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Getting your dog to wear clothes

People are asking how come Amber allows us to wear clothes on her,  their dog always hide or become aggressive when they put clothes on them. While wearing clothes is not a must unless you live in very cold countries, it makes your dog look cute and easier to recognize at places that allows your dog to be off leashed. It is also a form of bonding and training for you and your dog, finishing this exercise would strengthen the relationship with you and your dog if done correctly.

Why wouldn't the dog allow us to put anything on them? It is exactly the same reason why we humans wouldn't go out naked, it just feels awkward! It's the opposite for dogs, they are used to being naked and would feel weird putting clothes on. It is not because it is hot, it is simply because your dog is not used to it. Just like the first time you put collar on them, i am sure at some point they didn't like collars at first. It takes time and treats to let them know to trust you in everything you give them, you must also prove them right in return.

What you need:
- treats
- patience
- consistency
- leash for walking

It's always best to let your dog smell anything you want to introduce it for the first time, they use their nose in almost every scenario you can imagine. If they attempt to rip the clothing when introduced it is then your part to say "No". It sounds harsh to scold/command on an unnecessary thing like clothing, but if you are really planning on doing this, do it right. Because if you give up halfway, be prepared to have much harder time introducing clothes to your dog in future, giving up is like telling your dog it is right, that clothes is dangerous.

Do consider before you continue reading on...

You can stuff the clothes with your dog's blanket prior to wearing to let it feel at ease. Soon your dog should  ignore the clothes, this is the time to try putting them on. If there are buttons on the shirt, do not button them for now as it will be tighter and would make your dog feel more uncomfortable. Most dogs freeze still after putting clothes on, some can stay there as long as 1 hour without moving, they feel unease and uncomfortable but treats can solve this problem. Give your dog treats as soon as the clothes are on, if your dog ignores it, just put it on the ground and wait. It would not freeze for the whole day, the dog may sit or lie down after being tired but this is a good thing. It means it is relaxed.

Do this for an hour daily, increasing the duration of putting clothes on as time passes. Your dog should be running around in no time! To speed up the process, bring your dog down for walks, with clothes on, this will distract it further, Amber would always turn back suddenly as if the clothing is tickling her during walks, this will be reduce if done regularly.

At first Amber had no problem because we gave her shirt and shoes when she was a puppy. After stopping for a month as the clothes was too big for her, she became uncomfortable when we put on the new shirt. She freezes and ignore treats, now she is getting better after a month.

Shirts, hair accessories, collars, leashes, it is the same thing. Patience and treats!

Video of Amber freezing still

Comments

  1. Sophia absolutely loves her clothes and gets excited when she thinks she is going to get an outfit on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thats good to hear, It means that you've totally nailed it on telling your dog that wearing clothes means its time for some fun! This is what we've been trying to tell people by "enforcing good behavior".

      Delete
  2. I like this beautiful sweater of cute puppy. . I also want to update my dog supplies . I am sure my Belgian Shepherd Casper would look more adorable after having these accessories.

    ReplyDelete

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