Dog sweaters/clothes making your yorkie act funny?

[MikeyPuppy]

When I put any type of shirt, sweater, ect. on Mikey he starts to act like a total nut job! (btw, each time I went out searching for answers I was directed to this site, so hello!)
Anyway, Mikey likes to be warm, he sleeps under the covers and blankets and stuff. But when we put a sweater on him, he starts to act like a crazy nut job! tonight, my sister put one on him while I was at work. I came home, and he was acting silly. He got right up in my lap while I was eating dinner, and laid down (he usually tries to eat my dinner for me so this laying down thing was strange). Then, after I was done, I realized he was shaking. I lifted up the blanket and he got right under it and stayed that way for an hour or more. Then, when I got up to clean the kitchen before going to bed, I looked over, and saw him running in a small little circle. He then did what I can only describe as a swan dive into his brother's crate, and laid down at the back of it. He stayed there until I was done cleaning the kitchen. Then he bolted out of the crate and went into my parents room, where they were sleeping, and sat in the corner made by mom's bed and night table. I had to pick him up and carry him out. He (unusually) wouldn't follow me out. He didn't even bark at my brother when he got home from work!
This is all very strange for my little man, and he only does it when he has sweaters or clothes on. I have one of those Thundershirts for him for his anxiety, but that just calms him, it doesn't make him act like a nut job.

Is anyone else experiencing this kind of stuff when they put clothes on their yorkie? Or is it just Mikey?

[MandiesMom]

I've never experienced that with Mandie. I'm not sure why Mikey is doing that. I wonder if he's not comfortable in the sweater..? Are you sure it's not too tight for him...maybe pulling on his hair under his arms or something. dunno

Okay, that was no help at all huh? Sorry lol I just wanted to welcome you to YT! Now that you found us (and I found the forum just like you did..google anything yorkie and you'll almost always end up here )..stick around and join the family!

[chinalee61]

My pup zooey acts weird too with clothes on. Once I put them on her shell sleep or just lay there. No more eating or playing. She's done this since day one! But that's not going to stop me from dressing her up into a girly girl!

[Teresiana]

My boy Yoshi has no problem with clothes or top knots. It's Momo, my girl, who has issues.

Momo will run away from me when she sees a shirt or sweater in my hand. After I put it on her, she'll run around like a crazy woman, jump on and off the bed, dart through the hallways & try to take it off by rubbing her body against the walls. There's no way I'm letting her go outside without a sweater or a coat on - it's cold! So, I figured that she's just going to have to get used to it. She's not as bad as she used to be. But she still doesn't enjoy wearing clothing.

I try to buy light, soft fabric for her so that she'll be comfortable. I also try to make sure that the fit isn't too tight or restrictive for her. She's not the dress type, so we stick to comfy sweaters & shirts. I'm thinking that she just isn't used to clothing & it's not "natural" for her. I'm hoping she'll get over it.

You should have seen her in her Halloween costume. She was a pink monster. The costume had 4 legs, like pajamas. OMG...she just stood in one spot for almost 15 minutes & would not move! It wasn't too tight or anything. It was just a new experience for her. It was hysterical!!! I couldn't force the poor baby to wear it - I felt so bad! So she ended up not wearing a costume

[Verbena]

Hell and welcome to YT glad the internet gave you us i would wash it. Maybe he doesnt like the smell of it. Then i would make sure that it fits him right. No pulling.I would start putting it on him for a small abouts of time and work my way up to longer. Make it fun to put it on. Sit with him and the sweater and let him sniff it. Put a treat on it. He will see that the sweater gives him treats. Put it on him and then give him a treat. Do you take home out for a walk? I would put it on when he goes out. I know it could get cold where you live . Good luck

[mamaj]

My Trinket hated clothes at first. She almost always took them off. Now that she is used to them, she sees a garment and tries to get her head in. lol Same with her topknot. We had to hold her down to get it in. Then I started wrapping her in a towel. Now she just lays on my lap and lets me brush and do her hair. Just takes constancy and she gets used to anything. Except baths lol.

