Do you know, what pet parades are?

It is a very interesting thing and you can be sorry for whole life not to have seen them. Do not think that on such events you can only meet a heap of animals. In no circumstances! You can see the hair-does of famous hair-makers and the clothes of the latest fashion there. Such parades are held to give the opportunity to pet owners to show the beauty and the intelligence of their pets.

Pet parades are usually organized in USA, but the idea of such events is spread in other countries as well. Everybody can see pets and their owners in different costumes. Here you can meet presidents, the heroes of different films and cartoons, politicians, singers, symbols which represent the country and many others.

These parades are held for everybody and everyone can participate in them. You just need to have a pet and to make it a pleasure by making the best costume. So, do not hesitate! Such a parade can be an unforgettable event for you and your pet.

It’s getting hot in the summer and your dog may need protection from the sunstroke as well. In this video you’ll see a quick and easy dog costume idea for summer cap. All you need for this project you will find at home. Watch and enjoy!

Please think safety when dressing up your dog in homemade pet costumes. The costume should fit neither too tight, so your dog’s movements are not confined, nor too loose, so he does not trip over the costume. Not all dogs are fine with wearing a costume, so if your dog does not like it, take off the costume immediately.

America's Top Dog Model 2008 Winner

If you own THE dog, and you both love shows, dress ups and lots of attention, this could be your main event of the season.

Boca Raton-based America’s Top Dog Model Photo Contest is conducting its fifth annual event with the theme “Go Goreously Green,” focusing on how well you have reduced your stylish canine’s carbon paw print. “During the contest phase, we will search America for “top dogs” who are eco-friendly,” said Jo Jo Harder, Founder of America’s Top Dog Model®. Ideas for an environment-friendly pooch are on this Web site: America’sTopDog Model.com

The winner of the 2008 Top Dog Model Photo Contest was Maia the Pug. Harder commented that “Maia stood out, because of her poise and charm on the red carpet, and her professionalism in front of the camera.”

The 2009 contest opened in January and is to continue through May 22. For creative and “green” dog costume ideas you can check out a variety of pet apparel sewing patterns at Homemade-Pet-Costumes.com

The Prizes

The Grand Prize Winner will receive the following:

• Cover of America’s Top Dog Model® 2011 Calendar
• Cover & feature story in Pet Style News.
• Custom-designed Austrian crystal crown, link collar, and collar charms, with matching necklace and earrings for winning dog owner from Buddy G’s
• bon Christiani (TM) eco-friendly custom collar designed exclusively for the winner.
• Castlemere bamboo feeder
• Roadwagz organic cotton wrap
• Wagging Green collar & leash
• Autographed copy of Diva Dogs: A Style Guide To Living The Fabulous Life

Finalists Prizes

Eleven finalists will be featured in America’s Top Dog Model® 2011 Calendar along with the Top Dog Model winner. The finalists will also receive an Austrian crystal collar from Buddy G’s. Winner and finalists will be featured on America’s Top Dog Model® website.

To enter the contest, please visit America’sTopDog Model.com

Photo Credit: http://www.americastopdogmodel.com/2008-finalists.htm

Have you already picked out a costume and decorated your house for Halloween? Why not involve your pooch in Halloween dress up and have fun together? Here is an idea for quick and easy dog Halloween costume of a classic ghost!

Please think safety when dressing up your dog in homemade pet costumes. The costume should fit neither too tight, so your dog’s movements are not confined, nor too loose, so he does not trip over the costume. Not all dogs are fine with wearing a costume, so if your dog does not like it, take off the costume immediately.

For this project, your dog would need to be tolerant and patient.

What you need:

• a white bet-sheet;
• scissors;
• a marker;
• an elastic band;
• a needle and white thread.

Homemade Dog Halloween Costume Of A Classic Ghost

Instructions on how to make dog costume:

This costume covers the dog’s face. It has cut openings for nose and mouth, eyes and ears. The white sheet lies freely on the dog’s back, hanging down halfway to the ground. Elastic bands attach the sheet to the dog at neck and chest.

Have your dog standing up right. Put the bed-sheet over your dog, also covering his head. Mark the spots for cutting out the nose, eyes and ears (be careful when marking spots for eyes). Just mark the center of the spot and note, how large each hole needs to be.

You need to attach the ghost costume to your dog at his neck and his chest. Note the spots on opposite sides of your dog’s neck and chest (about in the middle). Note the length of elastic band pieces required. Note how much bed sheet is necessary to look good on your dog, allow the bed-sheet to hang to the ground not more than halfway.

Take the bed-sheet off your dog. From the inside, sew elastic band to the relevant spots on the sheet. Cut out openings for the nose and mouth, eyes and ears. You need to put on this costume first through front paws, then over the dog’s head.

Your dog halloween costume is ready! Have a frightfully spooky Halloween!

Are you celebrating the 4th of July with your beloved pooch? You can involve your pet in celebrations by dressing him in patriotic dog attire! Here is an idea on how to make a patriotic dog costume at home.

