The short answer: go slow and pay well. Let her sniff the dress for treats, then drape it, then fasten it for a few seconds, then build up to a short walk. Spread it over several short sessions, ideally starting a week or more before the event. Stop any session before she gets worried.
Before you start
- Check the size. A dress that pinches will undo all your training. Size by chest, over the fur. Here is how to measure.
- Brush her first if she is fluffy. Tangles catch on fabric.
- Pick a calm moment, after a walk, not before dinner or when visitors arrive.
- Use her favorite treats. Small and soft, so you can give lots.
The step-by-step plan
Each step is a few sessions of a minute or two. Move on only when she is relaxed at the current step. Some dogs breeze through in two days. Others need two weeks. Both are fine.
- Meet the dress. Put it on the floor. Every time she sniffs or looks at it, treat. Then put it away.
- Touch. Hold the dress and touch it to her shoulder. Treat. Repeat a few times.
- Drape. Lay it over her back without fastening. Treat while it is on, then lift it off. The treats stop when the dress comes off.
- Fasten briefly. Fasten it for five seconds, treat throughout, then undo it. Build to thirty seconds.
- Move. With the dress on, ask for a sit, a down, a few steps. Treat each one.
- Walk. A short walk around the house, then the yard or the block.
- Dress rehearsal. A few days before the event, do a full run: dress on, a short outing, a few photos, dress off.
If it is a pull-on style
Pull-on dresses, like Fairydew, go over the head and front legs. Practice the head part on its own: hold the neck opening in front of her nose with a treat on the other side, and let her put her head through by choice. Never force it. If she has a thick ruff or broad head, make sure you sized up, so the opening passes easily.
Fit check for the big day
- You can slide two fingers under the chest band.
- Nothing rubs behind the front legs.
- She can sit, lie down and walk with a normal stride.
- The skirt sits above the tail and clears the back legs.
- She can drink and toilet without the dress in the way.
When to stop
If she freezes, tries hard to escape, tucks her tail, or keeps licking her lips or yawning, take the dress off and go back a step next time. If she still hates it after patient practice, she may simply not be a dress dog, and that is okay. More on reading her signals in Do Dogs Like Wearing Clothes?
Quick answers
How long does it take a dog to get used to clothes?
Anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks of short sessions. Start early if there is a date on the calendar.
Should I use treats?
Yes. Treats while the dress is on, and they stop when it comes off. That is what teaches her the dress means good things.
My dog is fine at home but freezes outside. Why?
New places add stress. Practice short outdoor walks in the dress before the event.
Planning an occasion? Read our dog wedding guide, or find her size first.