Should we dress our dogs up for Halloween?
Submitted by Emma on October 25, 2011 - 12:31pmI don't know how many of you follow or know of Cesar Millan, but I love his work and dedication to the well being of our best friends. I receive his newsletters and this is an excert from the recent one. I would love to dress Emma up but she "freezes" and will not move. Food for thought.
Reprinted from Cesar’s Way Magazine
Is Halloween going to be a trick or treat for your pup? For more than 3 million Americans it’s a chance to put their dogs in costume and make them a part of the fun.
But is it really fun for Fido?
Alexandra Horowitz, author of the bestseller Inside of a Dog, stirred up a lot of comments last year when she wrote a piece saying dogs really do NOT like to be dressed up.
“Among wolves, one animal may “stand over” another: literally placing his body on top of and touching the other, as a scolding or a mild putting-in-one’s-place,” she wrote in the New Yorker. “To a dog, a costume, fitting tight around the dog’s midriff and back, might well reproduce that ancestral feeling. So the principal experience of wearing a costume would not be the experience of festivity; rather, the costume produces the discomfiting feeling that someone higher ranking is nearby. This interpretation is borne out by many dogs’ behavior when getting dressed in a costume: they may freeze in place as if they are being “dominated”—and soon try to dislodge the garments by shaking, pawing, or rolling in something so foul that it necessitates immediate disrobing.”
But experts say that isn’t true of all dogs. And the secret is to know how your dog reacts to it and not push him to do something he is uncomfortable with.
I dress up the G's to take them to the nursing
home and hospitals to cheer up people...I don't care what is said, but it brings a smile to faces....
but thats just me~~~:)
Deborah & the NC gang
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The last sentence is the most important
And the secret is to know how your dog reacts to it and not push him to do something he is uncomfortable with.
IF you're dog doesn't like dressing up you can still participate
its not hard to make the surroundings "Halloweenish" and just pose the dog in front of it.
It doesn't take much
If she doesn't like the costumes and you want her to join in the fun, you can get her a Halloween collar, leash or bandana with pumpkins or witches on it. She should be Ok with that. And it could be her training for more elaborate costumes down the road.
wow makes sense... even a harness . . .
Gizmo HATES anything tight on her. Even her Harness, her personality totally changes. To the point, if we want her 'calm' while company is over, we put her harness on her for 10 minutes, and she settles down immediately.
She also becomes very stubborn when we put her Football Jersey on, as its rather snug too.
Wow interesting.. .
Last steps taken May 26, 2014 -- Been rolling along ever since . . . .
Maybe Gizmo...
doesn't mind the shirt as much as she hates football? LOL
Nakina
personally, I think every dog is different
Buddy and Baxter tolerate getting dressed up quite well. As a matter of fact, with Buddy he forgets he even has anyhting on. LOL Bonkers, my black lab, on the other hand, does not like the idea of wearing anything. So I sure don't force him too but I'll buy him fun collars for the holidays and he doesn't mind that one bit. :)
I'm not a bug fan of costumes
I'm not a bug fan of costumes myself (my own costume this year will be a pink t shirt that says "this is my costume I'm a flamingo") so instead I got a Halloween t-shirt for Hazel.
Pink T-Shirt
Do you mind if I copy your pink t-shirt idea? I love it!
Go for it!!!! Or you could go
Go for it!!!! Or you could go with a green one and be a pickle!! lol ;)
oy vey ! LOL
you 2 are just not right :) Flamingo's and Pickles LOL
Last steps taken May 26, 2014 -- Been rolling along ever since . . . .
8-)
I'm also not the type to dress up but LOVE that flamingo/pickles
idea LMAO
on year, 'way back in those college days'
My buddy and I dressed in all white - from head to feet - with a swimmers cap and goggles -
on our backs "Fallopian Swimteam"
(listens for all of the groans !) LOL
Last steps taken May 26, 2014 -- Been rolling along ever since . . . .
my dogs must be weird/ strange
I dress them up every day. My yorkie shiloh has worn clothes for 10 years now everyday!. When he has clothes on he prances around like a new man. Loulou wears dresses everyday. I wish I could post pictures so ya could see. Now my son dog Bubba the American bulldog. Well he is diffrent. My son would not let me dress him as a puppy. So You will only do this once in a while. He has a look that let's you knows. I think to dress dogs up you have to start as a puppy like I did with Loulou and shiloh or it might not work out. Loulou and shiloh also wear p.j.s to bed
Karonelaine
We need pictures!
Oh please post pictures. I would love to see the PJ's.