Personally, I have always thought that the kind of people who dress their pets up in silly outfits need their heads examined. As a relic of the late '70s and early '80s, I just don't buy into the whole "fashion" thing, and this whole notion of dressing pets in "fashionable clothes and/or accessories" is simply repugnant to me.

Dogs aren't toys, they're our friends and beloved companions, even members of our family, so I feel that they are entitled to a little dignity and respect. Loading a dog down with lacy garments, frilly bows and hair ribbons is nothing more than a sign of serious mental illness as far as I'm concerned.

That said, I'm not at all opposed to dressing a dog for purely protective reasons. My dog has a set of waterproof Winter boots to protect him from all the salt the city uses during Winter. Once a dog gets road salt all over their feet, the first thing they'll do when they come inside is clean it off with their tongue, and salt can be downright toxic to dogs. He also has a very warm faux-sheepskin jacket which he wears during the most extreme cold weather, of which we get plenty during the Winter months.

Taz is a short-haired German Shepherd/Border Collie mix whose coat simply can't provide adequate protection when temperatures reach -20 and the wind chill reaches -40, or worse! He never complains when I put his boots and coat on, since he knows it means we're going for a walk. In fact, he gets very excited the moment I take his coat and boots out, and he can't wait to get into them and get out the door. He's always very helpful and cooperative, and he never gives me a hard time when it comes to putting on these protective garments, which is how I know for sure that he doesn't mind wearing them.

There are also other threats to consider such as UV light, which can cause skin cancer and eye damage in dogs, just as in humans. Several companies are now making UV-resistant visors or shades ("Doggles") to protect our canine companions from this growing danger, but some people might think that was going too far.

Really, I guess it comes down to two factors; first, does your dog NEED protection from extreme weather, road salt and/or UV exposure; and secondly, does your dog MIND wearing that protection, like boots and a coat during severe cold weather, or a visor or "doggles" to protect them from UV light? If they genuinely NEED the protection and they don't MIND wearing it, then by all means, go ahead and "dress your dog up."

So my final answer is this; protecting your beloved pets from genuine hazards like UV exposure, extreme cold weather and road salt is "as cool as it gets," but loading them down with all sorts of frippery and plumage is a total disgrace, and should be considered legal grounds for a mandatory psychiatric evaluation.

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