Halloween has come and gone with a flurry of doggie events. Costume contests for pets were held at places around Chicago, like Wriggley Field and in some of the local suburbs. As the dogs strutted their stuff, observers could be heard mumbling . . . "that's so cute, but my dog would never let me dress him in an outfit." I'm thinking to myself, why not?

When I teach puppy and pet manners classes one of the first things taught is massage. The goal is to have dogs who like to be handled and who settle down with a word and a touch. A couple of weeks into class we practice dressing them up. On t-shirt night all of the dogs are taught how to stay calm while a t-shirt is put on their bodies. We then practice basic obedience and have a socialization session while they're still dressed. On sock night, the dogs have socks put on all fours. Dress up nights tend to be some of the funniest and silliest classes we have. The fashion hounds prance around to all the shrieks and laughter.

While dresing up dogs might seem frivolous, there is a greater purpose behind these exercises. One of these is dogs have surgery. Afterwards, they may be required to wear a protective collar to prevent them from reaching their stitches. Some surgeries may involve a large bandaged area. Incisions on the chest and stomachs are constantly exposed to dust and dirt when dogs lie down. Teaching and rewarding a dog for wearing a t-shirt will increase the likelihood that they will leave their bandages alone. If they tolerate wearing clothes, they should tolerate wearing a bandage. Wearing a t-shirt after surgery helps with cleanliness to the affected area.

The sock exercise is an important one. When you think of it, our dog's four paws are in constant contact with the ground and its elements. They can step on sharp items causing a puncture or laceration, loosen or break off a nail. Sometimes, they fracture a foot or a leg. A trip to the vet is generally in order, where they will receive a lot of handling during their examination. When you leave the office, your dog will probably have a bandaged foot and/or leg and your vet will smile and say . . . leave the bandage on until the next visit. Panic sets in as you're driving home and the dog is already having a field day ripping the bandage apart. This whole process is much easier on dogs and their caretakers if they have had prior exposure to being dressed. Placing socks on their paws can keep bandages clean. In rain or snow, plastic bags are necessary to keep bandages dry.

Teaching a dress up exercise is easy. Pick a time when your dog is already calm. Use a reward that the dog likes, usally food works best. Soft verbal praise should be used throughout the exercise. Take it a step at a time. Roll up a t-shirt so the neck opening can be placed over the dog's head, then give him a treat. Once the shirt is on, continue giving treats which will make this pleasurable for the dog. After a short time, take the shirt off. Practice often.

Socks are more difficult to work with. Make sure roll the socks like women's hosiery, place the rolled sock on the paw and unroll the rest up the leg. If you need to distract your dog, feed him during the dress up and reward him for keeping the socks on. Once your dog is used to wearing clothes, practice walking and doing basic obedience while dressed. Work on commands like "sit," "stay" and "down." Important reminder, this is supposed to be fun. Be patient and stay calm. If you find yourself getting frustrated, stop. End the exercise, and try again a little later.

With Winter on the way, many dogs wear coats, sweaters, and even boots. Getting them ready to go out can be a real chore. Early preparation is a lot of fun, and makes this transition a comfortable one.