When you go to the dog park or for a walk around the neighborhood, what do you see? Well, yes, dogs, of course. But you also see a lot of bandanas – dog bandanas everywhere, on all kinds of dogs, in all kinds of various styles.
It should be no surprise, then, that dog bandanas are one of the hottest trends in pet accessories. They’re fashionable, they have protective functions, and they serve as critical signals.
Dog bandanas do much more than just make your pooch look irresistibly cute. They also serve several practical functions, including comfort, health, and safety, for example . . .
- Protection from heat and cold
- Separation-anxiety reduction
- Night visibility
- Protection from sunlight and less risk of skin cancer
- Ear-tip injury protection
- Insect and parasite control
- Drool control
And you can get all these benefits for your furry family member in the ultimate in dog-bandana trends – animal-print bandanas. So let’s take a look at all the elements that go into spicing up your dog’s look with animal-print bandanas.
Choosing the Right Size Bandana for Your Dog
The first thing to consider in selecting animal-print bandanas for your pooch is the sizing. Getting the size right is important for both aesthetic and safety reasons. You don’t want your dog’s bandana to be either too tight or too loose – it needs to fit exactly right.
Measuring you dog’s neck circumference is the best way to ensure you choose a bandana of the right size. When measuring, be sure to use a soft measuring tape. If you don’t have one, you can use a piece of string or yarn around your dog’s neck and then place the sized string/yarn against, say, a yardstick or metal measuring tape to get the correct size in inches.
Finding the Right Size Bandana for Your Dog
Now, here are the tips you’ll need to convert your dog’s neck size in inches into the correct bandana size . . .
- Very small dogs, 5-10 pounds, with a neck-circumference measurement of about 7” – These typically include miniature dachshund, pomeranian, Yorkshire terrier, and Chihuahua. Go with an extra-small bandana, usually about 16-19 inches.
- Small dogs, 10-25, pounds, with a neck-circumference measurement of 10” (or less) – Common breeds in this category are mini golden doodle, pekingese, miniature schnauzer, pug, Scottish yerrier, and cocker spaniel. For dogs of this size, select a 20-21-inch bandana.
- Medium-sized dogs, up to 55 pounds, with a neck circumference measurement of about 14” – In this category, you’ll find golden doodle, beagle, border collie, English bulldog, and miniature Australian shepherd. The size for these dogs is a 24-25-inch bandana.
- Large dogs, up to 70 pounds, with a neck-circumferene measurement of 16” or so – Common breeds here are boxer, dalmatian, golden retriever, Labrador retriever, Weimaraner, and dalmatian. Go with a 26-27-inch bandana.
- Very large dogs, over 70 pounds, with a neck-circumference measurement of up to 19” – Typical breeds in this category are German shepherd, great dane, Mastiff, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, and great Pyrenees. For this size dog, you’ll need a 29-30-inch bandana (or larger in some cases).
The Importance of a Properly Fitting Bandana for Comfort and Safety
Properly sizing your dog’s bandana will ensure his/her safety. A bandana that is too small and, as a result, too tight can cause breathing and swallowing problems, especially in hot weather. And if the bandana is too large and loose, there will be a snagging hazard. The bandana can hang on brush, branches, fences, and so on and your dog could become trapped – or worse.
Besides the safety concerns, there are other benefits to properly sizing your dog’s bandana . . .
- The bandana will be more comfortable and will stay on better.
- It will collect less drool.
- Your dog will look eminently more fashionable.
- You will be perceived as a responsible pet owner.
And, remember, if your dog has long ears, it’s even more important to get the size right.
Selecting the Perfect Animal-Print Pattern (And Color)
Now, that we’ve covered that important aspect, let’s consider some popular animal prints, as well as the significance of various colors. Just keep in mind that the pattern and color should serve to complement and accent your dog’s build, color, and personality – just the same as your clothes and fashion accessories should do.