Please think safety when dressing up your dog in homemade pet costumes. The costume should fit neither too tight, so your dog’s movements are not confined, nor too loose, so he does not trip over the costume. Not all dogs are fineith wearing a costume, so if your dog does not like it, take off the costume immediately.

We will make a top hat and bracelets for all four paws colored in red, blue and white.

What you need:

Fourth of July Dog Costume Ideas

• a cylindrically-shaped plastic bottle (for larger dogs) or other;
• a plastic jar (e.g. vitamin packaging for smaller dogs) for the cylindrical part of the top hat;
• some packaging foam plastic for the top of the hat;
• a cardboard for the brim;
• an elastic band (to match the color of your dog) for attaching the hat to your dog’s head and to hold the bracelets;
• a patriotically colored fabric;
• scissors;
• a needle;
• red, white or blue thread;
• a glue-gun with low-melt glue (be careful not to get burned);
• a marker.

Instructions for the top hat:

1. Cut out some plastic bottle so it makes the body of the top hat. Try to make the edges flat and even. Put one of the open ends of the bottle on flat side of plastic foam and draw a circle with the marker. Note the allowance for cutting and cut out a pill-like piece of foam. The foam pill must easily fit inside the bottle.
2. Mark a circle on cardboard to make the brim. The circle must be larger than the diameter of the bottle (the body of the hat). To draw this circle you may use a pot, a larger plastic bottle or anything else of a round shape. Cut a penny-size hole in the center of the cardboard brim. Take a piece of fabric, cover the brim from one side and pull the edges to the hole. Allow half an inch of fabric for sewing and cut out the necessary amount of fabric.
3. Cut a small hole in the center of the fabric to align with the hole in the center of the brim. Cut some elastic band, enough to wrap around your dog’s head. Pull the edges of the fabric along with two ends of elastic band through that hole and sew or glue the edges together. The elastic band should make a loop that will hold on to the dog’s head.
4. Cut out a piece of fabric large enough to cover the body of the hat allowing half an inch on all four sides for overlapping and folding over the edges of the bottle. Glue one edge of the cloth to the bottle (from side to side) and allow to dry well. Wrap the cloth around the bottle and glue the other edge to the bottle on top of or next to the previous gluing. Fold edges inside the bottle and glue.
5. Cover and glue the fabric over the foam pill. Stick the now-colorful foam pill inside the bottle so it forms the top of the hat. Glue the hat to the brim. You may stick and glue another foam pill (without fabric) inside the bottle for durability. This would allow larger surfaces to glue together when attaching the hat to the brim.

Instructions for the bracelets:

1. Measure the girth of your dog’s paw at the spot where you want the bracelets. Decide what width you want the bracelets to be. Cut out four pieces of fabric of the following size: paw girth plus a few inches for gathering by double the width of the bracelet plus 1/2 inch seam allowance.
2. To make a bracelet, take one piece of fabric, fold it longways face inside. Sew together the sides at the long edge. Turn. Put the elastic band inside this hose and sew together ends of the band. Carefully sew together ends of the hose. Repeat for the other three bracelets.

You can easily modify this homemade dog costume for another holiday by changing the color of the fabric.

Photo Credit: http://www.costumedogs.com/archives/a-tardy-4th-of-july-pair

Are you ready to start the party and forgot just one little thing – to dress up your pooch, so that he can enjoy and have fun, too?! Here is a quick and easy last-minute dog costume idea!

Please think safety when dressing up your dog in homemade pet costumes. The costume should fit neither too tight, so your dog’s movements are not confined, nor too loose, so he does not trip over the costume. Not all dogs are fine with wearing a costume, so if your dog does not like it, take off the costume immediately.

This is the easiest homemade dog costume possible, because all you need is:

Last-Minute Dog Costume Ideas: T-Shirt Remake

• a T-Shirt that you are willing to sacrifice for your dog (for a smaller dog you may use your child’s T-shirt);
• a needle and a thread;
• a few safety pins for tailoring;
• scissors;
• your dog

Time required: 15 minutes (excluding time required for choosing the T-shirt).

Instructions on how to make dog costume:

The front of the T-shirt goes on the dog’s back, so choose the shirt and decorations on it accordingly.

The easiest way to tailor the shirt is to have your dog standing up right and to put the shirt on the dog. Front paws go through the sleeves and decorations go on the dog’s back. It is likely that your shirt would be too large on your dog, so note any excessive parts and pin them down. You will cut them off later. Leave some space at the bottom of the shirt so your dog can relieve himself and not dirty the costume.

Take off the shirt (after you’ve pinned excessive parts, the shirt should still come off easily). Adjust safety pins as necessary and cut off excessive fabric. Turn your shirt and hand-sew the two parts together. You can even use sewing machine, if you like. Turn back. Your homemade dog costume is ready and now you can get the party started!