Good or bad idea - What do you think?

[jellysundae]

I just saw this on Ebay and went through a slew of conflict!

See my IMMEDIATE reaction was major eye-rolling. This seeming to be a new fad in Japan, and you know, neurotic spoiled purse dogs and all that...

Then I thought, "wait a minute, I don't like getting wet when it's raining, so why am I being a hag towards dogs that don't either?"

Then I figured this was a idea that sprang from someone's brolly blowing inside-out one day and they had a light bulb moment. With the mechanism working upside-down and with the chain on the end to attach to the dog's collar, it's actually a pretty clever concept.

 

So from first seeing this my opinion's done a total 180 flip, lol. But if I had a dog that hated the rain would I actually use one of these?...not so sure about that...my Britishness might make me too self-conscious, plus I think having to hold your arm out to accommodate the span of the brolly would get uncomfortable real quick. The water on it would likely end up all down your leg too, I think!

 

What do you think of these?

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[NeoStep]

I honestly think it's adorable, but I dunno how it would make the dog feel. That's all I can say for now. D: Sorry!

[jellysundae]

32 minutes ago, NeoStep said:

I honestly think it's adorable, but I dunno how it would make the dog feel. That's all I can say for now. D: Sorry!

Yeah you know I bet some dogs might be freaked out by them.

What is this thing following me! GET IT OFF ME!!"

[kayahtik]

This is an AMAZING invention. I am a paid dog sitter on the side of my full-time job, and aside from many dogs not liking to get all wet when they go out to potty, it's a MAJOR pain to bring them back inside when they're damp--or worse, dripping wet. They shake, they roll on the carpet, they lay on the furniture and make it all smell like wet dog. You can only get so far by toweling them off. If you could keep them from getting wet in the first place, that would be awesome! And the way it attaches to the leash means you would still have a hand free for your own umbrella! 

[babayaga67]

My dog is a giant baby and won't even go outside when it is raining. He held it for almost two days once before he gave up and went on the front porch. If there is water on the ground he won't go out. I don't know if an umbrella would really make a difference for him. I think that it is an excellent idea on paper, I am not sure about how well it would go in practice.

[jellysundae]

43 minutes ago, kayahtik said:

...and make it all smell like wet dog.

SUCH a delightful aroma...NOT!!

Somehow really penetrating, too... x_x

35 minutes ago, babayaga67 said:

I think that it is an excellent idea on paper, I am not sure about how well it would go in practice.

Dog wellington boots needed too, maybe?

I've seen videos of dogs with booties put on their feet...in general not a thing they're very accepting of is it!

From what I gather footwear actually messes with a dog's ability to walk properly because they "read" the ground with their paws? So I can see why a wet pavement's not something they're keen on.

A lady I used to work with had a dog that refused to go outside if it was wet. What she did was open the back door and hold the umbrella out, the dog would then stick just her butt out of the door and do her business, the feet never made it outside, lol.

 

[Mouseykins]

My 10 year old Jack Russel will not go out when it rains unless one of us literally picks her up and puts her on the deck telling her to hurry up and go find a spot so she doesn't get too wet. I will stand at the door and make sure she goes. The dumb thing is she LOVES water! I can't even have the sprinkler on for the kids or the garden hose out to water my flowers without her being right there playing in the water and trying to attack it. If I give the girls a shower she's ready to jump in and join them. When they have a bath I have to make sure I keep the door shut with the pup outside so she doesn't hop in the tub with them, which she has done several times.

An umbrella may help her with her rain avoidance but she may just be scared of it to use it and that requires me to go outside with her in the rain so definitely won't get put to the test with her.

It's an interesting idea though!

[acmerasta]

Cute but practical? Dunno... My dog will enjoy a bath but then that's followed by lots of towel rubbing, the warm blow dryer and a good brush down. He refuses to go outside when it's raining/wet and he gives us the look if we dare suggest it lol. If he's outside and it starts raining, he'll break down the door to come in. And yes, he'll hold it for as long as possible to avoid going outside to do his thing if it's wet. The clear umbrella might probably take care of some of the "WTH is that over me?!" factor but the noise of rain pelting the umbrella? Not so much. Then there's the whole issue of water dripping off the umbrella onto my leg or foot. Um.. I don't like wet feet/pants either so this will probably stay a trend in Japan as far as i'm concerned.

[jellysundae]

2 minutes ago, Mouseykins said:

My 10 year old Jack Russel will not go out when it rains unless one of us literally picks her up and puts her on the deck telling her to hurry up and go find a spot so she doesn't get too wet. I will stand at the door and make sure she goes. The dumb thing is she LOVES water! I can't even have the sprinkler on for the kids or the garden hose out to water my flowers without her being right there playing in the water and trying to attack it. If I give the girls a shower she's ready to jump in and join them. When they have a bath I have to make sure I keep the door shut with the pup outside so she doesn't hop in the tub with them, which she has done several times.

