I am becoming more and more aware of the fact that some large dogs are receiving bad treatment from their owners. Every now and then in my shop, I spot the ugly undercurrent of ‘sizism’ that is making dogs bigger because of the fun most small breeds enjoy. It’s subtle but it’s there anyway, creeping insidiously through our society. I listen to the comments some people make while wandering around my store. Comments like “there are a lot of spoiled pets” and “no thanks”, when asked if they need help with the size of the clothes, “I have a big dog”. I love one, “my dogs a country dog”. As if they weren’t cold. I can imagine these poor country dogs, shaking, begging for a cute warm pair of Doggyjamas, or how about a raincoat?
Big dogs should come together and tell their owners that fashion is functional and not just frivolity. And even if it weren’t, what’s wrong with frivolous behavior from time to time? All the attention gladly accepted.
Oh yeah, snobbery is alive and well and it lives in our suburban backyard. And I don’t know if it’s completely for PC either. Don’t larger dogs have the right to dress as fashionable as smaller dogs? Is it correct to suggest that the oversized canine is less fashion conscious than its more compact cousins?
And it’s not just about the clothes. Apparently bigger dogs shouldn’t be seen with fancier collars or a bit of glitter. “No, I have a real dog.”
This ‘sizista’ attitude also carries over to the toy department, “my dog would just destroy that.” Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that the whole point of exercising, chewing, throwing, and killing your toys? I am desperately sorry for these poor dogs who are delighted to rip the guts out of their first fluffy duck, or delicately peel the skin off their favorite tennis ball only to be told they can’t do it anymore. I wonder what their gardens will look like.
It would seem that the life of the great and beautiful beast does not only consist of being poorly dressed and unadorned, apparently it must also be very boring. So if any of this sounds familiar, if you’ve ever ignored your dogs need to express themselves, be it trendy or fun, think about the next time you’re strolling through a pet store. There are fun things curvy canines can wear, kids wear bling (actually, I think American rappers invented those things), and for God’s sake they replace their dogs’ toys if they kill them, they’re meant to. , is often referred to as entertainment, fun, distraction, stimulation, all of the above, so in many cases it can be long hours of solitude in very uninteresting backyards.
