Howling fashion

Halloween went to the dogs on Saturday with a fashion show held at Victoriaville Mall.

About 10 dogs and their owners participated in the second Halloween Dog Fashion show, which started on Friday.

Teena Rose, a miniature dachshund, looked more like a meal than a pooch in her hot dog costume, that came complete with a bun on each side and ketchup on top.

The three-year-old puppy walked past a crowd of about 30 people at the Victoriaville Mall, but she wasn’t the only dog on show; one dog dressed as Dracula, others as a caterpillar, a police officer, an octopus and a sheep dog.

The dogs later changed outfits and showcased hunting apparel and winter wear.

Cyndi Bryan, Teena Rose’s owner, said they often participated in agility and obedient competitions but they wanted to do something fun and decided to join the fashion show again.

"We have a great time and the dogs have a great time," Bryan said. "The kids love dachshund puppies. Yesterday, we had a fellow come by and said his daughter wants one of those puppies. It’s just fun being with everybody here and Teena Rose just loves the kids."

Sommer Rioux stayed in the crowd with her four-month purebred shih tzu Little Bear. She said she wanted to come and see what the fashion show was all about and wanted to know how to participate next year. Despite Little Bear’s young age, Rioux said her little shih tzu was well trained and ready for the show.

"I hope to show her and show there are good clothes out there," Rioux said. "The outfits the dogs wore were cute. The show shows that dogs of all sizes can wear them and a lot of people didn’t know that."

Lynn Herman, owner of the Pet Shop and coordinator of the show, said she wanted to show the various styles of costumes and clothing residents could purchase. Pet owners often find their dogs aren’t able to keep warm by themselves and need an extra layer such as a coat or even boots, she said.

"There are a lot of clothing out there for dogs," Herman said. "Some dogs, especially in northwestern Ontario, need extra warm clothing in the winter. Chihuahua's aren’t meant to live up here they are suppose to be in Mexico."

More people have started to dress their pets up in costumes and clothes because the role of the dog has changed from a working animal to a family member, she said.

Herman added the next dog show would be sometime in March.