Fashion hounds prepare for winter

It's a little too snowy for Chloe here. Also way too cold. And perhaps a bit too, well, less than glitzy. If the flashy star of "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" headed north and became the Arden Hills Chihuahua, she'd have to chuck the boa and sashay out into our winter chill in a teeny-tiny puffy coat. Oh, the indignity.

Just like your house and car, your dog needs winterizing. Just like you, it can get frostbite or hypothermia. So it's not pampering your pet to bundle him or her up just like your own bad self (matching attire optional).

"Oh, our dogs look sharp. They're very proud to be wearing their outfits," said Margaret Manos of Edina, who just purchased snappy new outfits for her daughter Alexi Dalquist's two Scottish terriers. Simon got a multicolored Fair Isles turtleneck sweater, Geoffrey a green down vest with an argyle strip. "They're very functional, but I can't help it if my dogs look very fashionable in them."

While pet owners focus on warmth and waterproofing, they also want something that looks good on their dog, said Gabie Fulmer, manager of Bone Adventures in Minneapolis. "And they usually go along with people fashions. This year, greens and oranges and browns are really in. And pink is always in."

It's strange, especially in a country that spends upwards of $40 billion a year on its pets, that dogs sometimes face Minnesota winters "underclothed." Frigid weather makes this one of those places where dog booties are not some artist's idea of ironic detachment.

Well, OK, they are that, but they actually can be as lifesaving as they are laugh-inducing. A lot of dogs, by the way, balk at "traditional" booties, but there are disposable latex ones that provide more traction and can last for up to two weeks.

While ensuring warmth and dryness on Fido's torso and feet is the primary precaution for the next several months, it's far from the only one.

Dogs also might be inclined to ingest another deicing material, the salt that can lodge in their paws along with ice and sludge. This kind of salt lick is not a good idea. But the most obvious danger is simply getting too cold. Short-haired dogs such as greyhounds and dachshunds and older canines, especially those with arthritis, are especially susceptible and need insulation. In very cold conditions -- pretty much all of January and February -- even long-haired dogs should spend no more than about 20 minutes or so outdoors.

There are dangers indoors, as well, with the holiday party season holding particular perils, according to Liz Sand, co-owner of two LuLu & Luigi pet grooming and apparel stores.

"Hundreds of dogs die each year of alcohol poisoning, so put stuff away after a party or they might come and clean out the eggnog glasses," said Sand. "Always tie up your garbage real tight. You don't want dogs getting in there at bones and other food. And of course if you're baking with chocolate, keep that away."

Tinsel on holiday trees can be dangerous, Sand added, as it often contains glass, and dogs are inclined to eat it. But glitz is OK in the dog's attire.

"It's fashion meets function," she said. "We wouldn't want to be outside without a coat on, so why should they? And why shouldn't they look good doing it?"