One of the biggest trends in the pet industry is pet bandanas, dog bandanas in particular.

But putting a bandana on your dog goes way beyond dressing up a pet in a cute way. Dog bandanas also serve several practical functions, including comfort, health, and safety.

So let’s dive in and see what we can see . . .

Why Your Fur Baby Should Wear a Bandana

There are many reasons why your dog actually should wear a bandana. Here are the main ones . . .

Trendy, Fashionable, and Stylish

A bandana is a great fashion accessory to make your pooch both stylish and attractive. Sometimes people are scared of dogs, and a bandana can help dispel some of that fear by making your dog seem more approachable and friendlier owing to the stylishness.

Protection From Cold and Heat

Many, probably most, dog owners love hiking with their pets. And that often means being outside for extended periods in extreme temperatures. A bandana can help protect your pooch in these situations.

A bandana around the neck will help keep in body heat so that your pet doesn’t lose too much precious body heat during winter hikes. And a damp bandana, owing to the cooling effect of evaporation, will help keep your pet safely cool during those long summer hikes.

Anxiety Reduction

Dogs often suffer from various anxiety issues, especially separation anxiety when you have to leave them at home alone. Bandanas can help here. You can put the bandana on your worried pet and then apply calming scents and sprays to keep them calm and reduce anxiety.

Night Walks

“A dog bandana can act as a caution for drivers and passersby during late hours. A brightly colored or reflective pet kerchief will allow people and nighttime drivers to take notice of your dog. You can also have a phone number, symbol, or address printed on the pet kerchief. This bandana can serve as a means of identification if your puppy or dog gets lost.”

Night Safety

People who walk or bicycle at night have to take extra safety precautions to make themselves more visible to drivers. And you should do the same with your dog if you like to get out and about after dark. A reflective and/or brightly colored bandana will serve admirably for this purpose.

Visual Cues

Bandanas can also serve as visual cues to alert people to your pet’s preferred methods of interaction. This is a great way to keep both you people and your pooch safe when you go to some place like the local dog park.

Skin Cancer Protection

Did you know that well over 90% of veterinarians recommend the use of pet sunscreen, especially on the muzzle and ears? It’s true, and it’s a good idea particularly for light-colored dogs with pinkish noses.

A bandana can provide some extra protection when your delicate fur baby is out in the harsh sunlight. Instead of putting the bandana around the neck only, pull it up over your pet’s ears for added cancer protection.

Ear-tip Injury Protection

Ear injuries, especially ear-tip injuries are fairly common in dogs. And if your dog sustains one, you don’t, of course, want to keep him locked up in the house for weeks until the injury fully heals. Again, a bandana can help and allow your pup to get out and enjoy life sooner. A strategically placed bandana can protect injured ears from harsh sunlight, dirt, and insects.

Insect/Parasite Control

Sometimes a flea collar just isn’t enough to do the job. You can, though, add a bandana coated with flea and tick repellent for added protection against these pests.

The bandana will most likely be around your dog’s neck, so make sure that the repellent applied to it is non-toxic, ideally all natural and organic. A good choice here would be essential oils of citronella, patchouli, catnip, or cedarwood.

Drool Control

Dogs drool, some of them a lot. A quality cotton bandana around your moist pup’s neck can help absorb some of the drool and thus keep it off your furniture and you. Just make sure you choose durable bandanas that can stand up to repeated washings.

Best Occasions and Activities for Dog Bandanas

Bandanas are great for many pet activities, but here are the two times (which we touched on above) when dog bandanas really come into their own . . .

Outdoor Hiking

“Outdoor hiking is no strange thing for any dog owner. It is one of the best feelings and experiences when you go on a long walk with your pet. Outdoor hiking with dogs certainly requires certain hiking gear. A dog bandana isn’t often considered as hiking gear, but can definitely serve that purpose.

“Hiking gear is very important to protect yourself and your dog in different weather conditions. This is why a pet kerchief is equally important, as it can prevent sunburns on a sunny day. You can also wrap around a soaked bandana to cool down your dog or puppy. In colder conditions, your dog’s bandana can provide that extra bit of warmth around the chest of your dog.”

How to Choose the Right Dog Bandana

When you’re ready to purchase bandanas for your four-legged kids, you need to put some thought into it. Following are the top things to consider . . .

Size

Of course, the bandana has to fit properly, not too big and loose and not too small and tight. But never fear: bandanas are available in a variety of sizes ranging from 18” x 18” to 27” x 27”. Measure your pup’s neck to find out what size will work best.

Washability

Your pet may be a genuine family member, but he’s going to get a lot dirtier than your human kids – and so will the bandana. So when selecting your pet bandanas be sure to look for ones that are durable and will hold up under many washings, usually colorfast as well so that the colors and patterns won’t run and/or fade.

Fabric

Although there are other options such as silk and satin and synthetic blends, most bandanas are made with cotton fabric. This is typically the best choice for pet bandanas. Just make sure it is a quality cotton fabric that can withstand hard use and multiple washings.

Colors/Patterns/Prints

Finally, you have to decide what colors and what patterns/prints (if any) will best suit your pup’s personality and your taste, as well as what will best serve the practical applications. You can choose from various solid colors from royal blue to hot pink and patterns that range from traditional paisley to various styles of camouflage to flag bandanas.

Kids for Young Adults

Pets are the new kids for young adults today. If you doubt it, consider this from Millennial Marketing . . . 

“At an average Millennial get-together, it’s not at all out of the norm for a friend to show off a hundred photos of their little one. They’ve gone all out in their excitement, buying everything from personalized bedding to custom decor – and you can bet there’s a monogram in the mix. From the amount of care Millennials exert making their pets comfortable and stylish like this, it’s easy to see that they have adopted their little furballs as true members of the family.

“Young Americans may be less likely to be homeowners or parents of human children, but they are leading in their rate of pet ownership. The $69 billion pet industry has already grown three times larger than its size in 1996, and Millennials are fueling the increase. With 44 percent of Millennials remaining unsure if they want to start their own family, it makes sense that their Instagram feeds may be more full of fur babies than tiny humans. After all, aren’t pets the original starter children?”

Your Source for Quality, Affordable Pet Bandanas

Do you want your furry family members to be as fashionable and protected as possible? Feel free to check out some more articles here.

Then you should go to the bandana source that offers both quality bandanas and great prices coupled with superior customer service – Bandana.com.

Here at Bandana.com, we have all kinds of pet bandanas, as well as a wide selection of headwear for humans, including bucket hats, bandanas, and doo rags.