An umbrella may help her with her rain avoidance but she may just be scared of it to use it and that requires me to go outside with her in the rain so definitely won't get put to the test with her.

It's an interesting idea though!

That's SUCH a weird thing with dogs, isn't it?! Your dog's going a bit next level with it too if she actually likes baths, but hates the rain, lol.

But then again...maybe she's just one for her creature comforts? A nice warm bath or cold puddles outside...I know which I'd choose, lol. So, thinking about that, and how she's fine with cold water out of sprinklers and hoses in hot weather...what's she like when it rains in the warmer part of the year?

[kayahtik]

39 minutes ago, jellysundae said:

A lady I used to work with had a dog that refused to go outside if it was wet. What she did was open the back door and hold the umbrella out, the dog would then stick just her butt out of the door and do her business, the feet never made it outside, lol.

 

This is hilarious  

With regards to the booties for dogs, I do think many of them find it awkward. However, at least in the city I know people do it for the dog's health/safety, especially in winter when the sidewalks are sprinkled with rock salt--it can cut up the doggie's feet, no one wants that ): But otherwise I don't see why a rainy sidewalk would bother them, they're used to going 'barefoot' so to speak, so unless it was standing water (in which case you probably shouldn't take them out anyway?) or it's for a prolonged amount of time (you also probably shouldn't do that?) I don't see why you would need rain booties, although it would be cute xD

[Mouseykins]

22 minutes ago, jellysundae said:

That's SUCH a weird thing with dogs, isn't it?! Your dog's going a bit next level with it too if she actually likes baths, but hates the rain, lol.

But then again...maybe she's just one for her creature comforts? A nice warm bath or cold puddles outside...I know which I'd choose, lol. So, thinking about that, and how she's fine with cold water out of sprinklers and hoses in hot weather...what's she like when it rains in the warmer part of the year?

She doesn't like it no matter what time of year it is and she's even more disgusted when she sees snow. Unless we let her out on a warmer day with her ball, then she can play in the snow and she's not as disgusted by it. My husband and I think Mouse's logic with rain is it's a cold day and the rain is cold so she gets cold. The sprinkler is nice on a hot day and a bath, well that's just plain fun.

31 minutes ago, acmerasta said:

My dog will enjoy a bath but then that's followed by lots of towel rubbing, the warm blow dryer and a good brush down.

I have to rub Mouse's face very very well and the rest of her. She'll start growling in a way that's not anger but excited I guess. As soon as she's dried off and released from the bathroom she will go to our bed or our daughters and start rubbing herself all over with this growling grunt noise. It's quite funny aside from the fact that she gets the sheets damp in an effort to dry herself further. Then she has to go outside right away and we're hoping the whole time she's out there that she's not rolling in the grass or dirt. When she has a bath she drinks the water like crazy and has to go out or we end up with a mess on the floor. She's a goof!

 

 

[jellysundae]

10 minutes ago, Mouseykins said:

Then she has to go outside right away and we're hoping the whole time she's out there that she's not rolling in the grass or dirt.

HA! An ex of mine he had a Jack Russell (actually 2 dogs - a husky too) and one day after I gave him a bath he immediately ran outside and rolled in the dirt, so straight back into the tub he went! He HATED baths, he was not my friend that day. He did funny stuff to dry himself too, I'd rub him with the towel, then lay a dry one on the floor for him and he'd lie on it on his side and motor himself up and down it with his back legs until he was satisfied with his dryness, with what are undoubtedly the same kind of grunty noises!

See now, Scamp hated baths, and would walk around puddles outside to avoid getting his feet wet, but he'd go out to do his business without a fuss in wet weather, though he'd not spend a nanosecond longer than necessary out there.

Where as Shinook, the husky, would lie outside in the rain quite happily, he enjoyed it. He'd also jump in puddles like a human child xD OMG that reminds me...one day, we took them for a walk in the nearby wood. There were 2 tracks made in this wood by kids on bikes, crossing in the centre. It had poured with rain the day before and where the paths crossed there was a big puddle, Shinny of course made a bee-line for it and stuck his head in it...it must have been about a foot deep! He came out plastered with mud right up to his ears  He was a very blond dog, and there he was looking like he was wearing blackface, he just stood there grinning at us though, the dope. Had to turn the hose-pipe on it when we got home, which he didn't mind one little bit. xD

[babayaga67]

Oh my goodness! I love dogs! So much of this is awesome. I can't help but smile as I read about all of the crazy dogs out there.

