Believe it or not it is actually possible to get your faithful four-legged friend a t-shirt.

From t-shirts that say Top Dog to ones that even say Police Dog there’s no end of fashion accessories that you can now purchase for your pet.

It is possible to also get ‘bling’ for your dog too. From diamante studded collars to gold nametags celebrities have been renowned for pampering their pooches and now it seems the general public can also hone in on this new trend.

If you must dress your dog up then please ensure that what you buy for him is not going to irritate or hinder him in any way. Products such as ‘doggy danas’ (a bandana for dogs) at Christmas time usually have a shaggy fur trim and if your dog is a puppy he could eat this or it could constantly cause him aggravation as the fibre it appears to be made from would tickle his nose.

While it can raise a smile when you see a female dog wearing a t-shirt bearing the logo ‘I’m a Bitch’ which technically is true you must consider the welfare of your dog when doing this. If he doesn’t like it he will constantly try and pull it off or itch at it. After a short while if he still does not like it then it might be deemed better to take off the t-shirt or bandana and either try again later for a couple of minutes at a time until he gets used to it or give it up as a bad job.

A good idea is to have a coat for your dog for the harsh winter months especially if they are a small breed such as a Chihuahua as they will have difficultly trapping body heat. If possible a windproof and waterproof jacket that also has a warm fleece lining would be ideal. A lot of people put coats on their dogs even when they are of average size which is quite possibly a case of playing it safe as unbeknown to some people dogs can actually catch cold.

Another good idea is that if you are leaving the house for a while and do not want the central heating on, putting a warm jumper on your dog is a good idea. Please ensure however, that you have supervised your dog whilst he is wearing a t-shirt/jumper to ensure that he doesn’t try to bite pieces off as this could be dangerous if you are not around and he gets some fibres in his throat. Also it is possible to get soft pet beds that have walls. These are a good idea as because a dog’s bed is normally on the floor it will prevent him from getting draughts which could make him cold.

Remember when shopping for luxuries for your dog think about him too. He may not be able to tell you but I am sure he will not be too impressed having a pink t-shirt on and a diamante studded collar.