To dress or not to dress...

Costumes for puppies? Opinions on this subject span a broad range of reaction from intense dislike to apathy...to bizarre obsession. But you might want to consider some of the positive impacts of "dressing" your puppy up from an early age. By getting your puppy accustomed to the feel of items around their necks and chests, it often makes it easier if and when you need to put a cone or veterinary sweater on your dog for medical reasons. Additionally, if you live in climates where sweaters or rain jackets make your pups much more comfortable, getting puppies used to wearing clothing starting from an early age will reduce future hassles.

In our family, our two daughters used to constantly "dress" their canine buddies in shirts, skirts, scarves...whatever the puppy would put up with. Of course this all needs to be done under supervision by an adult, and before children costume their canine friends, you have to teach them how to do so safely. And if they either like or put up with it, you might even get some very cute pictures!

Temperature control and comfort is an important factor to remember when you first bring your puppy home. Often your puppy just left an environment that was full of several heat-generating brothers and sisters. Romping around solo could be a very new and uncomfortable experience. So remember to make sure your new puppy is warm enough to be comfortable and content.