When People Go On Vacation and Bring Back Souvenirs For Your Dogs

I was going through some bins in my garage when I ran across not one, but two souvenir dog outfits from Hawaii. Naturally, I decided to share them here.

Brisbane's Hawaiian shirt comes from my parent's vacation a few years ago. I had forgotten about it entirely, or I would have used it to keep the sun off him after the embarrassing shavedown. It's a very light shirt that fits well, and he doesn't seem to mind it nearly as much as he minds most clothes. It doesn't have a tag identifying a manufacturer, but it appears to be from Casual Canine by Pet Edge.

Sisci's Hawaiian dress was originally Oakley's dress. My elderly cocker spaniel stayed with me during my senior year of college, and my roommate brought her elderly sheltie. Her parents went to Hawaii and brought back dresses for both dogs that were absolutely adorable. Sisci fits in most of Oakley's hand-me-downs so she gets to wear it now. The dress is by Cocojor Hawaii, a Hawaiian company that actually makes their clothes in Hawaii. The tag says "Made in Hawaii with Aloha". It's a Lokelani Mumu in the Luau Blue pattern. Cocojor also has a daycare and boarding facility and a grooming salon. So fancy! The mumu is extremely well-made, it's probably one of the nicest dog outfits we own.

I think it's amusing that these outfits were purchased by different people at different times several years apart for different dogs, and were stored in separate bins in my garage and laundry room, and I ran across both of them on the same day. All we need now is a couple of flower leis and a big chunky camera to complete the tourist look!

Product Review: Fashion Pet Outdoor Dog Warm and Toasty Pajamas

These Warm and Toasty Pajamas from Fashion Pet Outdoor Dog look like little long johns. They are made from thermal fabric and are comfortably stretchy. This burgundy color doesn't appear to be available currently, but there are  other colors that come in various sizes.

Photo by Erin Koski

Not many four-fitted outfits fit Ru, his back is extra-long. This means that the vast majority of cute little pajamas are either too short, or too big around. These seem to fit pretty well, partly because they are pretty stretchy.

These pajamas are yet another thrift store find. A little research led me to the parent company, Ethical Products. They have apparently been importing pet products from China and distributing them around the world since the 1950's.

Photo by Erin Koski

Brands owned by Ethical Products include Beastie Bars,
Skinneeez stuffingless/joyless plush toys for those who wish to rob their dogs of the simple pleasure of disemboweling something, and the extensive Spot line of toys. I'm pretty sure their Mega Twister Rope Toy is what's hanging on the end of my springpole currently. They import and sell a lot of stuff, and most of it is decent quality. I think they're sort of the default supplier for one of my local pet stores.

I'm sort of ambivalent about them though, they don't have the heart and soul of the Kong Company, for example. They're a name I recognize, but don't immediately associate with quality. That said, these are some really cute pajamas.

Pros: Fit my long dog reasonably well. Warm, stretchy, and washable.

Cons: Made in China.

Bottom Line: If it ever stops being so unbelievably hot, Ru might get to wear these.

Chihuahua Fashion Moment: Vintage Studded Harness

This vintage leather harness is remarkably nostalgic. It is similar to the studded harnesses seen on dogs in historic photographs. The harness is marked "Chris Sinn" on the inside, in faded silver letters.

Photo by Erin Koski

I remember seeing harnesses like this at the store when I was little. They were replaced by more ergonomic Roman-style nylon harnesses long before I got my first dog.

It's difficult to say how old this particular piece is. The fact that it has a maker's mark means it likely predates my memories of mass-market products in K-mart. I've spotted a few paintings with similar harnesses dating back to 1910. There are quite a few vintage photographs from the 1940's through the 1960's showing dogs wearing harnesses exactly like this.

My guess is that this harness dates from the 1960's, although it could be 20 years older than that. I found a site recently that claims they will send me scans of vintage Sears catalogs, so I've asked for some from the first half of the 1900's just to see what's in there.

Product Review: Bobby Manteau Dog Jacket

The Bobby Manteau Dog Jacket is a cozy warm coat made by a French company. It features a weather-resistant khaki outer shell, a soft fleecy inside, and a zippered slot for attaching a leash to a harness worn underneath.

