Safety First: Tips for Selecting Pet Clothing that’s Safe and Comfortable

While picking a pet cloth, we can get caught up on different styles and colors that will brighten our pets’ appearance and make them warm and cozy.

But during this process, it is important to take into account a couple of nuances, just to be sure the pet feels comfortable and is safe while wearing those clothes.

Personal preferences

While getting pet clothes, some people prioritize their personal preferences over the item’s practicability. But this is the main detail every pet owner should pay attention to when updating their pets’ wardrobes. When buying pet clothing, prioritize the pet and pet only. This includes its measurements, the clothing material, movability, and also if those are easily removable or require extra effort.

Pet’s measurements

In this process, it is highly important to know your pet’s proper size, since oversized clothing can be considered as a tripping risk, meanwhile, too tight or small clothing can block your pet’s movements or suffocate the animal.

To get your pet’s measurements accurately, try to measure the pet’s length from neck to tail, chest circumference, and also neck circumference.

By having these measurements, the next thing you should do is check the size chart provided by the pet clothes manufacturer or the pet store. And being one of the best pet shops in Yerevan, Joli has a high attention to every detail, concerning pet safety and comfort.

Here, at Joli, our professionals will assist you during the whole process of choosing the right type of pet clothing, starting from the size to the material of the fabric and its design.

The fabric material

Although the size is a major and main part of choosing pet clothing, you also have to pay attention to its material. When looking through the options try to pick the one with soft, breathable fabric (cotton or soft fleece). Materials like these provide a smooth airflow, which blocks overheating.

Try to avoid clothes made of synthetic materials, therefore these can cause allergies and irritations. You can also avoid options with excessive zippers, buttons, or embellishments, since pets can chew these on, leading to a potential choking.

Easy movability

The chosen clothing should provide easy movability, and not restrict the pet’s movements. Keep in mind that the pet should be able to run, jump, sit, and lie down easily and with as much freedom as possible.

Otherwise, the pet can get anxious, feel discomfort and irritation, and even get injured.

Ease of wearing and removing

A lot of pets (mostly cats and dogs) do not like the dressing up process, therefore their clothing should be easy to put on and take off. These mostly contribute to the pet’s calm state and overall well-being.

Clothes like adjustable straps or elastic bands are more flexible and adaptable and can be an easy and simple choice for the pets’ bodies.

The weather and the timing

The weather, as it is, has a huge role in choosing the pet’s clothing. For example, during winter your pet can be warmed by a comfy sweater, meanwhile, on sunny days, a simple and thin t-shirt can help avoid the direct sunlight on the pet, preventing sunburn cases while also protecting the pet from overheating.

Here are some clothing options that might help you in the selection process.

• Booties. These can have a few functions, depending on the purpose of use. For example, they can protect the pet’s feet from cold or iced ground. On the other hand, they can also protect them from sand and other small objects getting caught in their feet on a sunny day on the beach. These also can protect them from the hot ground caused by the sunlight.
• Vests. They can be different in shape, materials, and also the main purposes. For example, there are vests made of reflective fabric, which can be advantageous during the nighttime, since it can let others know about the pet’s existence, leading them to be more careful, especially during pitch-black nights.

• Life jackets. These are an important addition to the pet’s belongings, especially during summertime when they are possibly spending the majority of time around or in the water. These are a must especially for short-nosed breeds, since they have trouble staying on the surface of the water.

Check their reaction

After putting the clothing on the pet, check their reaction and behavior. This will help you track any sign of discomfort, that can be expressed as scratching, difficulty in walking, or attempting to remove the clothing from their body.

You can also look for any physical signs of discomfort, like rubbing or chafing. If you notice any of the physical signs, it is recommendable to take off the clothing and not use it again.

In this case, it can be a sign of an allergy to the given fabric, meaning next time when choosing an item of clothing you will have more specific information to help and guide you.

Get your pet used to it

The above-mentioned signs of discomfort, except for skin rubbing and chafing, can be adapted and gotten used to. To do this, you can try to keep the pet clothes for short periods of time, then eventually add more time until finally the pet will get used to being clothed.

In conclusion, the process of choosing a pet cloth is more than fashion or the overall appearance. When shopping for your pet, remember to prioritize safety and comfort for them.