Dog Clothing: Fashion or Function
Do Dogs Need Clothes?
In extreme weather or specific situations — yes. But in most cases, probably not. Dogs have fur for protection, their bodies regulate temperature better than ours, and they certainly don’t stress about fashion. They know they look great without designer labels.
Do Dogs Want to Wear Clothes?
Most don’t seem to — but maybe that’s because we’ve been dressing them all wrong.
Some dogs enjoy wearing clothes because they associate them with longer walks, extra treats, warmth, or positive attention. If more clothing actually improved their comfort and mobility, we might see more happy dogs in practical, well-designed outfits. Happy dog = happy life.
A Brief History of Dog Clothing
Human clothing evolved from necessity, but dog clothing seems to have developed from human desires. The earliest recorded instance dates back to 1833 when Princess Victoria wrote about dressing her dog Dash in a scarlet jacket and blue trousers. Around the same time in Japan, a samurai warrior created a matching suit of armor for his dog — likely for a parade or victory celebration rather than battle. A historical version of Halloween dress-up before Halloween existed.
These early dog outfits were probably neither comfortable nor functional.
The first known practical dog clothing appeared with sled dogs: hand-sewn leather booties to protect their paws from cuts and blisters. In 1936, David Richman of New York patented a “dog boot or galosh” made of a flexible waterproof material. However, his focus was more on human convenience, writing that the boots would keep dogs’ feet clean so they wouldn’t soil furniture when coming inside from the street.
Around the same time, fashion magazines began featuring dogs in coats, and by 1984, Snoopy was depicted in a puffer jacket. Party dresses for lap dogs became standard in many American pet stores.
These early designs were often uncomfortable and did little to address actual canine needs — much like historical human fashion, which often prioritized appearance over comfort.
The Lack of Functional Dog Clothing
The development of stretch textiles, combined with modern trends emphasizing wellness, comfort, and performance, has led to human clothing that is not only stylish but also functional. Today, apparel brands rely on extensive data about human body types and textile properties to create clothing that helps regulate temperature, improve mobility, and even aid in healing.
By contrast, dog clothing remains largely unscientific. Despite the vast differences in canine body shapes and sizes, there are no industry standards for fit, sizing, or material performance. Most dog clothing is designed for aesthetics rather than function, and little research has been done on how garments can actually benefit dogs.
While writing this article, I searched for data on how clothing might help regulate a dog’s body temperature — but found almost nothing. (If you have insights on this, I’d love to hear from you!) The only clear facts I uncovered are that dogs sweat through their paws and typically have thicker fur on their backs than on their undersides. This suggests that heavy coats draped over a dog’s back and rubber balloon-style booties may not be doing much good. There are a few companies that produce health care related dog clothing but many of the claims about these products remain anecdotal. We have yet to see the same level of research and innovation in canine wearables as we do in human apparel.
Our dogs are family — but they are still dogs. If we’re going to dress them, we owe it to them to create clothing that truly fits and functions as well as the clothes we wear ourselves.