Photo by Erin Koski

I found this little jacket in the thrift store along with the Caddis dog coat and the Aibao harness. They're all sized for a dog a little smaller than Ru.

This little Bobby coat is extremely well-made. It is thick and very warm. There is a panel that runs between the front legs to help keep tiny chests and tummies warm.

I like the zippered leash access a lot too, specifically because I can close it. I usually put harnesses over Ru's clothes. Running the leash through his coat or sweater just stretches it out awkwardly when he isn't walking exactly beside or in front of me.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Well-designed. Allows freedom of movement. Sturdy. Adorable.

Cons: This 25cm/10" size doesn't actually fit Ru. That's basically my only complaint.

Bottom Line: I need to find a tinier dog.

Product Review: Dog Dazzlers Collar Slides

I found this Dog Dazzlers Collar Slide in the clearance bin at Petco. These come in a variety of styles, including flowers and bows. Each ornament has an elastic loop on the back that allows it to slide onto almost any collar.

Photo by Erin Koski

I love this giant flower on Ru's collar. It reminds me of those ridiculously oversized flower headbands people like to put on babies. It's actually a pretty reasonably-sized flower on a reasonably-sized dog though, Ru just makes it look big.

I like the idea of removable collar ornaments. Most of the permanently-attached ones I see are extremely worn and dirty. They probably looked pretty at first, but flowers and butterflies and fabric patches tend to tolerate less wear than the rest of the collar.

Pros: Easy to use. Fits on a variety of collar sizes, from tiny to 1" wide. Lots of different colors and styles.

Cons: Not very durable. Significantly less impact when worn by normal-sized dogs.

Bottom Line: Perfect for when I feel like decorating my chihuahua. Look how fancy!

How do you dress up your dog?

Product Review: Caddis Dog Coat

This Caddis dog coat is a blanket-style coat with a nylon shell and a warm fleece lining. It is adjustable in the front and around the middle, and has two buckle closures.

Photo by Erin Koski

The Caddis company apparently specializes in making waders, but at some point they also made dog coats. Their current products do seem to be very high-quality, weatherproof, serious outdoor gear.

This little coat is a thrift store find, and it is in excellent shape. It is thick, warm, and well-constructed. It does not, however, fit Ru particularly well. This coat is made for a shorter-backed dog. It's a little small for Ru, and a little stiff.

Pros: Heavy duty winter jacket. Easy to put on.

Cons: The hardware is a little heavy for an itty bitty dog.

Bottom Line: One of these days I need to start an Ebay store for my surplus dog stuff. Anyone have a tiny, cold dog with a 10" back?

Chihuahua Fashion Moment: Capes!

Capes aren't the most practical dog accessory, but they are among the coolest.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is actually a cat costume, it's a little vampire cape with a velcro closure in the front. Ru looks totally adorable in a cape.

Photo by Erin Koski

As cute as it is, this cape is a little short for Ru. This seems a little odd because it is intended for a cat, and most cats are a lot bigger than my chihuahua. Ru is about 6.5 pounds, while the smallest of my three cats is about 10 pounds. The cape might fit a kitten, but I think it's a little better suited to a tiny dog.

Chihuahua Fashion Moment: Top Paw Licensed T-Shirts

Ru has a Top Paw Licensed My Little Pony t-shirt, and it is awesome. Mostly because it has a My Little Pony on it. See that pony? That's Princess Sparkle from the 1986 Princess Pony collection. I own this pony. I own many, many ponies.

Photo by Erin Koski

Top Paw is a Petsmart house brand, and they offer everything from collars to beds to apparel. Their licensed character offerings have included 80's cartoons, super heroes, and the Muppets.

I like the quality of most of the Top Paw clothes I've seen, but unfortunately they just aren't made to fit Ru. He's just too long and skinny, so I have to choose between shirts that are pretty short like this one, or ones that are so wide that the slithers out through the neck. I only bought this particular shirt because, dude, My Little Pony.

