Defining The Dog Clothes Debate
July 24th, 2009. Published under Consumer. No Comments.
There have been many stories in the press of late about the alleged cruelty of dog clothes. The current penchant for dressing dogs in designer clobber is said to lie in celebrity culture after press coverage of pampered pooches on the catwalk have made tabloid headlines. We take a look at the arguments for and against dog clothes, and question whether dressing animals is considered okay in other cultures.
Professional dog walkers and pet carers say that dog clothes serve a much needed purpose, especially in small or short haired dogs. Man’s best friend has undergone an almost evolutionary process of domestication, and therefore most dogs are more suited to living in an indoor environment. This means that going for a walk in colder weather can be an uncomfortable experience.
Blankets, jackets and capes have been used for years to keep dogs warm on a walk, and the move towards designer dog clothes has come from an inspired and informed stance by designers. Whilst no one would think it is cruel for a jack russel to wear a tartan jacket whilst walking in wet and windy weather, swap that for a Prada puffa jacket and animal rights proponents are up in arms.
There is little difference, if any at all from the dogs point of view, one warm coat is much the same as another. However, those who agree with dog clothes say that a garment must fit correctly and allow plenty of movement. Other countries regularly decorate prized pets, especially for festivals and celebrations. Lamas in Tibet are annually adorned with ribbons, flags coats and foot coverings which serve no practical purpose at all.
Even in England, we recognise the need for horses to have blankets in the cold or wet weather, but how would we feel if these were swapped for a stylish, well tailored cardigan designed by Vivienne Westwood? It seems that people object to the needless adornment of a much loved pet, and for practical purposes dog clothes should therefore be a bland and practical looking.
Ultimately, as all animal lovers will agree, just as a book should not be judged by its cover, a dog owner should not be judged by the dog’s coat. Responsible pet owners will never make a pet wear anything that is obviously causing discomfort, and judging by the catwalk attire plastered in the papers, the pampered celebrity pooches are just loving their Gucci dog clothes.
Dom Donaldson is a fashion expert.
Find out more about Dog Clothes at http://www.elitedoggyandstyle.co.uk