whatever item he's wearing.

Back in the days when Indy and I did pet therapy, a costume was part of our shtick. The people in the assisted living facility would laugh and clap whenever the fur kids had on some cute ensemble. Indy even had a pair of nifty sunglasses that made him look more like Joe Cool than Snoopy ever did.

How about you? Do your critters have a wardrobe?

10 comments:

Two French Bulldogs said...

Of course we wear clothes we don't go neckkked
Lily and Edward

Linda O'Connell said...

My daughter used to dress the dog when she was a preschooler. What a fun memory you ressurected.

Unknown said...

No naked for us unless she is mucking around taking pix of me or if I am out and it is well cold or raining. Have a tremendous Thursday.
Best wishes Molly

Sketching with Dogs said...

You've got to love that cat's expression. Whenever I have seen cats in any form of clothing, they always have this look of utter disdain.
Our dogs will wear a coat outside and if it is very cold a fleece body warmer in the house but mostly they prefer to be nekid.
Lynne x

Mary Horner said...

I want to get a rain coat for my dog so we can walk when there's a light rain, but my family is against it. She doesn't like the rain, what can I say? My pets don't have any clothes, but I remember dressing up up my kittens in doll clothes when I was about six years old and pushing them around in a doll stroller. I loved it, not sure how they felt about it!

Tammy said...

I didn't realize you'd done pet therapy. Hooray for both you and Indy. I've never been a pet dresser-upper, but we used to pose our dog with a "happy birthday" crown every year, and my daughter once managed to put a reindeer hat on our cat at Christmas. I have to admit those are some of my favorite photos of them - even though the cat one is only an angry blur.

Sioux Roslawski said...

Pat--I've never been one to dress up my dog or any of the cats I've had (I'm too lazy) but I hope to someday work with Radar as a therapy dog--if he makes it through the class--and if I do, I know he should dress up for the holidays...

Yeah. Dogs are usually more agreeable than those felines.

CreekHiker / HollysFolly said...

Haven't tried with Macy as she came here traumatized. Mabel despised it. Maggie adored dressing up for Halloween and had scarves for every holiday which she quite enjoyed!

Unknown said...

I've seen some very nice outfits (my girlfriend dresses her dogs for every occasion), but I can't imagine any of our three cats ever wearing anything. In fact, lots of fur would fly if we'd tried! Guess pets are the same as people, each one does his own thing. Cute post and pic!

Lisa Ricard Claro said...

Nope. Just the naked truth at my house. :) The cats would never tolerate it, and the dogs look so miserable I gave up trying. I have considered buying them goggles for when (note my optimism in using the word "when" rather than "if") I relocate to the beach, but only to protect their eyes from the sun. Otherwise, no clothes on the fur babies here.