I kind of feel like myself and most of my friends have similar issues finding people clothes that fit. We discuss the fit models on which the clothes were designed, and how their bodies must differ from ours. Clearly the Top Paw fit models are wide, short-backed dogs. Maybe French bulldogs. Definitely not slinky-uahuas.

Chihuahua Fashion Moment: Waghearted Sooo Happy! Sweater

I found this sweater at a local thrift store and fell in love with it. It's bright, bubbly, colorful, and unique! It has printed lettering on the back, and an adorable applique felt heart on the chest. Ru's Waghearted sweater is a size small, and it fits perfectly. The neck shows no signs of stretching out, so it stays in place and he can't slither out of it.

Photo by Erin Koski

I was hoping to discover a new company when I read the tag on this sweater, but it appears that Waghearted may no longer be around. Their website is down, and their Facebook hasn't been updated since 2012. At one point they had products at Petsmart and on Fab.com. Active from 2009-2012, Waghearted was an eco-conscious company with a passion for animal welfare. They made some good products, and I hope the people behind it went on to find further success.

I also love the name. Waghearted.

Chihuahua Fashion Moment: Licensed Disney Tinkerbell Costume

I found this licensed Disney Tinkerbell costume in a local store three years ago, before Disney bought Star Wars and Princess Leia became a Disney Princess. There was a Snow White dress that I felt was much more recognizable, but alas they did not have in Ru-size.

Photo by Erin Koski

The costume included a removable set of fairy wings, a pair of legwarmers, and the dress itself. It's not a faithful rendition of the movie character's outfit, but the same is true for most Disney Princess costumes. The major difference here is that Ru's dress doesn't include a little cameo with a picture of Tinkerbell on the front. The little legwarmers are a nice touch, they like a bit like Tinkerbell's green shoes with the white pompoms.

Photo by Erin Koski

I'm not sure exactly what type of dog the designer of this costume had in mind, but I'm pretty sure it was a pug. The dress is very short and almost too small for Ru, but the legwarmers are much, much too big. Even though they have a very wide strip of velcro down the back to allow for a range of different-sized legs, they are still about twice as big around as Ru's legs.

Photo by Erin Koski

This year it looks like Petsmart has all the licensed Disney costumes for dogs. Princesses and fairies aren't in vogue though, it looks like Winnie the Pooh and the Muppets are the only options for aspiring Disney dogs.

Knitting Fun: My Little Pony...Chihuahua

I have been a My Little Pony fan since the early 1980's, I even had one of the original pre-My Little Ponies, a big brown plastic one called "My Pretty Pony". I currently own roughly 300 ponies that were released both in the USA and abroad in the 80's and early 90's. The mid-90's and early 2000's reboots were kind of blah, but I think the 2010 My Little Pony is pretty awesome.

Photo by Erin Koski

I have My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic collars for Brisbane and Ulysses, but they don't come tiny enough for Ru. As the most ridiculous of my dogs, he needed to be ponified as well. I knitted him a Rainbow Dash sweater, complete with ears on the hood, wings, and a rainbow mane and tail made out of ribbons. It is utterly ridiculous. I'm not sure if I should do Twilight Sparkle or Pinkie Pie next.

Product Review: Pet Flys Snuggle Bug

The Pet Flys Snuggle Bug is a multi-function carrier and bed for small dogs and cats. It is available in a variety of colors and patterns, and includes a matching pillow bed and blanket.

Photo by Erin Koski

Finally, I found a purse that Ru will ride in happily and willingly. This carrier looks like it was made for him, and therefore it is ridiculous. The inside is fleecy soft fabric, the outside is plush fake fur, so it's basically a sack made out of blankies. The bottom is solid, so he feels comfortable standing on it, and the little pillow bed fits perfectly in there for cushioning and also naps.

This bag does all sorts of things. The sides can be rolled down to make a little nest bed. I can attach the shoulder strap to the lower rings to make the carrier less deep. I can lay it on its side to make a burrow bag. Pet Flys also shows it in a car with the strap hooked around the head rest to make it a car seat, but that wouldn't provide any protection for Ru in an actual collision. The entire bag is also reversible, and the clasps for the strap are pretty awesome. Camo isn't really my style, but it's worth it if he'll actually ride quietly.

