How to Clothes Shop For Your Dog

  When shopping for your dog there are various factors to consider to help you choose the correct outfit for your breed. Whilst fashion shopping for your dog there are several things you need to consider before making a purchase. Firstly like any human, you need to check the season and choose clothes for your dog accordingly. If it’s winter season then obviously you can think about dog coats, jumpers and generally keeping your pup warm for the winter months. However as it comes up to spring and eventually summer it’s best to only dress your dog in lighter layers such as dog shirts and t-shirts. A particular favourite of mine for the hotter seasons are simple accessories such as bandanas and dog bow ties as they don’t add any weight to your dog’s body but can still help the dog look beautiful.

Another important factor for you to consider is the length of your dog’s hair. For the longer haired dogs you need to be careful that they’re not too hot in what you’ve dressed them in. Generally speaking, it’s better to buy lighter coats and knitwear for these dogs. Typical breeds include Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies and they will often let you know if they are overheated but excessive panting and deep breathing.

Once you’ve decided how thick the garments you can dress your dog in can be, then it’s time to figure out what style or styles to buy for your dog. Similarly to humans there are many different styles of dog clothes to buy. Smaller dogs, especially Chihuahua and Shih Tzus are often dressed in dresses and furry hoodies. Popular garments for Pugs and Mini Poodles are dog blazers with shirt and ties, and dog coats. A particular favourite of mine are dog jumpers as they are generally suitable for all sizes and breeds of dogs and they do a great job in bringing out your dog’s cute factor. Jumpers come in many different designs including button down fronts, v-necks and roll neck styles and if you shop around, especially online, you should be able to find dog knitwear to fit all size dogs.

Once you’ve decided how you’re going to style your dog, it’s then time to find their correct size. Most dog fashion brands require you to take several measurements to find the correct size. Firstly you need to grab a tape measure and measure the length of the body. This is taken from the bottom of the neck up to the base of the tail. Next you need the chest of your dog. You can find this by wrapping around the tape measure under the body, just behind the front legs and take the full measurement. This also needs to be replicated for the dog’s neck. Once you’ve found your measurements you then need to go shopping. If shopping online then you can simply check the size guides and it will clearly list the measurements for each size. However, if your visiting a pet boutique then it may be worth asking for assistance and they should be able to let you know which size to get for your dog.