 

6 hours ago, kayahtik said:

With regards to the booties for dogs, I do think many of them find it awkward. However, at least in the city I know people do it for the dog's health/safety, especially in winter when the sidewalks are sprinkled with rock salt--it can cut up the doggie's feet, no one wants that ): But otherwise I don't see why a rainy sidewalk would bother them, they're used to going 'barefoot' so to speak, so unless it was standing water (in which case you probably shouldn't take them out anyway?) or it's for a prolonged amount of time (you also probably shouldn't do that?) I don't see why you would need rain booties, although it would be cute xD

I know that both dogs and cats 'read' the ground with their paws. Bath towels really mess them up. I have never done it to a dog, but once, ONCE, my step father cut up a washcloth, and used ponytails to hold them around the cat's paws like shoes. It was one of the funniest things that I have ever seen. They can't feel the ground through the washcloth material, so they move like they are three sheets to the wind. She fell onto her side a few times just to take a break. We took them off after two or three minutes. We weren't trying to torture her. It did help me to understand how sensitive animal's paws are.

 

I tried to edit my previous post to add the quote. I messed up. Sorry for two back to back posts.

[Mouseykins]

5 hours ago, jellysundae said:

He did funny stuff to dry himself too, I'd rub him with the towel, then lay a dry one on the floor for him and he'd lie on it on his side and motor himself up and down it with his back legs until he was satisfied with his dryness, with what are undoubtedly the same kind of grunty noises!

That is undoubtedly a Jack-Russel Trait! Mouse's Mum would do the exact same thing. She liked her baths too but didn't go crazy with the water like Mouse does.

3 hours ago, babayaga67 said:

I tried to edit my previous post to add the quote. I messed up. Sorry for two back to back posts.

I merged them for you. I've been having some issues as well with quoting. What I find is if you have the new quote in a new reply section, click that source button to copy that and paste it in your post that your editing, which also needs to be done through the source tab. Then click the source again to get bag to the regular text editor and add your comments. If it happens again just report yourself and a moderator will merge them for you. The only reason I did it for you was I'm keeping tabs on this topic. 

[charelan]

This thread made my morning! I have 2 long-haired chihuahuas that I love dearly. I'm not sure how they'd feel about the umbrella at first but I think they'd like it after they got used to the noise. Fortunately where I am I don't have to go out with them in the rain so much as stick them outside and tell them to hurry up and just watch to let them right back in. I keep a towel by the door for such times (especially in the am with all the morning dew) and tell them they have to "clean their boots" before they come in. This just consists of me wiping off their feet and tummies, but it works quite well bc they're used to it enough that when I say it they'll pause for the wipe before barrelling inside to make a mess :)

My little male, Darwin, is getting old and is starting to have a hard time on smooth floors. I bought him some grippy socks on eBay in an effort to make this easier. They came and I expected it to be like in videos where the dogs have a hard time getting used to them but no. Neither he nor his sister, Tess, cared at all. They were like 'what? We're not stupid - we watch you put on socks every day!' (at least that's how I imagine it lol). The only thing is that Darwin is so tiny that the XS socks just kinda fell off while he rolled about on my pilates mat (a daily ritual)... I now ordered the smallest ones I could find (size Itty Bitty hahahaha) - here's hoping when they arrive they stay on and help him navigate a little more easily! 

[jellysundae]

5 minutes ago, charelan said:

(size Itty Bitty hahahaha)

That's adorable! I so love it when companies aren't stuffy and dull about the way they name things. Really interesting that the socks don't bother them! It's that they are thin enough for them to still be able to read the floor through them, isn't it.

How are your doggies about the rain then? Do they not mind it? If you have to chivvy them to come back inside quick, lol.

If you used a hair dryer on them would they turn into fluffballs?

[charelan]

No, they still hate the rain and snow. They will do it... but grudgingly and very quick. In a snowstorm they will likely try not to go out at all. They're so small and short that the slightest amount of snow is tough to navigate. I wouldn't want to do it either!

I think the socks really are quite thin compared to the more shoe-like things I've seen in videos. That must be why they accepted them pretty easily. 

You know... I've never tried a dryer on them but I bet it would! This might be a very cute experiment lol.

[Mouseykins]

11 hours ago, charelan said:

I keep a towel by the door for such times (especially in the am with all the morning dew) and tell them they have to "clean their boots" before they come in. This just consists of me wiping off their feet and tummies, but it works quite well bc they're used to it enough that when I say it they'll pause for the wipe before barrelling inside to make a mess :)

My other Jack-Russel (Mouse's Mum) would do this all the time! We wouldn't have to tell her, she would just sit in front of the door and wait for one of us to come and wipe her paws. Mouse on the other hand we have to catch and hold her between our legs like a squeeze and dry her feet that way with her growling and trying to snap at our hands.