Pros: Made of layers of blankies for tiny, cold, naked dogs. Also irresistible to cats. Solid bottom is comfortable for dogs that don't like riding in soft-bottomed bags. Also functions as a snuggly bed. Ridiculously warm and soft.

Cons: Looks ridiculous, very large and ostentatious in entirely the wrong way for those of us who aren't into fashion. Hot as hell for dogs that actually have fur. Cats and dogs fight over it.

Bottom Line: Only for very, very spoiled little dogs. Sometimes I'm embarrassed to be seen with him.

Product Review: Authentic Coach Signature Dog Collar

The Authentic Coach Signature Dog Collar is a flat buckle collar made from smooth leather. These are available in a variety  of colors and patterns that change every season. Authentic Coach collars are available in six sizes to fit dogs with necks 6-26" around, though some collars are not available in Extra Extra Small or Extra Large and are limited to 8.5-21" necks.

Photo by Erin Koski

Ru's Coach collar is actually a lucky thrift store find, but it's really quite a nice collar. This is an Extra Small, and it fits a bit big on his tiny 8" neck. It came in its original box, and I thought it was brand new when I bought it, but it has just enough wear to tell me that some other little dog wore it occasionally before it was donated. Oddly enough, I've now found two different used Coach collars in thrift stores with their original boxes. The second one I didn't buy because is was:

1. Big enough to wrap around Brisbane's neck twice.
2. Stinky as hell.

Still, that smelly and extremely worn collar was still neatly contained in its original Coach box. I'm not really sure exactly what the attraction is, but I will readily admit that the box to Ru's collar is safely stowed with the rest of his wardrobe. No, I don't know why I'm saving it either.

The box from Ru's collar has the original price tag which informs me that it came from an outlet store and cost $50 new. This seems a little steep, given the product itself. Yes, it is a nice plain leather collar, and yes, nice collars can cost much more. However, this is a plain collar for a tiny dog, and that is what makes $50 seem a bit much. Most very nice plain leather collars for tiny dogs cost quite a bit less, it's the ones with crystals and pearls and other decorations that drive up the price. Collars in this price range are usually bigger or fancier.

Having seen quite a few old, smelly, and worn Coach collars, I am not inclined to believe that this one is expected to have a longer lifespan, or to look nicer as it ages. I'm pretty sure our WoofWear collars will wear the distressed look better.

Pros: Pretty, stylish, doesn't look like it came from a major chain store. Has a nice little tag charm so everybody knows it's by a high-end designer. Definitely a quality product, and made to last.

Cons: High price tag is primarily for the big designer name and not because this is somehow a better collar. Yes it has custom brass hardware, but I've also never seen a plain old stainless steel D-ring fail, the brass is prettier and not more functional. I believe these collars are also more prone to developing dog stank, and I don't know that they can be adequately cleaned.

Bottom Line: The Authentic Signature Coach collar was nice enough to be worth $20 at the thrift store, but I won't be spending $50-100 on a new one unless I very suddenly become extremely wealthy. I would also love to know who spends this much on a dog collar and then doesn't wash it or the dog.

Knitting Fun: The Majestic StegasauRu

I knitted a little bit when I was in college, but as I live in a temperate coastal climate I had little use for knitted goods until I acquired a nearly naked lizard-dog. Ru has an extra-long back, and keeping him toasty often means making his clothes myself. Knitting is a great activity to keep my hands busy when I am watching a movie or doing something else passive, like standing in lines.

Photo by Erin Koski

I'm not very good at following patterns, so most of Ru's sweaters are free-knitted. This means I just sort of knit what I think will work and make it up as I go along. It also means I have to undo nearly everything at least once before I get it right.

This is Ru's stegosaurus sweater. I made it for him last Halloween, and it is still one of my favorite projects. Look how spiky he looks!

