Let’s Go Naked!

Pictures like this are priceless. Why? Because they remind us that underneath their  “clothes,” they’re all dogs.

Photo Credit: Almost Home New Mexico

Have you ever thought about all the different types of “clothes” dogs wear? Curly tails, cropped ears, long coats, brindle fur patterns, short legs, broad chests, pointy faces, round eyes…it’s no surprise that dogs are the most physically diverse mammal on the planet.

Dogs have so many “outfits” to choose from, except they can’t actually choose. And the outfit they’re born with is what they’ll wear for eternity.

Humans have closets full of clothes, too, but we can change them to fit the situation.

We have work clothes, party clothes, exercise clothes, lounging-around-the-house clothes. I even have different wardrobes for work dinners versus cocktail parties, weddings versus funerals. (Heck, we can even dye our hair and change the shape of our noses, if we’re so inclined!)

Photo Credit: www.artofmanliness.com

Have you ever been judged by your clothes? I once showed up to an interview dressed too casually. Didn’t get that job. Went out and bought a suit.

Dogs can’t change their clothes, though. They’re stuck with the same outfit for life. A small dog with  fluffy white fur and baby-like face will be viewed as “friendly.” A big dog with cropped ears and brindle coat will be viewed as “aggressive.”

Imagine if those two dogs could swap “clothes.” They’d still be the same dogs, but their behaviors would be perceived differently. We’d have different expectations and make different assumptions, all based on their appearances.

That’s why we should look at dogs and picture them….naked! Underneath their different “clothes,” they’re all dogs and they all do dog things.