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Santa hats on dogs

(32 Posts)
Baggs Wed 26-Dec-18 08:49:48

Just seen tweets posted by the owner of a spaniel obviously unwilling to have a Santa hat put on it and tinsil wrapped round its neck. Then they tweet pictures and say how difficult it was. So... um... WHY ARE THEY DOING IT? Isn't the dog telling them it doesn't like it? Why don't they listen to its body language?

Nannylovesshopping Wed 26-Dec-18 09:00:09

Ye gods, I have enough trouble getting mud off of my spaniels silky fur, tinsel??? Some people are just bonkers

Oldwoman70 Wed 26-Dec-18 09:06:09

I just don't understand people who put clothes on animals! I know someone who dresses her dog in pyjamas every night!!

sodapop Wed 26-Dec-18 09:20:29

You and me both Oldwoman People treat their dogs as accessories sometimes. My dogs would be extremely put out if I tried to put clothes on them. Some breeds do need to wear a coat if its cold or wet but other than this its a big no no in my book.

Oldwoman70 Wed 26-Dec-18 09:23:23

Yes, I understand some breeds do need coats in very cold or wet weather and that is fine, it's dressing animals in silly costumes for the amusement of the owner and their online "friends"

glammanana Wed 26-Dec-18 09:30:13

Have you ever tried to get a coat on a Basset with their long floppy ears a near impossibility so she has never worn one since,she tests the weather before she goes out so no chance of her getting wet.

libra10 Wed 26-Dec-18 09:55:54

I dislike dogs being dressed up, it's not natural for them. Barney (my little dog) would not be impressed, neither would I!

Dianehillbilly1957 Wed 26-Dec-18 10:59:50

Dogs have their own coats it's attached to their own skin! Only fine coated dogs or very elderly dogs need a little help to keep warm. How hot & uncomfortable some of these poor dogs must be. They are living animals, not dressing up dolls!!!!

Rosina Wed 26-Dec-18 11:08:14

Dogs hate dressing up in my experience - it upsets them and is not very kind if you persist when you can see they are not happy. They are not little people in fur coats!

Emelle Wed 26-Dec-18 11:10:23

I don't agree with putting dogs in fancy dress either and our two year old spaniel doesn't either. I did try a coat fort he Christmas party at Agility but she was so miserable it came off within five minutes. She even hates having her harness on and that's essential when she's in the car.

BlueBelle Wed 26-Dec-18 11:11:02

Oh I hate this dressing up of dogs it really makes me angry I ve just seen a picture of a dog have a mandala pattern cut into its coat yes the dog looked happy enough and was lying chilled out but what the heck it’s not a blooming toy go and buy a Barbie and play with it
Dogs shouldn’t need coats unless they are elderly even that’s questionable or have a medical condition they must get so overheated in their own then a man made coat
Hideous

sazz1 Wed 26-Dec-18 11:35:18

I have never put a coat on a dog in my life. The only exception for me would be medical reasons. Even in cold weather a dog will run fast and keep warm. In heavy rain or snow just don't go out

Buffybee Wed 26-Dec-18 11:42:11

I would never dream of dressing my dog up like a doll.
How disrespectful.
I have seen some dogs, usually abroad, in a necker-chief and as they are used to a collar,that is not too bad.
But otherwise....... No!

merlotgran Wed 26-Dec-18 12:07:22

Our elderly JR has started asking to come back indoors when we're working outside on cold days so it's time to start thinking about a coat for her. Our last JR had a very natty Barbour jacket which was easy to keep clean.

Peggy, her daughter, has a much thicker coat so I doubt she will ever need to wear anything warm.

I don't get bandanas either...….why?

4allweknow Wed 26-Dec-18 12:50:41

Haven't seen a dog yet that looks happy all dressed up. Why oh why do humans do this?

sarahellenwhitney Wed 26-Dec-18 12:55:34

Aren't most things about choice ? We may tut tut ,but if it is only 'l don't know why they do this' .and doesn't cause human or animal life distress or physical problems then surely life is to short to let such things as treating ones animal like it was a child bother us. No, I would not dress my animal like a child but that is MY choice.

MissAdventure Wed 26-Dec-18 13:03:44

I think its verging very close to cruelty to treat a living being as if its sole purpose is to amuse its 'owner'.

GreenGran78 Wed 26-Dec-18 13:11:03

I remember watching one of those Battersea Dogs' Home programmes where a young woman had to give up her little dog, for some reason. She tearfully handed it over, complete with a large wardrobe of clothes. She had spent hundreds of pounds on kitting out the poor creature with outfits for every occasion.
The dog was duly re-homed with a nice family who told them to sell or dump the clothes, because they didn't want them. I'm sure that the dog was much happier being a family pet, not a fashion accessory. Why do people who supposedly love their animals think that it's ok to maltreat them by putting clothes on them? Apart from a warm coat if it is really needed it is completely unnecessary.

BlueBelle Wed 26-Dec-18 13:49:47

Yesterday I went to watch the Christmas Day swim ( I used to do it but feel a bit to ancient now) and every man and his dog was out and every one I saw was dressed up in some kind of gear from antlers and Christmas hats to full on Father Christmas outfits Hideous a dog should be a dog not a blooming dress up toy

notgoneyet Wed 26-Dec-18 14:11:40

My daughter had a large dog; her and I took him home to hers as an eight week old puppy. In his later years, in fact his last Christmas (he died at 16 years), he had lost weight and I bought a waterproof coat for him that had a warm lining. She put it on him for the first, and only time - he hung his head, as if in shame, and you could almost hear him say "REALLY?, you expect me to walk round our neighbourhood in THIS? Puhlease!!" We took it off him, and never tried again lol

Baggs Wed 26-Dec-18 14:24:31

sarahellen, the point in the OP was that it clearly did cause the animal distress. The dog clearly didn't like it and yet the humans persisted. It wouldn't matter if the dog didn't mind but the dog in question did mind. I agree about choice: the dog's choice being paramount when it comes to human idiocy.

mabon1 Wed 26-Dec-18 15:00:40

My dog is a bearded collie and has thick long hair all over. I put a waterproof coat on him when it is heavy rain as it's a heck of a job drying him off!!

Baggs Wed 26-Dec-18 16:04:51

Protection for one's pet from bad weather is a whole different ball game from dressing up an animal to get silly photos for Twitter.

Cherrytree59 Wed 26-Dec-18 16:47:36

Not just dogs!

Had our traditional boxing morning walk with my lovely sister and her two very muddy springer spaniels minus christmas hats.

We were passed by two riders in Christmas onesies (they were wearing riding hats and boots).
The first horse had turquoise tinsel around his neck and turquoise felt ear covers.
The other horse had the same but in red. ?.

a bit outing if any GNers had also passed a couple of horses dressed as xmas trees

notoveryet Wed 26-Dec-18 17:10:05

I quite agree that no dog should be made unhappy or uncomfortable, but I have an awful show off Labrador who is first in line for hats, bandanas etc. if there's any chance of him being able to strut around in them.