It's Jacket Season for Dogs Posted on 18 Oct 10:07 , 0 comments
It's officially jacket season. As much as I've been trying to delay the reality, shivering through the entire walk with my Yorkie/Maltese Victoria made me realize I need to start wearing a jacket. Even Victoria stopped dead in her tracks when she stepped outside into the cold, with a look of "what is this?" on her face. It's also time to bring out Victoria's puppy winter wardrobe.
This year, I am actually excited about jacket season. Over the summer, I prepared for the cold by creating a new line called Victoria Stoltz. Victoria Stoltz is a dog clothing line with couture puppy bows, jackets and vests. I decided to start the line after struggling to find anything fashionable to dress my furry friend in during the past holiday season. Browsing websites for hours, searching for the perfect little jacket that was cute, trendy and fashionable without being too over the top, led me to believe that dogs need more options to dress for events.
A couple of friends laughed at me when I told them that my dog Victoria needed a coat, and that I was searching for one that she could wear to the Christmas family dinner. Read on for my response to that frequently asked questions about whether dogs should wear coats during the winter, do dogs enjoy wearing jackets, and how to find out what size your dog should wear:
Do you need to put a jacket on your dog?
Some naysayers claim a dog's hair will keep them warm, and putting a jacket on a furry dog is silly. The truth is, once you cut your dogs hair, your dog will get cold much quicker. Small dogs get especially cold, and it's cruel to not take care of them and keep them warm after you've taken them to the spa and cut off their natural coat.
Do dogs enjoy wearing a vest, jacket or coat?
Usually the answer is no at first. Wearing a dog jacket is something our furry friends aren't used to. I'll share what happened when I started putting jackets on my own dog, Victoria, for her walks during her first winter: At first Victoria protested, and showed signs of disliking her dog jacket. The bulky feeling obviously slowed us down while we were walking, and she seemed relieved to take the jacket off once we were inside. Weeks went by, and she still seemed to dislike the jacket, so I decided to let her discover what it was like without a jacket.
Victoria and I went out into the snow without a dog jacket, and she shivered her way through the short walk. After that brief walk without the warmth of her dog jacket, her attitude towards wearing a dog jacket has become one of acceptance and she seems to be happy when I put it on her before going for a walk during the winter. Victoria, as with most other small dogs, hates being cold more than she hates wearing a dog coat.
Stay warm, and keep your furry friend warm as well. XOXO, Kate Stoltz
Check out the new styles here: Victoria Stoltz Puppy Couture
