I came in this morning from outside in the rain to encounter the doorman at my building. He’s a very pleasant guy who has taken a liking to Charley. He always lavishes love on her and asks me if I ever need anything for her to let him know.

He saw Charley and started saying her name in a cooing way, and started giving her pets through the half partition door he stands behind. 

After that initial “hello, how are you?” he then asked me a question that I’ve asked myself as well.

“Does Charley need a sweater or a rain coat? Or does she need some booties for her feet?”

We (Charley & I) were both a little bit wet, but not drenched. 

I answered on the bootie question that I didn’t think she would be down for putting booties on her “paw-paws” but “do you think she needs a raincoat?”

I am on the fence about a raincoat for Charley. I’ve seen other dogs that have raincoats on them and while I do agree they are necessary for dogs with little or no hair I have never seen a reason to put one on Charley. She has a thick overcoat that seems to have water slip right over her, and a little bit of undercoat that doesn’t really see the light of day. 

Plus she gets the towel dry treatment as soon as we come home.

When I take her out we don’t spend hours at a time where she is standing in the pouring rain and we aren’t moving at all. As a matter of fact, anytime I take her out we don’t stand at all. We are active, active, active. Her fault. Her breed, Australian Shepard/Border Collie/cattle dog does not do well with just standing still while going on a walk. Or just standing. Just doesn’t happen in my experience.

I just don’t really think she needs a raincoat or booties on her feet. Maybe booties because there is salt down on the sidewalk to melt the ice that will cause irritation on her paws, but a raincoat I’m just not sold on. 

I feel those kind of embellishments for a dog that is active and has two layers of hair doesn’t really need it. I think it goes down to people buying into pet things that aren’t really necessary.

Just like when my children were little. There were so many things that I thought I needed to buy to bring them up responsibly. They weren’t really needed. I am talking about those little tubs and tons of those “learning toys” that aren’t needed after 3 months or less. They seem to outgrow all of that with little time and I was left with a mound full of toys and baby stuff I only used once or twice, at the most.

But I understand that pets are our kids, and we want to do what is best for our children.

So maybe I need to get a raincoat for Charley. Otherwise I don’t feel like I am being a good mom. A raincoat will last longer than a whimsical child’s toy, and she won’t outgrow it like a child will. 

As far as the booties……ummm…I’m not totally thinking

she’d be down with that!