The trick to knitting a decent dog sweater is to make sure the neck is small enough. If the neck is too big, the sweater will slide down and get stretched out. After that I just knitted it big enough, and long enough. The spikes are doubled and sewn together, and anchored to a strip of buckram inside the body of the sweater. They don't stand up very well, and in the future I might make him a new Stegosaurus sweater with boning or buckram inside the spikes to keep them up.

Chihuahua Fashion Moment: Glamour to the Bone

Glamour to the Bone is another clothing line sold almost entirely at Petco. Like Wag A Tude, Smoochie Pooch, Glamour to the Bone is a trademark owned by Simply She. Other brands in the family include Simply Dog, Wagby, Lulu Pink, Pup Crew, Life's Furtastic, Wagwell, Ruff Lux, Hansome Pete, and GoDoggy. Simply Dog is found at WalMart. I think these all came from Ross, so it's possible Petco is no longer carrying the brand.

Photo by Erin Koski

So yeah, basically all of my favorite pursedog clothing brands are related. I swear this chihuahua does wear some really cute Etsy stuff, it's just that his everyday outfits tend to be inexpensive and mass-produced. Just like people clothes, only his come from Petco instead of Target or Old Navy. Anyway, despite their ubiquitousness there seems to be very little information out there on these brands, so I wanted to contribute what I know. I'm sure PetSmart has some really cute clothing lines too, but theirs seem to be slightly more expensive, and generally don't fit Ru as well.

Photo by Erin Koski

The Glamour to the Bone line consists almost entirely of girly little dresses and pink sweaters. Ru has three different Glamour dresses, and they all fit very well. The two pictured here are size Small, they are cut small enough that he doesn't slither out of them, and long enough to go all the way to his tail. The black one is made from fuzzy material. Ru also has a pink and red dress with strawberry print, in a cotton jersey fabric. That one is a size small and is a tad short, but has a nice snug fit.

The pink dress shown here is made from swimsuit material and serves as Ru's beach dress. He wears it on hot days when he doesn't need his beach jacket. I could let him run naked, but he is the same color as dry sand so it's tough to keep track of him. I love this dress because it dries quickly and doesn't get all sandy and crusty like his other outfits.

With a long back and tiny chest, not every clothing brand fits Ru particularly well. Often I have to choose between clothes so big they fall off, or so short they end halfway down his ribcage. Glamour to the Bone is a nice happy medium, with clothes that stay put and look good on his freakishly long back.

Product Review: WoofWear Collars

WoofWear collars are decorative leather flat buckle collars that come in an enormous variety of sizes and styles to fit dogs with 7-24" necks. The company also makes matching leashes and cat collars.

Photo by Erin Koski

WoofWear collars are pretty freaking fancy, and they last forever. Guaranteed to make your dog look like a million bucks, the fancier collars come with an equally fancy price tag. I have two Woofwear dog collars that I bought for my dearly departed cocker spaniel more than ten years ago. One of these is currently sitting on the tin that contains her ashes, as a little memorial to my very first dog. The other is big enough for Brisbane, so he gets to wear it now and then.

This collar graced the neck of my beloved Oakley for well over a year before I replaced it with a lighter and thinner collar of the same design. Briz has worn it on and off for his entire life, and it still look fantastic if slightly broken in. I see these on dogs at work all the time too, and they seem to handle water and wear remarkably well. My only complaint is that eventually the lighter pink collars begin to look a bit dirty. My stupidest cat is currently wearing a darker pink PuddyTat by WoofWear collar though, and it still looks amazing.

Brisbane's Classic Heart collar is about as plain as WoofWear gets. All of their designs come in 24 different suede, metallic, cowhide, and leather colors. Classic Collars come in four different widths and 26 different designs that start with a simple row of hearts/bones/paws/dogs/conchos/Texas stars/buffalo nickles and range to heavy combinations of studs, spikes, studs, and grommets.WoofWear Bling Collars combine all of the above with swarovski crystals for a very fancy look. Some styles incorporate pearls and moonstones. WoofWear's TinyWide collars are incredibly fancy 1.5" wide selections for small dogs with 8-12" necks. Mega Collars are 2-4" wide spiked affairs for dogs with 18-32" necks.

