Clothes for dogs

This morning I had the radio on as I was driving to work. It was time for CBC’s local programming, and they were interviewing a woman in Whitehorse who operates a business out of her home, selling dog apparel. The business came about because the business owner got a Yorkie, but "wasn’t able to buy clothes" for it. She decided to open a store where people could come in and let their dogs try on clothing, just like in any other boutique.

I’m prepared to admit that Yorkies are cute dogs. I’m also prepared to admit that the business owner has found an unfilled niche here in Whitehorse. And I really try hard not to be judgemental; becoming a parent has made me more sensitive to the unnecessarily hard-core opinions some people try to push on those around them. But as I listened to the businesswoman talking about the pleasure her husband gets out of picking out Mitzi’s clothes every morning, I must say that my incredulity meter was getting a pretty good workout.

I realize that there are a lot of people out there who treat their pets as their children. But dressing up one’s pet on a daily basis (and not just for special or silly occasions) seems like an indulgence bordering on degrading to the animal. Even if these animals really were children, the practice seems rather akin to dressing a little girl in Disney Princess clothes every day — isn’t it disrespectful to treat her like a doll? Or is that just me?

Still, the business owner mentioned that some little doggies love to wear their jammies and it gets them in the mode of going to bed. So if the dog actually likes to wear clothes, well, who am I to argue, right?

I wonder what Adam and Eve would think…