Fashion goes to the dogs as chill wind brings sales boom

SALES of dog coats have rocketed during the big freeze, Britain's biggest pet products store chain has reported.

• Crystal Poe takes her Chow Chow dog for a walk in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park.

Pets at Home said dog owners had bought 70 per cent more coats for their animals in the six weeks to 7 January compared with the same period last year.

However, animal welfare groups warned that such garments should be used appropriately and not as fashion accessories.

Pets at Home sells dog coats up to nearly 15, including waxed jackets, red jumpers, and Angus tartan and "faux suede and sheepskin" styles.

A spokesman for the 252-store chain said: "The majority of coats are functionally designed and not just to dress up dogs."

He advised owners: "Some dogs enjoy wearing clothes and some do not. If they do not, take the coat off and never try again."

The Dogs Trust said a "sensible coat" was a good idea to keep pets warm and dry during cold snaps, especially puppies, short-haired and old dogs.

But Claire Cairney, assistant manager of its West Calder re-homing centre in West Lothian, added: "We recommend owners allow their dog's thick winter coat to grow as it's a great natural defence against the elements.

"Dressing up dogs in pseudo-human clothing clearly ridicules and makes a spectacle of them."

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said dog coats were "not a necessity".

Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said: "In our animal rescue centres, we use dog coats on veterinary advice for particularly thin breeds such as greyhounds and lurchers, or for emaciated dogs suffering malnutrition."