Pros: These collars last forever and are of outstanding quality, I have never seen one missing a stud or crystal. They have some very unique designs and a ton of options for a perfectly customized creation. WoofWear products are also widely available, I have seen them in many different stores.

Cons: Holy price tag shock Batman! A crystal-studded Tiny Diva collar for Ru would cost $120, which is why Ru does not have a crystal-studded Tiny Diva collar. Also, not all colors age the same. I have seen some very tired-looking pastel pink and lavender collars. It is important to measure carefully for fit because these are traditional buckle collars and each size only adjusts a couple of inches. I have found the WoofWear leashes to be far too stiff and heavy for my tastes.

Bottom Line: I would have a ton of these if they weren't so danged expensive. I'm slowly outfitting my cats with them because they are amazing for constant wear. If I had to pick just one collar to put on each of my dogs and leave on them all the time, I would definitely pick these.

Product Review: Ruffwear Sun Shower Jacket

The Ruffwear Sun Shower jacket is a rain slicker. This jacket is not insulated, so it still works on warm rainy days for dogs that live in Hawaii.

Photo by Erin Koski

I love Ruffwear because pretty much all of their products seem like they were designed by people who actually tested them and now use them on a regular basis. I'm pretty sure the Sun Shower jacket was designed by someone with a really hairy dog, maybe an Australian shepherd or an Old English sheepdog. The underside features a big panel that goes between the front legs and holds all the belly floof off the ground. Brisbane is lacking in the belly floof department, but I still appreciate that this jacket keeps his undercarriage dry.

Photo by Erin Koski

Putting the Sun Shower jacket on is simple. Brisbane's head goes through the neck hole, and then the belly flap clips to the top on either side. The plastic clips are hidden inside the jacket, so they aren't against the dog or exposed to the weather. The clips are also on an elastic strap, so there is some stretch to allow the coat to move with the dog.

Brisbane's Sun Shower is a size Medium, which fits him well from neck to tail. The belly clips adjust small enough to provide a good fit, Brisbane's chest measurement is actually in the range for the Small size, so I have to decide which is more important depending on the product. Briz wears a small Ruffwear life jacket, for example.

Pros: A rain slicker that won't overheat the dog in warm weather. Adjustable for a good fit even on my strange dog. Comes in five sizes to fit dogs 13"-46" around the chest. A XXSmall will fit Ru. The Sun Shower is good for layering over a warm jacket. Very waterproof, also comes with a detachable hood that Brisbane hates. Easy to put on the dog, does not require lifting feet and stuffing them through sleeves. Light and packable. This coat also stays put and doesn't slide to the side.

Cons: Getting the buckles buckled can be kind of annoying since they are hiding way inside some little pockets. Brisbane's jacket is not the current model so they may have already improved this. Otherwise there's really nothing bad to say except that we don't get to use this much because it's pretty much always cold when it rains here and it hasn't really rained in the last couple of years anyway.

Bottom Line: If Brisbane liked to walk in the rain we would use this more often. I fully expect it to last through multiple dogs, along with the rest of our Ruffwear gear.

Product Review: Petco Adjustable Mesh Harness

The Petco Adjustable Mesh Harness is a Roman-style harness that uses a wide mesh panel in the front, instead of the typical single strap. It comes in a huge variety of colors and patterns that change every season, and is available in four sizes to fit dogs with chests as small as 15.5" and as large as 30".

Photo by Erin Koski

Not gonna lie, I found this harness in the clearance bin. Somebody, somewhere, thought this color/pattern combination was a good idea. They had every size in the bin, marked down to $4. If they came small enough to fit Ru I would have a matching set.

Mesh harnesses like this have been around for a long time. The first ones I remember seeing were by Gooby, with synthetic lambskin straps and ridiculously high prices. (Gooby harness review coming soon.) However, the largest of those are for dogs with 24" chests, and Brisbane is a couple of inches bigger. I tried the Gooby harnesses on him a few times in stores, but it was never meant to be.

