As the cold weather approaches, many pet owners are debating with themselves whether they should dress their pets in layers or not. While some pet owners think it is best to keep their best friend warm, others think it can be harmful.

Many pet owners have observed their furry companions showing that they are feeling cold by shivering. Therefore, they have dressed their pets in layers by buying dog jacket and sweaters from stores like Petsmart and Petco.

“[My dog], Spot, is more comfortable wearing clothes than [my other dog], Precious, is. Spot sometimes even picks out his own clothes,” Pardo said.

In contrast, some pet owners have observed that their pets do not like getting dressed up and that their best friend feels anxious or scared. Dogs with with longer, thicker hair are more unwilling to be dressed.

“My dog does not like being dressed up; if you pull out the costume and they run away, you know you shouldn’t try and put it on,” sophomore Caitlyn Fitzgerald said.

Many owners don’t like to dress up their pets for other reasons such as the dog having skin allergies and not being able to wear anything. Some pet owners have to dress up their pets for their pets’ own benefit such as wearing a sweater in the winter.

“Most animals do not like something that is unnatural on them, like if you see those videos of dogs with shoes on, they clearly don’t like them; they’re just confused,” freshman Maggie Carnahan said.

According to an article published by the Daily Express, a third of veterinarians say clothing can cause the skin irritation. In addition, common skin problems in dogs include atopic dermatitis which is a type of chronic skin disease related to allergies.

In the end, pet owners just want what’s best for their furry friends to be happy and healthy.