How to get your Yorkie used to wearing clothing?

[Sunnydayz]

I was just wondering, while looking at cute little clothing, what is easier to start them off with? Is there a certain type of clothing your yorkie prefers over others? I want to start getting Gizmo some cute little things to wear on our walks to the beach and such, but I don't want him to be uncomfortable :-) like do they mind hoods versus no hoods? Or how about sleeves? I've seen some people post that their pups don't like sleeves, is this common on the sleeve thing? Also do your fur babies sleep better with or without jammies? I can't wait to get him styled up lol.

[Kaylee32]

My Ellie has worn clothes since I got her when she was 10 weeks old. She has never had an issue with any clothes and will actually go pick them out herself, and as soon as she puts her pajamas on she is asleep! Lilly Anne doesn't mind clothes but I think she would prefer not to have any on but she is still young though. I think it all depends on the dog, my best friends yorkie hates clothes and freaks out every time she puts them on her. I would say just start out slow and see how your baby reacts. And I prefer no hoods because it seems to pull to much around their neck which makes me a little uncomfortable.

[Holly_Wood]

I found that t-shirts with fit more snuggly (if that makes sense?) so it doesn't flap around .. I tried dresses on Holly to begin with and she kept seeing the frilly skirt thing and wanted to attack it :-) .. with a simple tea shirt or sweater she forgets its there :-) so that's where I'm starting from :-)

[mimimomo]

I like t-shirts or tank style shirts for my boys. Ross has some good deals & it always fits perfectly on them. @ 1st, when I put clothes on them, they just stood there frozen like a statue lolll. It was cold out, so I put a shirt on them & they 4got they were wearing anything when we went outside. They're used to it now & like to wear clothes & jammies too.
Unfortunately, clothing causes tangles, so shaving (or cutting them off w/blunt nosed scissors) the arm pit area & upper belly would be best if it gets tangled up & a good brush out is a must.

[gracielove]

I would also suggest starting a pup off with a loose t-shirt, something light weight like cotton if possible. You always want to make them as comfortable and carefree as possible. Clothing that they hardly notice is the best way to start out. Once he gets used to the idea of having clothing put on him you may be able to move onto a coat or sweater.

Many times Yorkies have rather thin coats that don't give them much insulation from the cold so you may find he will get to like wearing things that help hold the heat in.

Gracie was always wanting to be held when she was a puppy. When a human lap was not available she would curl herself around one of the cats. It's not like we don't have heat in the house but she just needed that extra warmth. Letting her wear a t-shirt or fleece around the house when it is kind of chilly helps her to be comfortable.

[Maximo]

I agree that a comfy cotton tshirt is best to start with. If Gizmo seems unhappy with it, throw his harness on and take him walking to distract him.

The first time I put a coat on Teddy, he didn't want to move. He felt better when he saw his brother put on a coat. Once we were outside, Teddy forgot about the coat. He now loves clothes, the added warmth and feeling of protection.

[DvlshAngel985]

I love sleeves!!! Is there really pups that don't like sleeves? Hmm... I never asked Kaji for his opinion on the whole clothes issue. Kaji would have been a good girl too since he doesn't mind any clothes, except for shoes. He hates shoes. Oh well. He's a boy with limited clothes options. I wish there were more boy clothes out there to choose from.

[Hrossen11]

I would start with a shirt in the house put it on give them some treats than take it off. A little bit later put it on and leave it on a for a little bit longer and give treats. Keep doing this off and on throughout out the day with treats slowly increasing the time it is on. This will have the puppy associate clothes with a positive reward. Eventually your pup will look forward to the clothes.

[Deb1]

My 3 wear clothes! Tatiana wears them every day, especially now that it is getting colder! She gets chilled easier than the other two. None of them mind wearing clothes. Teeka prefers to go without....she hides when she sees me going to her drawer! She isn't given a choice when it is cold outside and she needs to go out for a potty break. She is rather thin and doesn't have the extra insulation to keep her warm. Max only wears clothes for special occasions as he is on the heavy side.

Start with a light-weight t-shirt or vest. She might not like it going over the head at first. I think it scares them. With time, they get used to the clothes. I would get him used to wearing a coat or sweater if you live in a climate that gets really cold in the winter. Since yorkies do not have an undercoat, they do tend to feel the cold more than other dogs!

[Lovetodream88]

I put a tank top on Callie for her first shirt when she was a puppy but she never had any problem with any clothes. I hate hoods they never fit Callie right and it seems like something that could get stuck on stuff. Callie would freeze at night if she didn't have her nightgown. Also make sure you don't let them over heat.

[Faboosh]

I started Billi out with sleeveless shirts to get her used to having clothes put on and off. At first she seemed annoyed, but she got distracted quickly. Now she can wear longer sleeves fine. She's so tiny that a lot of jammies are a big big on her, but I had a pair fitted for her (had the cuffs tightened so they'd stay on) and she doesn't mind them now. Still working on getting her into wearing costumes- they are kinda bulky and I'm sure my furious giggling doesn't help matters

I agree with those who suggest distracting Gizmo so he forgets he has anything on him. If it's not too tight, or too loose, he'll get used to it quicker and more likely he'll like it.

[ShowGirlLola]

Originally Posted by DvlshAngel985

I love sleeves!!! Is there really pups that don't like sleeves?

My poodle loved clothes and didn't mind sleeves, but sleeveless worked better for her because she used to bite at her armpits (itchy I guess) and make holes in her clothes.

I'm working on getting Lola used to clothes, so far she's ok once they're on, she just hates getting dressed. Her hair is long so I only dress her sometimes when we go out.

[SophieKatesMom]

Sophie Kate will wear a t shirt or a sweater but NEVER a dress, she does not like the ruffle or anything by her booty.

Honestly, Sophie Kate is a proud nudest, she prefers to run aound naked all day and that includes a top knot.

[theporkieyorkie]

Neither of my boys really mind t-shirts or sweaters. It's the pant outfits and shoes that they really haven't cared for....although they both have pjs on right now.


I try to find things that are easier to put on. Their hair can get tangled in velcro, zippers and around buttons so I try to be mindful in what I buy. Probably the easiest thing I've found to put on are what I call the horse blankets. You can just lay it on their back and it velcro's around their neck and then around their belly behind their front legs. I often use these when they have to go outside for quick potty trips in the cold. If they are ok wearing a harness, they probably wouldn't mind something like a horse blanket.


I never really had to break my boys into wearing clothes. They just never really minded wearing them. However, they aren't fans of getting dressed or undressed...especially when you have to pull a shirt over their head.

You'll probably want to supervise your pup at first to make sure it doesn't chew the clothes.

[ColesMommy01]

I think I got lucky with Rasta he's been wearing clothes since a week or two after I had him. I did start off slow with t shirts then, bandanas/neckties, then bows. When I first did it I would leave the clothing/accessories on for 30 mins then take them off. the next day a little longer wear and so on. He doesn't really like sleeves(feels too constricting to him maybe?). As long as the hood isn't covering his eyes he doesn't care. I haven't tried jammies but since you mentioned them I think it's time to do some shopping