Several years later, mesh harnesses became more popular and began appearing in major chains. I think the first one I ever tried on Briz was a purple sparkly one in PetSmart. However, neither the original Gooby harness, nor the newer varieties had an adjustable neck hole. This was an issue, nothing seemed to be a good fit.

Enter the Petco Adjustable Mesh Harness. You can't see it in my picture, but the neck of this harness is adjustable. The straps are hard plastic, and ratchet in and out like the straps on rollerblades in the 90's. The harness is supposed to fit a dog several inches larger than Brisbane, but I have it adjusted about as big as it can go.

Pros: Comfortable for extended wear, distributes force very well. Lots of options for doggy fashionistas. Fits considerably larger dogs than most harnesses of this style holds up even when Brisbane is determined to destroy the mail carrier.

Cons: The wide force-distributing center could potentially irritate the armpits of some dogs. Only one clip around the middle so I have to put one of Brisbane's legs through it. Some color combinations are doomed to fail.

Bottom Line: There are styles of harness that I like better so this one doesn't get a whole lot of use. I mostly only put this one on Brisbane when I'm feeling silly. It seems to be a solid design though, and I'm pretty sure I trust those plastic neck adjusters now.

Chihuahua Fashion Moment: Wag-A-Tude

Wag-A-Tude is a Petco house brand, like Smoochie Pooch. This label is usually found on knit sweaters, hooded sweatshirts, and tshirts. Ru's wardrobe contains a lot of Wag-A-Tude outfits because the designs often feature skulls, which I love. Most of Petco's holiday apparel is also by Wag-A-Tude, and Ru is dressed for Halloween year-round.

Photo by Erin Koski

Ru has a lot of clothes from Petco because their clothing lines do so many things right. The hooded sweatshirts fit my long-backed chihuahua extremely well. The prices are decent, I usually pay around $15 per piece unless I find them in the clearance bin. Unlike a lot of inexpensive dog clothes, the necks of the Wag-A-Tude clothes don't stretch out.

Neck stretch is a big issue for dogs that wear clothes often. It's especially trying for dogs that are difficult to fit in the first place. To fit Ru's long back, I often buy clothes that are a size or two larger than his chest measurement would indicate. For some clothing brands, a sweater that is long enough is also large enough to slide right off. Owners of wide-chested dogs often have similar issues, a sweater that is wide enough around also has a neck hole big enough to slide down around the shoulders.

There are a lot of cute high-end dog fashions out there, but they may not be worth it for the dog that is dressed every single day. Wag-A-Tude makes some great basic pieces that last forever, fit well, and don't stretch out. Ru's favorite pink skeleton sweatshirt has lasted through three years of adventures without fading, and always comes out of the wash looking clean and new.

Chihuahua Fashion Moment: Smoochie Pooch

This is Ru's favorite dress. I have a hard time finding clothes that look cute and stay on at the same time. Dresses with thin straps are right out. Smoochie Pooch is one of Petco's house brands of dog clothing, and they have some awesome outfits for long dogs.

Photo by Erin Koski

This particular dress is almost four years old, but there is usually something similar in the spring line every year. I think the name was "Bling Hearts" or something to that effect. It's a jersey knit (t-shirt material) dress with a velvety skirt and velvety trim around the neck and arms holes. The skirt is stiff enough to keep its shape, but  still soft and snuggly.

Ru has an extremely long back for a chihuahua. A lot of dog clothes look silly on him. Shirts and dresses just don't look right when they end before the end of his ribcage. A larger size may be long enough, but so wide that it slips down his neck and falls off.

Photo by Erin Koski

When Ru is standing on four feet, his Smoochie Pooch dress almost reaches the base of his tail. It matches his Candy-pink EzyDog QuickFit harness beautifully. The dress has survived many hikes and adventures, and has been through the washing machine a number of times. It still looks great after several years.

All of Ru's Smoochie Pooch outfits are wonderful. They fit very well, are easy to put on, and are comfortable to wear all day long. This is Petco's "girly" line, and they make some really cute dresses and sweaters. Their small dog clothes run about $15-20 per piece, which isn't too bad. I like to pick them up from the clearance bin. Smoochie Pooch stuff washes well, and wears well.