How do you feel about dressing up pets?

I like animals in their “natural state”, because I think they look the most beautiful that way. If I’m going to dress up my dog, it’s only for utilitarian purposes, like when I take him out for a walk in very cold weather——booties to protect his paws from the ice and de-icers, and a wrap-around “jacket” to keep his body warm. But I would never dress my dog in human-type clothing. It’s denigrating.

I’m not a fan, I also think it is denigrating and makes a fashion or trendy statement, just like dressing kids up in clothes you wouldn’t normally have them wear to be judged in a contest. I am of course for dressing them in weather gear like Shinyshoes said.

I think dressing up your pets for fun is silly. It might contribute to neglect of animals, but I suspect that the person who would buy a pet as an accessory may not be the best pet-owner to begin with. I doubt the animal is humiliated because someone put it in a frilly dress. I might be humiliated for the animal, but I don’t think the animal is humiliated. I’m not 100% certain that’s what they meant by that statement, but if so I think it’s nonsense.
Having said that, my dogs both have coats. (Coats that I put on them, not just their natural coats.) It gets pretty cold here in the winter, and my beagle mix has repeatedly shown sensitivity to the cold.. so it’s a matter of function.
At the same time, I’ve put little hats on my dogs for Halloween or other holidays. If the dog minds, it knocks it off. In the meanwhile it makes for fun pictures and usually leads to the pup getting extra attention, which they love. I’m not going to dress up my dog like a baby doll, because I really don’t see any point. I don’t necessarily think that it makes people any more neglectful than they normally would be, and I also think that it is far less harmful than people who dress up their children to put them in pageants, as long as the clothing items aren’t posing a danger to the animal. I guess the point of my response is that overall I think it is just kind of stupid.

It’s right up there with dressing up toddlers to look like hoochie’s

On Halloween: fine
In a parade: fine
As reindeer for an Xmas pageant: fine if no actual reindeer can be found
Any other time: UNACCEPTABLE

Milo here; I do try to treat Gail with some respect, but occasionally I can’t resist putting her red clown nose on. It does keep her humble.

I have fun with it, and my dog used to love it. He has outgrown it now. I made our own costumes, which added to the fun. I can’t see buying clothes for a dog.

I think most pets don’t like it and so the owners shouldn’t do it. Animals are living things, not toys.
However if an animal really doesn’t seem to care either way, I wouldn’t exactly look down on someone for doing it, though I wouldn’t dress up my pets myself. As long as they care for the pet and don’t just keep them as an accessory and treat them poorly, it doesn’t really matter.

I’m a holiday pet picture taker, bows around the neck, but, that’s about it.
I have no interest in dressing up my cats and geese. Well, Marwyn my goose did take a Xmas photo one year wearing red striped knee high socks, he was the gooses pajamas.:-)

It’s creepy!

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do was dress up my cats & dogs in silly human clothes like sweaters & sunglasses & babushkas & take their photos.

Now that I’m an adult, I’m not fond of it at all.

I think it’s fine if the dog, horse, or whatever likes it or tolerates it for a parade or what have you. If it goes beyond that, I am not personally okay with it at all.

My sis has a teacup poodle that needs a winter coat & sweaters. I’m fine with clothes on animals for protection.

Ah when kids do it it’s fine. With adults, I don’t approve, the animals don’t like it.

I feel it hides the natural attractiveness of animals. However Kitten Mittens will forever be awesome.

Ya, and it’s embarressing for the animals, especially if they don’t like what they are wearing :/ Like this poor yoke

I have to laugh at the whole thing. Pets as fashion accessories. Where do people come with these things? Pets are not there for a dress up to suit your clothes.
It’s one thing to play dress up with the pet in your own home where there are only a few people who can see you and it’s another thing to force the pet to go out dressed looking like crap. Indeed it sends out a weird message.
Another thing is to put sunglasses to a bigger dog in the summer time [you actually help him] or a scarf around the neck but another thing to dress him up like a barbie doll.

I do not like it at all and I do not encourage it. Sooner or later a lot of laws will prohibit it and we won’t have to see these things that often.

I feel the same way about pet hairstylings, too.

It’s a popular practice amongst the bewildered in the community I believe.
I like my dawg in her natural coat thank you very much!

I don’t like it.

I think it’s silly. A bandana on a dog or a cute collar is one thing; actual clothing and costumes and the like is just silly.

My snake wears tap shoes

I’d like to be Paris Hilton’s puppy.

Shouldn’t be done at all. Treat your pet as a ‘pet’. Not as a barbie doll. They should be cared for, loved in all possible ways. Not be dressed for a tea party.

I much prefer animals as they are and so I choose not to dress mine up. A bandana on a dog can be cute but anything else just makes me roll my eyes. However, I’d much rather see a dog in a stupid outfit than in someones handbag. Your dog has legs, he can use them.

It’s…irritating. You’re not going to see me do it. I hate to say it, but I definitely judge people who dress up their pets; I automatically make so many assumptions about them…

I know of some people who just dress them up to ridicule them (uproarious laughter) have fun with their friends that way.

I have to admit that I’m guilty of drawing an Inspector Clouseau moustache on a Sphinx (hairless cat) using Crayola washable marker.