Pets in costumes

[Catherine]

We know Halloween is coming so we have to expect this. There will be numerous pictures of pets in costumes. We may as well get a good laugh out of it.

http://news.google.ca/news/url?sr=1&ct2=...t=2&at=dt0


Some of them are pretty good. Some of the pets are very patient with their owners. It is all in fun. I think most pets will get into the spirit of it if there are treats involved.

[Tobi]

The dog with the BIG HAIR makes me smile. That dog doesn't seem to mind one bit. Maybe someone is holding up his favourite treat just out of sight of the camera!

Well....I am not really into the 'dogs wearing clothes' thing....but that said, I am guilty of it once myself! Yikes! I had to host a Halloween picture event for a forum, and had to enter Misty's picture, dressed up of course.
I hated the idea, but had to do the task. So together we did it. She kept her costume on for all of 2 minutes, while I took 2 shots. Then it got shaken off and we went in the field.
She held very still for the pictures as I was telling her we would go in the field (minus silly costume) in 20 seconds!
It took me a week to make the costume, and dear patient Misty wore it for 2 minutes then it was trashed! haha.

We understood each other.....

[Catherine]

Misty was very patient. She also understood what you were saying about a walk in the field. Does anyone still doubt that dogs understand us?
So what kind of costume was she wearing?

I think most dogs are good natured and patient with us when we need to do silly things. They also understand the concept of cooperating and getting treats.

I have never made a pet costume. I wonder if I could make Barrie a costume. Maybe a super  hero cape or even a little jacket of sweater. I am picturing getting the sweater on him and suddenly the cape makes more sense.

[LPC]

Do you still have the costume photo, Tobi?

[Catherine]

I think we would all love to see it.

[Tobi]

[img]image hosting 12mb[/img]        and


[img]image hosting 12mb[/img]


The reason it took me a week to make is I had to collect all the feathers for her wings and spray them all gold. Otherwise it would have only taken two hours!

Slightly sad-looking Misty, staying still because I asked her to (bless her heart) and the promise of a game in the field.
When we did these pictures I had no idea she was going to pass away in 8 months. All I knew was I couldn't dress her as a little Devil. Because she wasn't one.

[Catherine]

She is your angel-dog. You chose the right costume for her. Even if she didn't keep it on for long, you will always remember her that way.

When you look at the picture it is hard to believe that she would be gone within the year. I guess it is true that we should always cherish the moments because we do not know how many we will have.

[Tobi]

Animals really don't understand the costume-thing. It's always for us, or for our friends, or pictures, but they are quite happy without costumes! They understand a warm coat when it's cold though.
However, they are often not too offended, and will bear with our silliness -so long as the costume isn't worn for long, doesn't hurt to wear, and other people don't laugh too much at them while wearing it. They know when they are being laughed at. and are not too keen on that.

[Catherine]

Most animals know when they are being laughed at. I think guinea pigs would join in your laughter. Snakes and lizards don't care. Go ahead and laugh, they don't get offended. They know how cool they are. Dogs are sensitive and would be hurt if we laughed at them.  Cats have a tremendous sense of dignity and pride. If you laugh at a cat it will never forget and never forgive and someday they will pay you back. I have no idea how birds feel about things.

Best leave costumes to humans and the occasional dog who loves us enough to wear a costume. Cats are not amused by dress-up of any kind. I have seen guinea pigs in costumes who seem to like them. Maybe they secretly like dressing up and pretending to be other things. Who knows what a guinea pig secretly dreams of doing.

Misty did look very classy as an angel.

[Tobi]

Guinea Pigs may dream of being shapeshifters! Or maybe they have absolutely no ego, and are happy with whatever we make them look like!

Dogs are more down-to-earth! But they know when we are laughing at them, and when we are laughing with them.

They are usually game for a joke, however, so long as they also find it funny.
Most cats are not into anything being done to them whatsoever. They would be fine dressing up if the idea came from them in the first place. They have absolutely no appreciation of Halloween, Christmas, or anything else humans come up with. Dogs have learned there might be snacks around at such events, or people are likely to drop food while laughing (with them?) and adapt accordingly.