Does your dog or cat really need to wear a sweater? Well, perhaps. Providing your pooch or kitty with a winter sweater may be just what the doctor ordered.

Many older dogs and cats, just like older people, have poor circulation and difficulty maintaining their body temperature. A sweater may be needed to keep them comfortable, even in a heated home. Arthritic dogs or cats, regardless of age, can have limited mobility that leads to inactivity. With insufficient exercise, they can lose body heat and their arthritic pain escalates. Simply wearing a sweater will help trap their body heat and ease some of their discomfort.

Similarly, many handicapped dogs and cats experience challenges to their mobility resulting in their inability to exercise adequately. Care must be given to find a well-fitting sweater that accommodates different handicaps. Crippled dogs and cats who spend much or all of their time lying down can develop sore spots from sweaters that have underbelly fasteners. A smooth, flat bellyband that goes underneath the body and fastens at the back will be their most comfortable option. Amputees will need sweaters that stay secure without slipping and restricting their movement.

Convalescent and postoperative dogs and cats may "kick the covers off", so to speak, while they are resting. Without a blanket covering them, they may get chilled which can slow the healing process. However, if they are wearing a sweater, it’s like wrapping a blanket around them that stays in place and provides the constant warmth they need. Once they are restored to full health, wearing a sweater may be unnecessary.

Many dogs with very short hair can also benefit from the extra warmth of a sweater. Chihuahuas, miniature pinschers, and Italian greyhounds are examples from the toy-breed group of dogs that routinely wear sweaters. It’s not only small dogs who need sweaters, but also other breeds including greyhounds and whippets. Larger dogs with short hair and slender builds are typically good candidates for needing a little more insulation in cold weather. In addition to purebred dogs, there are many mixed-breed dogs whose need for sweaters is just as important.

Anomalies of the dog world like the Chinese crested and the Peruvian Inca orchid are hairless dogs and the Sphynx cat is their hairless feline counterpart. With no body hair to insulate them, these dog and cat breeds certainly need the added warmth of a sweater. Yorkshire terriers, Maltese, silky terriers, and shih tzus are dogs that have hair, not fur. They lack the undercoat of other dogs, which acts as an insulating layer. Even when their hair is long, it does not always provide sufficient warmth because of the absence of a fur undercoat.

At first glance, dogs and cats wearing sweaters may appear excessively prissy. There are, however, valid reasons that support this choice as a sensible, caring gesture. Gone are the days when apparel for dogs or cats was reserved only for pampered pooches or chichi cats whose owners wished to make fashion statements. Not just for looks any more, dog and cat sweaters serve a useful purpose and may actually be just what the doctor ordered.

Click here to see our tailor-made sweaters for dogs and cats, lovingly made by crochet artist Susan Hulsey.