Fashion for Furry Friends: how to accessorize your pup

Since I have two chinese cresteds, I've had to do a lot of trial & error and studying about proper skin care to keep them looking PERFECT! In this little "installment" I'd like to talk about sunscreens! Yes, they need it!!!!!!! Have you ever seen a sunburned Hairless dog? It's not pretty and you would feel so bad for them. Voodoo and Aurora have both turned pink/red in the past when I've either forgotton to sunscreen them or just didn't think the sun was strong enough to warrant it. Let me tell you something, anytime they're going to be outside, use of sunscreen for your hairless dogs is a MUST. Also, dogs WITH hair may need it too, if only on certain parts of their bodies! One of our trainers at work told me that the top of her dog's muzzle near the nose gets burnt easily and she asked my advice on what sunscreens work the best. For years I've been using the Banana Boat Baby Magic UVA/UVB spf 48/waterproof/sensitive skin formula and it's worked GREAT. As I've recently decided to switch over to all organic/100% or close to it/all natural products, once I'm out of the Baby Magic, I am considering trying the Burt's Bees Sunscreen, or something similar. I can't give any reviews on all-natural products yet, but as soon as I try them, I will. For now, let me say the Baby Magic works perfectly. NO skin problems, no reactions, and most importantly, NO sunburned pups!!!
Be sure to use it as you would on a baby, or even on yourself. Reapply as needed, especially if your dogs are in water. Be sure to try to get fragrance-free/sensitive skin/uva&uvb formulas.MOST importantly, you want it to be PABA-FREE!!! Look at it this way, if it's safe for babies, it's probably ok for your doggies too...so look for baby-safe sunscreens and you should be fine!
Protect your pup's "undercarriage" (tummy/genital area) if they tend to sunbathe and lay on their backs, as my boy Voodoo does. I remember years ago, an online friend told me her dog got his 'man-equiptment' baked/sunburned and it was miserable for him. Just imagine when he had to go potty-OUCH! (kind of funny, but not...) So Protect any 'sensitive' areas, esp. if their hair is thin over certain areas like tummies, chests, ears, and on top of the muzzle/nose area.
Let your pups enjoy the summer...safely! The sun doesn't just hurt us, it can hurt them too. Go out and enjoy it but get out that sunscreen before you venture out, and ENJOY the summmer everyone!

Let's do this step by step:

1. don't try to do this when your dog has just awoke from a long nap or full night's sleep...that's my first, best advice! it's so much easier if they're about to nap or fall asleep, or if they've just eaten and have happy, full tummies. It also helps to be in a quiet place, away from windows. You might want to go in the bathroom, put down the seat of the toilet, and have them just sit in your lap. (be sure to close the door to prevent escapes and trying to catch them as they run around the house!)
If you have an extra set of hands, i.e. a spouse, friend, roommate, that helps! One person can hold the dog in their lap while you do all the "work".
Be sure you have a brush (bristle is best), your no-pull/no breakage band if using one-which I highly recommend for dogs with fine or thin hair, esp. Cresteds who are true hairlesses-and your hair clip or barrette handy. You don't want to be trying to hold a dog, reach for things and put them in all at once. Keep it organized and it'll help a TON.

2. Your state of mind is also really important! If you go into doing this with a frustrated, flustered state of mind, it'll be harder to do. Think ZEN! If you're calm and relaxed, that energy will soothe your dog and make it easier for both of you. You want accessorizing to be a PLEASANT experience, not one that you both loathe and don't look forward to.

3. So you're ready, you're organized, you're calm? Your dog is relaxed, tired, full? Maybe knows a good down or sit-stay? (lol)

4. First, give a good brush out. Do NOT do this on wet hair, as more breakage occurs when you brush/comb wet hair than dry. For toy dog owners with dogs that have hair that's prone to breakage (cresteds, yorkies) this is especially important. I ONLY use a pick to untangle Aurora's hair (my white crested in the pics) when it's wet. I try to avoid brushing when her hair is wet. To work out tangles, start at the ENDS of the hair and work your way up the hair shaft. Do NOT pull from the scalp down, most of the time you'll just make the tangle or knot worse and it'll turn into a big mess.

