Clothing For Pets
Pet clothing is often so pretty that we just want to give it to our four-legged friends. Before dressing your pet, however, you should read up on the benefits and drawbacks of pet clothing .
Use of clothing for pets: Protection against the cold
When winter comes, our fur-noses sometimes suffer too. The cold can cause respiratory problems and make certain joint diseases worse.
Some dog breeds have always got used to the cold quickly because they come from countries with extreme weather conditions. The Nordic breeds, for example, have two layers of fur and one thick layer of fat.
Depending on the breed
A Siberian Husky, a Shar-Pei, a Samoyed, an Alaskan Malamute or a Chow-Chow doesn’t need clothing to protect itself from the cold. His own body is naturally equipped to withstand extremely cold temperatures. Clothing will only bother him.
However, smaller dogs with thinner coats suffer from cold weather quite quickly. Their bodies are weaker and not made to withstand such temperatures, which is why they can get sick quickly. The breeds in need of protection from the cold the most are: Yorkshire Terriers, Pinschers, French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Pugs, Chihuahuas, Dwarf Bull Terriers, and Chinese Crested Dogs.
Cats are naturally more sensitive to low temperatures than dogs. If you expose your velvet paw to bad weather, it can become seriously ill as a result.
Protection against injuries and bumps
Another benefit of pet clothing is the protection it provides from scratches, dents, injuries, and scratches to the pet. If your pet is in their most boisterous phase of life, clothing can help prevent them from getting injured. There are also special clothing for pets that promise protection against bacteria, parasites and allergic environmental substances.
Disadvantages of pet clothing
One of the biggest concerns has to do with the allergic reactions that pet clothing can cause. There are many breeds of dogs and cats that are naturally sensitive to skin. Just touching and rubbing the fabric and the seams against your skin or fur can cause discomfort , allergies and skin inflammation.
Furthermore, it is necessary to exercise strict hygiene in clothing for pets so that microorganisms do not spread further in the household. Care must also be taken to thoroughly remove stains and odors.
With the whole pet apparel fad, we should also be careful not to humanize the animals. We must always remember that keeping a pet also means respecting your own nature.
Advice on choosing clothing for your pet
Before dressing anything for your pet, find out about the quality of the fabric and the stitching. Above all, clothing should be useful to his health, comfort, and well-being. Dressing your pet according to the latest fashions really comes last.
In the following, we will give you some tips on how to consciously choose clothing for your pet.
- Determine if your pet has allergies
If your pet has never had an allergy test, you should talk to your veterinarian about it. This is especially true if you notice changes in his eating habits, behavior, or body.
After you know if your dog has allergies, it will be easier to choose clothes that will not make him uncomfortable.
- Avoid clothing with small decorations
Dogs and cats are naturally curious and love to explore new objects. They mostly do this by licking them, chewing on them, or playing with them. So small decorations that can get stuck in their throats are a real health risk. We should therefore avoid clothing with feathers, bells, buttons or small fringes.
- Take your pet’s measurements beforehand
We cannot always rely on the sizes indicated on the labels. In order to acquire a perfectly fitting garment for your pet, you should first take its measurements. These include its height, the length of its body (from the neck to the beginning of the tail), the circumference of the neck and the waist.
- Watch how your pet reacts
Our taste is a problem when it interferes with our pet’s well-being. So it is of little use to you if the clothes look cute, but your animal suffers when you wear them. It is therefore of the utmost importance to observe our animal’s reactions and feelings when we start a new habit.
