I am increasingly aware of the fact that some large dogs are being abused by their owners. Every now and then in my shop I pick up on the ugly undercurrent of ‘sizism’ that is making larger dogs have a lot of fun with most small breeds. It’s subtle but it’s there anyway, creeping insidiously through our society. I hear some people’s comments as they wander around my store. Comments such as “there are a lot of spoiled pets out there” and “no thanks”, when asked if they need help with sizing, “I have a big dog.” I love the one about “my dogs a country dog”. Like they don’t get cold. I can imagine these poor shivering country dogs begging for a nice pair of warm Doggyjamas, or how about a raincoat?
Big dogs need to come together and tell their owners that fashion is for function and not just frivolity. And even if it wasn’t, what’s wrong with a little frivolous behavior every now and then? All attentions gladly accepted.
Oh yeah, snobbery is alive and well and it lives in our suburban backyard. And I don’t know if it’s entirely 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 is not only in relation to clothing. Apparently bigger dogs shouldn’t be seen wearing 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 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 furry duck, or delicately strip the skin of their favorite tennis ball only to be told they can’t stand it anymore. I wonder what their gardens will look like.
It would seem that the life of the great and beautiful beast is not only about being undressed and without jewels, it is apparently also destined to be bloody boring. So if any of this sounds familiar, if you’ve ever ignored the need for your dogs to express themselves, be it in fashion or in fun, think about the next time you’re strolling through a pet store. There are fun things for curvy canines to wear, kids wear Bling (actually, I think American rappers invented those things), and for the love of God, replace your dogs toys if they kill them, they’re destined To do so is often referred to as entertainment, fun, distraction, stimulation, all of the above, of what in many cases can be long lonely hours spent in very uninteresting backyards.