Just found out pet costumes can actually cause heatstroke even in winter

3 comments

3 Comments

Honestly I feel like this is just another example of how we keep putting aesthetics over actual comfort for our pets. People throw a sweater on their dog for a photo op and don't think about how it traps heat even when it's chilly out.

johnh821mo agoTop Commenter

Right, because nothing says "I love my dog" like dressing them up like they're about to model for a catalog (while they're probably plotting how to get the thing off). I get it, people think it's cute, but half the time the dog is just standing there looking miserable, and you know they're thinking "why am I wearing this itchy thing when it's 50 degrees out?" (Not to mention some of those sweaters are basically a doggie sauna with how thick they are). It's like we've forgotten that dogs have built-in fur coats, you know, the ones that actually work for regulating their body temps. But hey, at least the Instagram likes are worth that pitiful side-eye your pup is giving you, right?

johnh821mo agoTop Commenter

Man, @ward.piper you're hitting on something I think about every time I see a pug in a puffy vest... My neighbor has this little chihuahua that she dresses up all winter, and the poor thing just stands there frozen, not moving a muscle, clearly hating every second of it. I tried putting a little sweater on my own dog once, just to see, and she literally sat down and refused to walk until I took it off... So I get it now, they have their own fur for a reason. It's like we're so caught up in how it looks for us that we ignore the actual signals the dog is giving off. Honestly, I'd rather have a happy, naked dog than one that's Instagram famous but secretly plotting my demise under all that fabric.