Howling for Harnesses

For those of us who own toy breeds, listening to your little baby honk like a barnyard goose may be all too familiar. Most often this symptom is the result of an irritated, or in more severe cases, a collapsed trachea. Estimates range that between 20-40% of toy breed dogs will develop some sort of tracheal disorder. The highest risk breeds are among our tiniest canine companions: Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Pomeranians, Italian Greyhounds, Maltese, and Toy Poodles.

If your little dog occasionally coughs, you may notice that a tug on your dog's collar, while out on a walk, will suddenly cause the coughing to start. While tugging on your dog's collar will not cause a collapsed trachea, it can cause the irritation that leads to coughing, which then irritates the trachea.

So, whether you are trying to curb the energy and exuberance of your new puppy friend, take control of your dog in unsafe situations, or just take your pup out to answer nature's call, harnesses are the perfect choice for toy breed dogs.

Designed to allow your dog to push with the chest rather than the throat, a properly fitted harness removes pressure from your dog's sensitive trachea. For "Houdini" hounds, harnesses provide an escape proof alternative to the classic collar. Toy breed dog collars should be worn to look wonderful and to hold tags only, not for leash attachment.

Once you have made the decision to shop for a dog harness, there are a myriad of harnesses to choose from. I have talked to numerous little dog owners who can pull a harness that didn't work out of the back of the closet.

At Moondoggie, Inc. we offer the following advice to anyone in the market for a harness:

TAKE 2 MEASUREMENTS - around your dog's neck, and around the biggest part of your dog's body (girth), which is usually just behind your dog's front legs. ADD 2 inches to your dog's girth measurement.

THINK COMFORT - Avoid harnesses that have pressure spots where they can rub against your dog's skin. Nylon and some unfinished leathers have a tendency to do that. Choose soft fabrics that "breathe". 100% cotton, or soft, porous, semi-stretch, neoprene blends are great because they are washable and dry quickly.

LOVE WHAT YOU CHOOSE - If you love the harness, you will be motivated to help your dog learn to love it too. Like dog collars and other forms of dog apparel, dog harnesses come in a variety of colors, fabrics and styles. They can be a quick-release, adjustable style, a vest style, or a step-in style. For those of us who love to dress our dogs, there's no need to strap a harness over a beautiful outfit. Now, even the most adorable dog dresses, coats, vests and shirts have "D" rings on the back, to easily make use of the outfit as a harness.

HAVE FUN - Dogs are creatures of habit. As you have probably already experienced, new things are approached with caution and often resistance. Introducing a harness into your dog's already contented life may require some creativity and more than a little patience.

To avoid most of the classic harnessing challenges, such as the "roll-over" , the "I want to see what you are doing" twirl or "jelly legs", we recommend that you lift and place your dog on a bench or table. You will have more control over the action, and your dog will have less room to maneuver. Talking to your dog in your "good dog" voice also helps. But most of all, make each time you put on your dog's harness a prelude to a ride in the car, a walk to the park, a cookie treat or anything that your dog loves. If you make the association between the harness and the subsequent positive activity really clear, it won't take more than a few times before your dog is so happy about wearing the harness, getting him to stop wiggling with excitement will be your only challenge!

Harnesses are essential for the health and safety of your toy breed pup. Well worth the initial shenanigans required to coax your baby into one, they can be fun and fashionable too! Once you start harness shopping, we would like to offer one final word of caution. Your dog may not be the only one that gets "hooked"!

Getting “Spooked” on Halloween is not fun for Dogs

Loud, unusual noises, strangers at the door and scary masked faces yelling “BOO!’ are not most dogs’ idea of holiday fun. While your dog can really benefit from the added attention and “over-the-top” demonstrations of affection they’ll get for being festive, the tradeoffs of anxiety, intestinal problems, other injuries, and worse should be seriously considered.

With all the ghoulish goings-on this Halloween, why not plan to include your dog in a safe and comfortable way?

If the sight of a costume makes your pup shiver and run for cover, but you still want your Kodak moment, try a fashionably fearsome Halloween collar, or an ultra-lightweight Halloween tank with a spooky message, that will actually be a comfort to wear for your dog, and a real conversation starter with your friends!

If hamming it up as a hotdog or bumming around as a bumblebee, is really your dog’s thing, then consider planning or joining in on some special activity or party during the day.

With any luck, your pup will knock himself out and sleep right through the more frightening evening events. If not, upon your return, try a good long walk and a warm meal. Adding a bit of warm chicken or beef broth to his food is the perfect puppy “comfort food” after a very active day.