[MikeyPuppy]

Originally Posted by Teresiana

You should have seen her in her Halloween costume. She was a pink monster. The costume had 4 legs, like pajamas. OMG...she just stood in one spot for almost 15 minutes & would not move! It wasn't too tight or anything. It was just a new experience for her. It was hysterical!!! I couldn't force the poor baby to wear it - I felt so bad! So she ended up not wearing a costume

I put Mikey in a tiger costume around Halloween for this big game we had. He hated that too! He did just what yours did... he wouldn't budge! He got up in my dad's lap and laid on his chest... it was so funny! that's why I got the Thundershirt for him. We used to have to crate him during the football games. He would bark when we stood up to cheer and whatnot. That time I put the costume on him, he didn't make a peep.

[MikeyPuppy]

Thank you all for the great advice! I am glad I am not the only one. I'm glad his odd behavior is nothing to worry about!

[Teresiana]

Originally Posted by mamaj

My Trinket hated clothes at first. She almost always took them off. Now that she is used to them, she sees a garment and tries to get her head in. lol Same with her topknot. We had to hold her down to get it in. Then I started wrapping her in a towel. Now she just lays on my lap and lets me brush and do her hair. Just takes constancy and she gets used to anything. Except baths lol.

I used to wrap Yoshi in a towel when I cut his nails. Poor guy looked like a little burrito Now I just have my husband hold him.

[Teresiana]

Originally Posted by MikeyPuppy

Thank you all for the great advice! I am glad I am not the only one. I'm glad his odd behavior is nothing to worry about!

Yes, I think he'll get used to it. I put a shirt on my girl everyday now, just so she'll get used to the feel of clothing. She's actually getting better with it. Good luck!

[steph_bella]

Bella hates clothes lol

i put her in anything and she will not move! its funny because when she goes for a walk and she has things on she just kinda forgets about it and walks

think its just when shes in the house she hates it

[gracielove]

One of the first articles of clothing I bought for Gracie was a typical dog sweater. She hated it! Over time I found she does not like the tightness of typical sweaters. I started buying her things that are looser on the body. I think the tightness of a typical sweater may push on their hair and cause it to poke at their skin and bother them much like a wool sweater would bother a human. Anyway, Gracie does not mind the looser fleece things I have gotten for her. You do have to search for them but I have found several things online that suit her.

Many of these dogs do get cold easily, especially when the floors are cold or drafty in the winter. I keep a bed in the kitchen for Gracie because our kitchen has stone floors that can be very cold. She curls up there and waits until I am done doing whatever.

I hope your little guy will find something acceptable to help keep him warm.

[mydogzeus]

Yeah, actually. My male Yorkie Zeus acts very still/idle when I suit him up in a shirt. I don't know if it's because the shirt is too tight, or Zeus just hates shirts, but he is always "deppressed" when he is bundled up like that...

[wklink]

Our female gets excited when she gets to play dressup. We haven't tried it with the male pup yet, I suspect it won't go over as well with him.

[MikeyPuppy]

Originally Posted by gracielove

One of the first articles of clothing I bought for Gracie was a typical dog sweater. She hated it! Over time I found she does not like the tightness of typical sweaters. I started buying her things that are looser on the body. I think the tightness of a typical sweater may push on their hair and cause it to poke at their skin and bother them much like a wool sweater would bother a human. Anyway, Gracie does not mind the looser fleece things I have gotten for her. You do have to search for them but I have found several things online that suit her.

Many of these dogs do get cold easily, especially when the floors are cold or drafty in the winter. I keep a bed in the kitchen for Gracie because our kitchen has stone floors that can be very cold. She curls up there and waits until I am done doing whatever.

I hope your little guy will find something acceptable to help keep him warm.

Where online did you find the fleece things for her? I think Mikey would love something like that as he spends as little time out in the "frozen tundra" as he can and when he comes in he gets under a blanket until he is warm again. I haven't been able to find anything I like here in town.