How many YT-ers dress and top knot their babies??
 

Hey all :D

Lately I've received some off comments from other people saying that dressing and putting a bow in my dogs is abusive. I've also been told I just need to have a pair of kids...lol. Another friend of mine has two chihuahuas and she posted a picture of them dressed up in their outfits and someone commented that she felt sorry for those dogs and that my friend was a bad owner. Both my firmed and I LOVE our dogs and would never want to do anything that hurts them.

The funny things is, whenever my girls see a bow, brush or outfit they get excited and start hopping up and down to be the first ones brushed or dressed. (Wish they did this when it's time to brush their teeth....lol... ONLY my black lab loves it!). Then they run around doing their happy butt wiggle, which makes me think they enjoy it as well.

So how many of you guys dress your babies? Do they get as excited as mines??:animal-pa

I keep it to the basics. Sweater, coat and rain coat. But I love all the outfits and if I was not disabled and could take him out more I would dress him up. Now the bow is a given.....isn't that how you tell a Yorkie by the top knot and bow in their hair......LOL. By the way anyone have a good supplier of male looking bows?

We dress ours for warmth. He looks adorable. Okay, there is that one little shirt with the collar I put on him sometimes, just because it looks so cute. Enjoy yourself!

Main thing:
People are idiots. If you enjoy dressing up your pup then so be it!

Gizmo wears all kinds of outfits and he likes them because they're warm

Sweater and raincoat here. But wife is out looking for rain boots as i type. Somebody just shoot me!!!!

The Crazy club was started here because of that topic. In the early days of YorkieTalk, people would criticize each other for dressing their dogs, and the Crazy Club is for any member who thinks its ok for people to dress their Yorkies, you don't have to do it, you just can't think others are crazy if they do so! Anyone is welcome to join. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/groups/crazy-club.html. Truthfully, I use to think people dressed up their dogs because they wanted attention, but Joey's breeder explained to me, that Yorkies don't have fur like most breeds, and have a single hair like humans. That means they have no undercoat to keep them warm in the winter or cool in the summer, and it's up to us, to protect them. Now, of course, I look for more than just warmth when I buy something, I think some of the clothes are adorable, and if this pleases you I see nothing wrong with it. I do think it's important that you look for clothes that are comfortable, and well fitting, and if you're dog doesn't move while wearing it, don't make him wear it except for photos! The topknot is another thing all together, because they are a long hair breed, it gets the hair out of their eyes, and it part of the way standard calls for them to look when they compete in a dog show, but why would someone think this is abusive?

Top knots are required in conformation. On a more practical note, top knots keep their hair out of their eyes so Yorkies don't look like sheepdogs. It's also a good way to keep the hair from irritating their eyes and tearing.

I would guess the majority of people here at least occasionally put clothes on their Yorkies, and I don't see the harm. I dress mine for our cold winters. It would be cruel not to dress them. In fact, Iditarod dog mushers occasionally put coats on their dogs to preserve their energy in the 1,000 mile race -- and those are hardy Northern breeds with double coats and bred to withstand severe cold.

My point would be, if it's OK to dress dogs for the cold, why is it suddenly cruelty to dress them for any other reason -- providing the clothing is comfortable and safe?

I would ignore those people. They're either ignorant or hateful.

Love it!!
 

:thumbup::thumbup:

I want to join the crazy club!!
 

I 100% agree, I think what bothered me was when they said we were bad owners... Their clothing is comfortable and they have breaks in between outfits...lol. The topknot I use as you said, to keep their eyes clear (even though it really is cute!).

Thank you!
 

:thumbup::thumbup:

All I have to do is show Moka the opening and she slips her head in practically dressing herself. She even lifts her legs one at a time for me. (Its actually very funny to watch) She gets as excited about me getting a sweater out for her as she does when she hears her leash jingle or hear me say the word "go." So I'd say I think she kind of likes it. ;)

Just wondering where is the best and easiest bows to do the topknot? I love dressing Prissy, her sweaters keep her warm too.

Awww, that sounds like my girls!! It's the same excitement they get when I take out my Kwigy Bo...lol.

For my girls....
 

I usually do the bow first with a band and then I either use an alligator bow or a barrette. Pet supermarket had some really cute bows that come in two packs for $3.49. Also, Darlin beaux on this forum makes some awesome alligator clip bows! She can custom make them for you!

Max wears a top knot pretty much everyday, because his bangs get in his eyes.
I don't see anything wrong with people dressing their dogs. Max has coats, sweaters, socks, shirts, etc. But when he's home he's naked lol.

I dress up Lilly and she loves it. It doesn't matter what the weather is, she's usually wearing something cute, be it for warmth or just for sheer cuteness. I also put her topknot up. I'm currently getting her used to wearing something other than the rubber band because I have a couple cute bows coming for her.

The other day I had her in her candy cane pajamas and was going to put her panties on her for the night. When I first brought her toward me, she thought I was going to take her jammies off and ran to her spot on my bed, laid down and rolled over onto her back. It was so cute! I ended up putting her panties on over her jammies.

