Dog Accessories

If you were to take a step into some fancy pet boutiques in New York City, then you might do a double take at the prices. It is not unusual at all to find coats the size of a person’s arm going for at least $60, and sometimes even more. Is it worth paying that much for dog clothes? Some say an emphatic yes and even boast about how much they spend on dressing their dog. That’s all well and good if you have the extra dough to throw around, but for the rest of us it doesn’t make sense to spend that much money. So can the average person get boutique clothes without breaking the bank? The good news is that it is possible to get boutique quality clothes at an affordable price.

The first step to finding affordable boutique quality clothes for your dog is simpledon’t go to a boutique. Sure they’re pretty and well decorated, but you’re going to pay for the ambiance. The problem is you might not find what you want at a cheaper big name store like PetSmart or PetCo. So where do you go? Online. The internet stores have a much lower overhead than brick-and-mortar stores, so they can charge less for the fancy fashions. Simply go to one of the major search engines and start looking. You will find there are literally millions of sites selling dog clothing, so you have plenty from which to choose.

However, you do need to be careful of where you choose to buy. There are easy ways to tell if an online store is a good choice for you aside from looking at prices. Make sure they have a return/exchange policy, and make sure you understand it. Take a look at the site itself. Does it look neat and well maintained? Do they update they’re inventory information regularly? Do they make it easy to contact them (i.e. they have a phone number and email)? If so, then it’s safe to assume that whoever runs the store is willing to work hard to get and keep you as a customer. The online world of commerce can seem daunting, but it is the perfect place for the average dog-loving consumer to get some great boutique quality dog clothes.

Grant Carroll proud father of three dogs and co-owner of http://www.littlepamperedpets.com with Dog Clothes and Small Dog Sweaters.

Also visit Elizabeth Austin for Wholesale Dog Clothes and Wholesale Pet Supplies

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Let’s start out by saying that dogs do not “need” clothes. Most are born with their permanent wardrobe intact. You know, it’s that furry thing all over their bodies. Depending on the breed, they may even leave their clothes all over your houseit’s called shedding. But no matter what I say about dog clothes, there is still that group of dog owners out there who will still insist on spending more on their dog’s wardrobe than their own. So if you insist on doing this, at least be fair to your friend.

If you are the proud owner of a championship Rottweiler or a well-trained German Shepard, don’t dress them up in little dresses and bright pink tutus. That’s more embarrassing for you than it is for them (and it is embarrassing for themjust look at their faces). And if you own those little purse dogs, you know the ones I mean, don’t dress them up in spiked collars and full blown leather. That’s a powerful image to live up to. But that advice won’t be listened to either. So if you are going to dress Fido or Princess up in the latest fashions, be sensible.

First and foremost, make sure the clothes fit. Make sure there’s plenty of room across the shoulders. Make sure the straps that go under the front legs leave plenty of room so the dog has full range of motion. If the clothes don’t fit, you’re just going to make your dog more irritated than he already is. Also, listen to your dog. If you just have to put that “cute sweater” on Fido and he is constantly fighting you on it, he’s trying to tell you something. Listen to him.

Now for those of you who still insist on dressing up your dogs in clothes, don’t worry, the pet industry was listening. Dog clothes are a billion dollar a year business and you can dress your pampered pooch up in the latest fashions from Paris all the way into the Walmart special. There are costumes for Halloween. There are tuxedos and prom dresses for the pooches who just have to look their best. There are workout clothes for the fitness gurus living in your doghouse. And there are casual clothes for the fashion impaired who prefer comfort over style.

There are also a wide variety of shoes you can purchase for your new best friend. But if you want him to remain your best friend for very long, I wouldn’t make him wear them that often. Have you ever seen a dog walking with shoes on? They look like they are walking across hot pavement. There’s a reason for thisTHEY DON’T LIKE THEM!

So as you can see, I personally am not a big fan of clothes for dogs. But I am obviously wrong. Pet clothes manufacturers have built entire empires on the product and dog clothes are one of the few items pet stores have a hard time keeping in stock. And there are plenty of choices out there for the fashonista pooch. But pay attention to the styles. After all, there’s nothing more embarrassing for your lovable mutt than being seen in last year’s fashion line. Except maybe of course being seen in clothes at all.

Allen Shaw is a successful author who provides information on dogs, dog clothes and dog coats.

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Dog fashions are all the rage and have become quite affordable for anyone and everyone to enjoy with their dog, but not everyone knows the best ways to find their dog’s size or how a garment should fit to avoid accidents. Choosing the right size for your dog is very important, we always want our pets to be safe and feel comfortable in whatever they wear. 30% of all online dog apparel sales result in returns or exchanges due to improper sizing.

The first and most important thing you should know before you begin to buy for your dog is his/her measurements. You should write them down and always have them with you just in case you see something you can’t resist.

The most important places you’ll want to measure are:

The chest (circumference) measurements should be taken at the deepest part of the chest, which is usually right behind the front legs. This measurement is most important, so make sure you don’t exaggerate your dog’s chest by adding inches for more room and if you wrap the measuring tape to tight you will lessen the measurement and end up buying something too small.

Then measure the dog’s length from the back of his neck to tail. This measurement should start from the middle of the back of his neck right to the base of his tail. This measurement is not as important as the chest the length of the garment can vary and will be up to you whether you like him to wear his shirts long or short.

When measuring the dog’s neck (circumference) you should take the measurements around the lower middle of his neck.

If you have a breed with shorter legs then you’ll want to stick to short sleeves unless you’re purchasing from a store that makes their own clothes then you should provide them with his front leg measurements to ensure proper fit. The leg measurements should start from his under arm to right above his ankle. The length of the sleeves are very important, you don’t want your dog to wear anything with sleeves that are too long, this may cause accidents.

Every dog clothing manufacture has their own sizing chart, study it carefully for most charts won’t suit all dog’s so the most important thing to remember is the chest, as long as the chest size is right then it should be ok. If you’re buying online then you should provide the online store with his measurements, just to ensure you’ll get the right size. Some online stores will make the garment to your dogs measurements, this is a great feature for anyone but greater if you own a Dachshund or Crested or any hard to fit dog.

If you’re buying for a puppy from an online store then it’s very important to let the store know, what kind of puppy, how old and how much does he weigh. This is important so the seller can calculate what your dog’s size will be by the time you get your package.

Dressing your dog in different clothes for different occasions is lots of fun after all, your pet is part of your family too. Just using common sense in choosing what size for him as we, wouldn’t wear anything uncomfortable. Like babies they can’t tell us what’s too tight or loose so it’s our responsibility to choose the right size for them.

Author Eva Sanchez founder of PrincessPetwear.com, online seller of small dog clothes for boy and girl dogs.

http://princesspetwear.com

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