Bandanas: They're More Than Just for Style!
Okay, yes, we get it. You buy bandanas for your dog out of impulse because they are so cute. It adds a flair to your pet that helps them show off their personalities, your favorite things, or a message for people to take away (like the Adopt Me bandanas in rescue!). But did you know there are actually some benefits other than style to having your dog wear a bandana? We’re listing 4 reasons you may not have thought of to indulge in these adorable accessories.
1. Sun protection
In almost any weather, our dogs can be prone to sunburn. Even more so are white dogs or dogs with short thin hair. Having a larger bandana on can help shield their shoulders and keep some of the sun from burning them! You’ll want to make sure, of course, that you take additional precautions, because they move around and don’t always cover much, but you get the idea!
2. Warming and cooling: a little something for everyone
Bandanas offer benefits to hot dogs and freeze pups alike! Wearing one of these stylish pieces adds an extra layer in between the sun and your dog, keeping heat out and helping them to regulate their temperature. You can even take a bandana, wet it a bit, and stick it in the fridge or freezer, and take it out when your dog could use a cool touch. Having the cooling feeling on their neck can help them regulate On the other hand, bandanas can help shield your dog from the cold and insulate from harsh winds. Obviously, this won’t entirely stop your pup from being too cold, you might need one of our logo hoodies, too. ;)
3. Send a message
Bandanas can help portray messages! Like a bumper sticker on a car, it can tell passerbys information about you or your dog. Some examples might include “in training,” “shy,” “do not pet,” “ask to pet,” “adoptable,” “friendly AF,” or, like this one, “such a mashugana!” At Notorious Pooch, we try to offer messages that make a statement and let the town know you’ve got an edge. ;) Bandanas are also a great way to rep your favorite brands or promote a service! If your dog is from a rescue, you can usually find bandanas with their name to help with funding rescue and to introduce others that may not know about them!
4. Fight breed discrimination
Shelters often promote rescues with bandanas to help dogs attract attention or to tell potential adopters that they’re available! Here at Notorious Pooch, we feel strongly about giving dogs a second chance and finding homes for adoptable dogs. Both of our spokesdogs Biggie and Brooklyn are purebred rescues. Bandanas can especially help with some of the “blacklisted” breeds, like Bullies, Rotties, Dobermans, etc., it can help “soften” the appearance to those who might be nervous around them to show the world that they are sweet and gentle. An article by The Dodo said that after Malibu, a pit bull, was rescued from a high-kill shelter, her mom noticed that people seemed afraid of her and would keep themselves or their dogs away from her, even though she was friendly! She chose to use bandanas as a way to fight breed discrimination so that people could see her just as any other dog, and it worked! People started commenting on how cute she was, and that was the start of the conversation about her rescue and how she was thought to be scary before. Now she’s a large platform promoting adoption of bully breeds! (Credit to @TheDodo and @malibusmama on Instagram).
So, long story short, bandanas are mostly made for our pups to show their (and your!) style, but they’re also a great way to send a message to passerbys, regulate temperatures, especially as summer comes around, and to continue the fight against breed discrimination. There’s a reason they’re so popular, bandanas are adorable. Shelters love using bandanas to promote adopt, especially during events or on the pet’s PetFinder listing or social media. It’s a way to spruce up your pictures (we see you, pupfluencers, get that bag), and to advocate for our pets, who aren’t always able to tell others how they feel.
Now go celebrate the arrival of sweet sweet summer with a new bandana!