Goodrich-For some, the crisp colors of autumn signal it’s time to start thinking up costume ideas for the four-legged member of the family’the dog.
Sure, kids have been dressing up for Halloween for years, but a growing segment of the population are asking the question, ‘Why should Fido be left out of the festivities??
A quick search on Yahoo.com for ‘pet costumes? yielded 940,000 results.
‘There is kind of a demand,? said Brad Rice, of B R Pet Groomers and Boutique, 7461 M-15. The business sells a variety of pet clothes and costumes, ranging from practical raincoats and sweaters to ‘Dogzilla? costumes. Though the clothes and costumes vary in price by size and quality, most at B R cost $10-$20.
Rice says one of his own dogs will sport a hot dog outfit for Halloween.
Dressing pets up ‘gives them more of a bond with the family, and makes them more of a part of the family,? said Rice.
Rice adds he has seen an increase in people wanting to pamper their pooches as more people are making the transition from farm dog to a smaller dog that’s easy to spoil.
‘I think for some people, the dogs are filling a void,? said Rice. ‘They may be filling a space where kids would (traditionally) be.?
And while some clothes, such as sweaters or boots, are bought with the animal’s comfort in mind, others are seemingly just for fun.
‘A lot of people with kids come in for costumes. Kids like to dress (the dogs) up,? said Rice.
The clothes and costumes at B R are ordered from either PetEdge in Maine or Gooby in Los Angeles.
Rice says though he only keeps a few of each costume in stock, he is able to order them in a variety of sizes and styles.
But with people making these purchases in the name of pampering their dog, one is left asking, ‘Do dogs enjoy wearing clothes??
‘The animals love it,? said Rice. Some, he added, may take a while to adjust to the concept. Eventually though, the attention that comes from dressing up your dog is sure to make it happy, says Rice.
However, added Rice, pet owners are advised to exercise caution when dressing up the family pet.
‘You don’t want to leave the costume on the dog unsupervised,? said Rice, adding that both costumes and collars should be removed at night.