Dog Clothes
Submitted on Apr 24, 2005
By: Matthew Seigneur
Dog clothes have recently become the latest fashion accessory for dogs worldwide. They were originally developed for use by the Army and Police forces for identification purposes as well as protection, from both the surrounding environment and attackers.
These uses can be traced back even further to Medieval Europe where Knights used to cover their horses for protection in battle. In modern times of course there are not many beagles riding into battle, and the role of dogs clothes has changed.
There are two main types of dog clothes, firstly you have protective clothes, and these are the most common, but there is also a newer type, and that is clothes for fashion. Firstly we will look at protective clothes, they come in many shapes and style and are generally used in public to protect dogs from the surrounding environment.
Commonly you will see dogs who have to walk along paved roads wearing “booties” or dog shoes that prevent them from getting nails, glass or debris in their paws.
This is very distressing for both the dog and owner and can cost a small fortune to remove if operations are needed. Another common protective use is a raincoat, these are generally plastic type sheet wrap around the dog with holes for its legs. They are often in a bright colour such as neon yellow, to prevent the dog being hit by traffic or being lost, they are also commonly worn by guide dogs, and this can lead to some confusion among other pedestrians.
In the Army and police forces some “sniffer” and attack dogs are also provided with booties to protect their feet as well as Kevlar jackets to minimise any damage they may face when attacking an enemy.
However recently these clothes have taken on a whole new style, Holly wood actors and actresses can be seen strutting their stuff along with their pet poodle in a brand new wool jacket, the dog I mean, not the actress.
Ever since protective clothing hit the main stream pet market, people have wanted more desirable clothing, to reflect their personality and that of their dogs. From bright colours to faded pastels and any number of materials are available all over the world, especially in large cities.
It is even possible to find Dog tailors who will specifically make a suit for a dog. This has its advantages as most dog clothes companies will not offer a huge range of sizes, and normally only small, medium and large sizes are available, and although these will fit many dogs, many more may be left out in the cold.
The price of these clothes also varies largely, from manufactured blankets that just look good from as little as , to tailor made leather throws that can cost upwards of 0. Many people are prepared t pay this price to know that they and their dogs look and feel great.
More info on dog clothes at http://www.dog-pictures.co.uk/dog-clothing/ visit our fun dog breeds site at http://www.dog-pictures.co.uk/ and submit your dogs' pictures!
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