She lets me know when she's wearing something that she really likes because she won't let me take it off!

They have the funniest personality quirks, don't they!

Mina wears clothes everyday. If she isnt dressed my family thinks that she is naked. My response to people that are being rude. It doesnt harm the dog,she seems to like it,because they have no undercoat they get cold even in an airconditioned house,it doesnt impose on the rude persons life,it isnt crack,I like to sew and if they have given their opinion in a rude manner I remind them that I did NOT ask for their opinion,nor do I require it. I am perfectly happy with my life with my dog. I can respect the fact that they may not dress their dog and they need to respect the fact that I do.
Sorry for the rant. I just think it very wrong of someone to just accuse a person of being cruel to an animal just because it has a tshir,sweater or dress on.

Agreed. I'll try one of those next time! Thanks for reassuring me.

You have your little furbaby to ENJOY and LOVE. Do not let anyone take away from you that which you have chosen to bring happiness into your life. Dress that lil kid up and ignore everything except the possitive.

Mina will be wearing a "Santa's helper" dress on Christmas day and Im making Christmas pjs for her for Christmas Eve.

Mine wears clothes most of the time because she gets cold easy and she loves her clothes. If I hold her shirt she puts her head through the head hole then lifts her left leg and puts it through the arm hole and then her right leg through the other arm hole and then prances around the house showing everyone in the house her pretty clothes. I don't think some people understand that they don't have under coats. I figure if I am gonna have to dress her to keep her warm I might as well dress her cute too. Until someone has a dog that shakes from being cold they probably will never understand it, my family didn't until they saw that Callie really does get cold.

Louie wear all kinds of clothes, mainly because it keeps him warm, and he love his clothes. He also wears a ninja knot, mainly to keep his hair out of his eyes, but not to keen about it.

My furkids wear clothes everyday!! And pjs every night!! And even then, they sometimes shiver from getting cold! In fact, when they don't have clothes on, I think they look naked!!! They all put their heads and paws in the openings by themselves as well!! Forget about what other people say!! If they think we are crazy....it's probably because we are!! Lol :)

Lol!! Crazy and PROUD!

Well, I dress my girls all the time. And they have bows or clips in their hair. Not long enough to call a topknot yet but we are working on it. :) I wouldn't care what people said to me. If I want to dress my pups up then I will! Mine have a pretty nice wardrobe! :D And we will not even talk about how many bows I have for them.

Deuce dresses for the weather and on occasion he likes a sweatshirt in the house for lounging but most of the time naked. A topknot (with a scrunchie) is a must for everyday so he doesn't have hair in his water and food and so he can see his ball!!! Topknot bows are for going out. The boy likes this plan. BTW thinking of boots for the snow but we'll see how that goes.

I agree with all of these. I will pick up Bailey and she will be naked(not very often) and she will be shaking BAD! I have to put something on her and she will be much better and give me lots of kissies when we are done. She puts her own clothes on. Head through, arms through. She doesn't care! She doesn't know any diffrent. She has been wearing clothes since she was 10 weeks old! I feel like she looks naked when she doesn't have clothes on. She wears pj's to bed, something all day, and during our walks...with a matching BOW! Not to be mean to others, but I think little dogs look better with clothes on:)... big dos, ehh not so much, they kinda look silly in my opinion. WELL, sorry for going on and on, but I don't care what others think and the people in my neighborhood know who Bailey is from a mile away.

To each their own I suppose. I left a forum many years ago because people would say dressing your dogs was abusive yet they left their dogs outside unattended all day, would have photos of the dog lunging hard against a collar, would have prong and choke collars on their dog, would leave illnesses untreated, etc. I can put my head on my pillow every night and sleep comfortably next to my well cared for pajama clad dog and thats all that really matters.

Gracie has a long coat so I don't dress her very often. When it is cold she wears her pajamas or when she goes out she may wear a sweater of a coat. I do put her hair in a top knot and sometimes a bow. i have been considering cutting it but have not had the courage to do it. She doesn't mind being groomed. People who make remarks like that just have no experience with little little long haired dogs. I do think some people use their dogs as accessories but as long as it is being kindly well cared for there is no harm in it.

When I decided on a yorkie I 'dreamed' of dressing her for cosmetic reasons I guess you could say.:rolleyes: Well I only ended up doing it for her to be warm & comfortable. I rarely leave her 'naked' at home even as the house is so much cooler now.

I use a coat outside & I'm glad I do. My car broke down last Monday & it was about 25 degrees outside (we were in the car w/out heat waiting). Princess was shivering and that was with a sweater and coat on-imagine without.

People think she's cute usually & sometimes they think I'm nutty, but I can't say I care. Princess loves it, she practically pushes herself into the clothes. As for a topknot, yes, I want one because it is cuter to me than keeping her head hair short. She likes a band but hates barrettes so I skip them.
Trust me, there is no miserable puppy here!;)