When I lived in Yaletown, I would frequently see sweater-clad chihuahuas being walked by their Lululemon-clad owners. If it wasn’t the dog days (sorry) of August, these poor beasts would often be shuddering and shivering with the cold (and, no doubt, the threat posed by larger dogs and humans).
As such, it’s always seemed a little cruel to own a chihuahua in Canada. They are, after all, Mexican, and not built for the cold. If your dog frequently needs a sweater to go outside, maybe it’s not well-matched to the climate in which you live.
While in Panama, I happened to see a very content-looking chihuahua, and it sparked an idea.
Julie and I decided we should open a chihuahua reserve somewhere in Central America. We’d stalk the wintry streets of Canadian cities for shivering, be-sweatered chihuahuas. We’d mace the owner, snatch the dog and bring it south to the sunny, humid climes of Ecuador or Panama. There it could romp and breed, sans doggy clothing, with its liberated brethren as it was always meant to. We even devised a bad URL: http://www.sweaterfreechihuahuas.com.
Alas, the usual problem arose:
1. Liberate dogs
2. ?
3. Profit!
Getting venture capital for this operation shouldn’t be a problem, should it? Maybe Bootup Labs can help accelerate my dog-snatching start-up?
Photo by ‘SeraphimC
DarrenBarefoot.com 
Sounds like it might make for a good video game.
Hey, in this weather, MOST dogs are a bit shivery… I am in the awful position of thinking that my dog might appreciate a sweater. Crap.
I will point out that I do NOT own any form of pocket-dog — she’s 40lbs, I swear! And looks bigger! But … it’s been damn cold out, and she’s (probably) an Australian kelpie cross who is skinny as hell and has no undercoat.
Instead, we’ve just been going on shorter walks, but … she *loves* running around in the snow, she just gets too damn cold and starts limping.
On the other hand, it’s unlikely that she would forgive me if I were to put any form of clothing on her. Not a lot of patience…
I’m with you there, Darren. Great plan.
I like your ideas, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
Seriously though, I very much agree. I did a three month stint at Petcetera, and the number of people who actually bought sweaters ( and after it snowed, gloves ) for their dogs kind of surprised me.
I just don’t understand people who buy ( as Donna puts it ) pocket dogs. They’re not dogs, they’re key-chains, accessories, or a fashionable add-on to most people.
Somebody recently had the temerity to bring a pocket dog to our house party, despite plenty of warnings (we have three cats!). For the first hour, all went well, then as you might expect, the fur flew. It seems Mojo, an 18 pound black long hair Maine Coon cross, put the dog in his place. The poor dog never knew what hit it.
i’m behind you on this project! hell, i’d even volunteer to kidnap..err..liberate those dogs!
“Temerity” – nice.
But let’s talk about *humans* living where they shouldn’t! It’s too hot in Texas and too cold in Manitoba.