5. Optional step for A.) dogs with very thin or fine hair or B.)those who want to really INSURE that the clip stays in.
This is your 'topknot' step. :) The best way to do a topknot pigtail is to section out a not too big, not too small section of hair on the front/top of the head. If the pigtail is too big, it really won't hold, and if it's too small, the band will either slip out or you'll have to put it in so tight the dog will be very uncomfortable. You want COMFORT and style...not one or the other :) NOTE: if your dog all the sudden looks like a PUG, the band is too tight! We're doing a topknot here, not a doggie facelift.
The way I do it is to take a small triangular section of hair from the front to just between the ears. That's usually a nice size, and a pigtail fits nicely there for most dogs. If you want to, you can backcomb or backbrush the pigtail section a bit to add some more hold before you put in the band. I also twist the pigtail a bit to catch all those tiny little flyaway hairs in the band.

6. Once the band is in, you can slide in the barrette or clip just in front of and kind of "under" the band. If using a plastic band, it works best if you do NOT clip the band in the barrette. Just clip the hair on the head in front of the band in the barrette. If using an alligator/metal clip, same thing. If you clip a band in a metal alligator clip, it could potentially break the band, then you have to start all over again. No fun!

7. Another optional step: if you are going somewhere fancy, to a red carpet event say...or getting photos taken, you may want to shield the dog's eyes and give that 'do a spritz of hairspray. Be VERY careful to not get the spray in the dog's eyes or nose, obviously! Move QUICKLY and don't blast it with spray. Just misting is fine!

8. Last but most importantly:
Please ACCESSORIZE SAFELY. Although they make LOOK cool, barrettes, bows and necklaces can be choking hazards.
They are not for long-term, unsupervised or constant use. I consider my pieces I've created "wearable art for dogs". If you approach accessorizing your dog that way, your fashionable friend will be safe and look great all at the same time.
Now get out there and show off your doggie's style!

I recently took a funny picture of my Chinese Crested boy, Voodoo wearing doggles and a leather bow I made.
I made the caption "Does your mom dress you funny?"
I have to admit, I was in a way making fun of MYSELF.
Yes, I do sometimes dress them funny, but I really do try to make them more hip and cool than silly. That is, after all why I started making my own accessories for them. I got tired of all the cutesy things and accessories that made my dogs look like froufrou little stuffed animals that a little girl dressed up for a tea party.
For the record, I love tea. I love stuffed animals, and I am, at least on the inside, still a little girl who likes dressing them up. But I do try to keep some sort of dignity instilled in my dogs. Yes, it sounds silly- they probably don't know or might not care, but I really feel like they feel the energy coming at them from the outside world. That's ONE of the many reasons I'm so ANTI "ugly dog contests" ...but that's a whole other module rant. Let me just say, I think they know when they're being mocked or made fun of. I don't like it when I feel that way, and I'm sure you don't either. I try not to make my dogs feel that way, even if they don't understand emotional concepts likeke "hurt feelings". They DO feel the energy coming at them, from another person, another dog. Why do you think the Dog Whisperer is so successful? He focuses on ENERGY, not emotion. In fact, in communicating with dogs, he's somewhat UNemotional. But I digress...
I guess my point here is when you accessorize your dogs, think of how they feel, how the things you put on them make them feel. I'm not telling you to deeply consider the depths of their hearts. (that's a joke). I'm just saying: Think of the energy you are creating by accessorizing or dressing up your dog. Does it make BOTH of you happy? Are you having fun, laughing, playing? Is it all about a good time? Then great, enjoy it! But if you are dressing up your dog to make yourSELF feel something, but your dog is miserable, do me a favor, give em' a break, or find something to put on them that makes you BOTH happy. If you can't find something like that, ask me! I might be able to steer you in the right direction.
P.S. tip of the day: if your dog seems to HATE t-shirts, try a SLEEVELESS tee instead. I've found that two of my boy dogs can't stand little t-shirts, but what they really loathe is sleeves, not the shirt itself. Voodoo isn't crazy about sleeved tees, but if I put his 'wife-beater' tee on him that says "I only bite ugly people" he seems very content and comfortable. :) Try it! Your dog who seems to hate tees or clothing might just be bothered by that 'sleeve' feeling on their legs and joints (armpit area), especially if it's a little snug.