I have been known to dress my dogs in costumes. I put clothes (made for dogs) on them for a few reasons:
- They have very short fur and Babe, especially, gets cold easily. In the winter months, she’s either wearing a sweatshirt or hiding under blankets.
- Putting a pink hoodie (or other cute article of clothing) on a pit bull tends to soften the dog’s image. And for a breed that too often ends up in the hands of rejects not fit to raise a pet rock, pit bulls can use all the softening adorable outfits can offer. From some of the reactions to her clothes by passersby, I’d say we’re succeeding.
- Because, to be honest, it makes me smile and I really like taking pictures of my pups dressed up!
So, while I was making a few last-minute holiday purchases on Amazon recently, I noticed something that I simply must get for the dogs. It wasn’t going to keep them warm, but it definitely was going to fulfill the last 2 arguments that I have for ordering dog clothing.
Lion’s Mane Dog Costume
I got Babe a lion’s mane. And I do not regret it.
The mane is really big, so I had to cinch the opening a lot before it would fit on her (sorry, small breeds, this isn’t made for little ones). It’s also really long, so even when Babe is standing, it covers a lot of her back and comes down to her ankles.
As soon as Babe saw my camera, she knew what was going on. She held still like a proud lion, waiting for her many many treats as I got a few cute shots of her strutting her stuff in that silly wig.
We didn’t leave the house with the lion mane on. It would just get dirty and didn’t seem like the easiest thing to wear while walking. But Babe always gets excited when she wears one of her costumes. She knows that it means she’s going to get all sorts of treats. So, for about 5 minutes, she sat on the bed, looking terribly dignified while I fed her tasty morsels and took adorable pictures.
17 responses to “Babe Got a New Dog Costume: Lion Mane”
Adorable! One of my dogs is a Dutch Shepherd (black, short-haired, pointy-eared), and most of her accessories are pink for the same “image-softening” reasons you mention. Her new winter coat is pink and reflective!
Aw! I love that! I looked up Dutch shepherd because I’d never heard of them and I bet tons of people don’t realize they are purebred dogs! What a gorgeous breed. They remind me of Belgian malinois. How is her temperament? With pink accessories, she must be a doll 😉
Good eye! The Dutch Shepherds are really closely related to the Belgian Malinois. In Holland, they interbreed them a lot for working dogs. My Brindle Dog was born in Holland and moved to Canada with me ten years ago (along with another Dutch Shepherd, an old cat, and my then-partner).
Her temperament is pretty sharp. Both her parents were police dogs so she really should have had a job as well. Even now, at the advanced age of twelve, she takes her duties very seriously. She’s a quick learner, very alert, very sensitive to her environment, and very eager to do any tricks and tasks. She’s also super impressive when the doorbell rings and she flings herself down the hall, all deep bark and gleaming teeth and flying spit. 🙂
Unfortunately, the rescue Dutchie we had when we got her was very dog-aggressive, and we didn’t do enough to prevent her from learning that. But aside from that, she is absolutely perfect in every way. She can switch from growling at intruders (read: squirrel in the yard) to cuddling on the couch in a flash, which I appreciate. I mean, it’s easy to get a dog worked up, but it’s pretty valuable when you can teach them the self-control to calm down quickly as well!
I love walking around with her in her pink harness with her pink leash. She carries a toy in her mouth whenever we go walking (it distracts her from other dogs), and people often smile at her, which she loves. She has the biggest loopy tailwag when she’s happy. I’m sure she’s not the only dog nicknamed Wigglebutt, but I bet it applies best to her. 🙂
Thanks for letting me brag a bit about my good old girl. I’m silly in love with her. I plan to spend most of the holidays curled up on the couch with her, sharing my popcorn. Here’s wishing you and Babe a great holiday, however you may or may not celebrate it!
Thank you so much for the info! I know a lot of pups who aren’t always keen on meeting other dogs, so I don’t bat an eye at it. But the fact that she carries her toy around outside is simply adorable!
Babe will be enjoying Christmas at home with me and her dad (and Banjo, our other troublemaker), begging for turkey, no doubt.
Enjoy your holidays!
This is simply wonderful. I love the expression. I think Pit Bulls are fantastic. Its some of the owners that I have a problem with and in particular, the ones that get a PB as a status symbol. An unstable pack leader is a recipe for disaster. I’m still contemplating my next dog and will need one to suit my needs and level of activity, as well as Ellie’s needs. I just received a phone call to say that Murphy has arrived back at the Vets. I’m going to wait until after Christmas to pick him up or I’ll start crying all over again.
I completely agree–I hate the idea of having a “macho” dog as a status symbol. Grrr…
Sending positive thoughts your way during the holidays. I hope everything is OK 🙁
Thank you, Allison. Once I’ve picked him up, I’ll take him and Nina and sprinkle them up on top of the hills; one of their favourite places.
Aww! Babe is gorgeous:-)
Thanks! And Babe says “snort!”
Lol:-)
EXCELLENT addition, Babe! I like wearing clothes too. Mom has to keep my fur shaved down real tiny because of allergies. Therefore, I get cold easily. I have t-shirts, a hoodie, and a jacket! *ear licks*
Those haircuts are just Mom’s way of saying she loves you too much not to be able to snuggle with you, right? <3 But I bet you stay nice and cozy in those warm clothes 😉
Oh, not her allergies! MINE! BOL! If my hair grows long, I become allergic to myself. Okay, not really. Pollen and other stuff gets stuck in my fur and gives me the itchies. *ear licks*
Oh goodness! Well, at least your mum is taking good care of you and making sure you don’t get the sniffles!
The very last photo tore at my heartstrings! While I am not big on dressing any dog, I do know and understand that in the colder months, Jernee also needs a bit more warmth. For a dog with so much fur, she still gets awfully cold. I have a hoodie and a sweater that I switch up for her from time to time when it’s too cold out. You’ve done an excellent job with the photos!
Oh, thank you! Jernee is probably pretty darn cute with her clothes on. Does she ever have problems with snow caking on her paws (specifically, in the fur between her toes)? I knew a yorkie who had that problem every year and her mom had to put booties on her to stop it happening.
I keep the fur in between her toes fairly short for many reasons, that’s one of them. I don’t think Jernee would like the booties. I priced them one year and for for extra, extra small booties, I did not care for the price. Lol.