If he’s still raring to go at “the witching hour”, a new “fiendishly fun” Halloween toy or rawhide treat can serve as a good distraction.

A special treat that can be as simple as a dog biscuit slathered with a little extra helping of peanut butter, is a great way to end the day, and can really go far in taking the “howl” out of Halloween for your furry best friend.

Fashion + Fido = Fun

With all the "bark" out about canine fashion, dog owners can find a veritable "dog pile" of opinions on when to clothe and accessorize their dogs, how to clothe and accessorize their dogs, and even whether to clothe and accessorize their dogs in the first place.

Some writers go beyond categorizing canine accoutrements, and want to categorize our buying behavior as well, even going as far as to suggest that we are either "Minimalists" (a collar and leash are necessary, but function takes absolute precedence over fashion), "Practical" (if the dog owner needs to wear a sweater out in the cold - perhaps the dog does too), or "Fashionistas" (the dog owner who "drools" over designer duds and believes that the dog does too).

Now, with all the pros and cons argued, all the do's and don'ts articulated and all the buying behaviors categorized, it is perhaps time to admit that there is a lot of wiggle room between these categories, and there are no absolute right or wrong answers to canine fashion questions.

What does seem to be clear, is that the further we bring our canine friends into our hearts, the closer our decisions about dog clothes resemble the decisions we make about our own fashion choices and those of our "other" family members.

For those of us who strive to look good, dress our kids and significant others well, take pride in the appearance of our homes…outfitting our dogs is a natural, almost necessary extension of our personas. For all of us who dote on our spouses, children and grandchildren and nearly "kill" our friends with kindness…being passionate about our pups is a natural extension of our love and warmth towards others.

So, when it comes to making choices about fashion for your canine, the very best advice is to ENJOY! Shopping, no matter who you are shopping for is an INDULGENCE, so use some of that same "thrill of the hunt" passion you employ when shoe or purse shopping and have a blast picking out dog collars or a carrier.

Clothing is a very attractive part of who we are. When we wear something that we feel comfortable in and looks good, we get compliments. When was the last time your dog ever refused a compliment? On the contrary, dogs thrive on them (perhaps even more than we do)! When your dog is sporting a
dog collar that is way cooler than your bag or shoes, he/she will be the talk of the dog park, receive lots of positive attention, and come home believing that the world is truly a "dog-gone wonderful" place. And like a great pair of shoes, the thrill starts with the acquisition, and continues each time they are noticed. Such FUN!

So perhaps attention is the primary reason for purchasing wonderful dog clothing and accessories. The variety of your clothing makes you interesting. The same is true for your dog. If outfitting your dog in a variety of fun and comfortable collars, harnesses, tanks, dresses, sweaters, and so on, brings on more positive attention from you and the world in the form of pats, hugs, treats, and compliments…what are you waiting for?

A dog boutique, whether it is online or down the street, is the best place to start. Use the same principles that you use when "treating" yourself. Choose favorite colors and styles, change with the seasons, and go for quality, comfort and durability.

Most of all use dog fashion to highlight all that is wonderful about the furry "love of your life" - not disguise him or her. Just as your clothing and accessories are a chance to express your individuality - your dog's are too!

© Moondoggie, Inc. 2007

Who's Your Moondoggie?

Once upon a time, not oh so long ago, I made a discovery.

Not earthshaking, or Pulitzer Prize worthy, maybe not even a real discovery, but it was worth some serious consideration none-the-less.

Dogs who sport a “stand out” collars or harness, or a cute tee, tank or dress, or carry about a unique toy, get more positive attention in the park, at the beach, on a city street, or in the neighborhood, than dogs who don’t.

They get this positive attention from people and from other dogs.

Their owners get more positive attention, too.

Now, everyone who has ever owned a dog, visited or observed a dog knows that they THRIVE on positive attention.

Everyone who has ever known or observed a dog-owner knows that they do, too!

So, as the story goes…in the spirit of assisting both dogs (and their owners) in getting as much positive attention as possible when they roam their world together…MOONDOGGIE was founded.

Now, four fun and interesting years later, thousands, maybe millions of dog owners have made this discovery themselves and there are a lot more smiling dogs (and smiling owners) out there. But wait, there’s more…

Dogs and their owners are taking on very distinctive “personalities” with the accessories they choose. Are the dogs influencing what we wear, or is it vice-versa? ! More research is needed.

Yet, whichever way the dog biscuit crumbles, Moondoggie is here to assist in getting that positive attention in a style that suits any personality!

Who’s Your Moondoggie?

Visit us each week for a close look at an exciting Moondoggie style!