Popular Animal-Print Patterns
Red Tossed Bones Bandana
A great canine fashion accessory, the Red Tossed Bones Bandana features cute doggie bones sprinkled across a bright red background. This quality bandana is made of a durable, breathable 50/50 poly-cotton blend and boasts a 69×69 thread count, pearl stitched edger finish, and double-sided printing.
Brown Camo Triangle Dog Bandana
Who doesn’t love camo, especially when it’s a unique brown camo pattern on a bandana designed expressly for dogs? The Brown Camo Triangle Dog Bandana comes as a pre-made triangle shape (not the standard square) and so lends itself perfectly to dog-bandana styles because there is no folding. This is a 100% cotton bandana with a hemmed stitched edge finish and double-sided printing.
Fetch – Red Bandana
Hearts, paw prints, doggie bones, and “Woof Woof” – these are all displayed on the Fetch – Red Bandana in a unique caricatured style on an arresting red background. If you want your pup to sport a playful, fun look, this is the bandana you need. And the quality is evident in the 50/50 poly-cotton blend, 68×68 thread count, and pearl stitched edge finish.
Considerations for Choosing Bandana Color
There’s always the chance that people and other dogs will want to and try to interact with your pooch. For those familiar with the standard color signaling, the color of your pup’s bandana will let people know whether and how they and their pets can interact with yours.
The color of your dog’s bandana, then, can serve to keep your pet, as well as other people and their pets, safe because it can signal temperament/behavioral issues and/or health problems.
- Red – Red has long been associated with love and affection (Valentine’s Day), but also with warning and danger (stop signs, for instance). A red bandana is a warning that tells other people to stay away from a dog – that the dog has behavioral problems and should be approached only with extreme caution if at all.
- Blue – A blue bandana indicates that a dog is in training or is a working dog. Generally, such dogs are calm and well behaved, but it is standard etiquette not to interact with them so as to avoid distracting them from their tasks.
- Green – A green bandana around a dog’s neck signifies that the dog is friendly and approachable. Green also typically means that other dogs can play with the one wearing green without any danger of aggression.
- Orange – Orange indicates that a dog is friendly with and interacts well with humans, both adults and children, but not other dogs. A dog wearing an orange bandana will likely growl and bare his teeth when approached by another dog, seeing it as a threat of some kind.
- Yellow – Yellow is the standard color for caution, as seen in various warning placards and traffic yield signs, and it’s the same with respect to dogs. A dog wearing a yellow bandana should be approached with care and caution and much gentleness.
- Purple – Purple indicates that a dog has certain food issues/allergies and will help serve as a deterrent to the treat-givers.
- White – A white bandana indicates that the dog wearing it has a sight and/or hearing problem, may in fact be totally blind and/or deaf. The white bandana will let people know to approach slowly and cautiously so as to avoid startling of alarming the dog because.
(Adapted from “Dog-Bandana Colors: Find Out What They Mean and How to Use Them.”)
Top 3 Ways to Style a Bandana on Your Dog
Once you’ve selected the right bandana in the right size, there’s then the matter of how your dog should wear it. Here are the top 3 ways to style a bandana on your dog . . .
The Cowboy Knot
- For this classic canine bandana look, begin by folding the bandana to form a triangle.
- Then place it around your dog’s neck with the point of the triangle under the neck in the upper chest area and the loose ends on top.
- Tie the ends on the top/back of the neck, making sure it’s not too tight.
The Roll Tie
- Again, fold the bandana so as to form a triangle.
- Then roll it up into a band about an inch or two wide.
- Place it around your dog’s neck.
- Tie the loose ends together either on the top or the bottom of the neck.
- The look you’re going for will determine the exact position on the neck and whether the knotted ends are above or below the neck.
Cape Fashion
This is basically the cowboy knot inverted.
- Fold the bandana to form a large triangle.
- This time, place the point of the triangle on the top (back) of your dog’s neck.
- Tie the loose ends under the throat, again loose enough so that you can easily get a couple of fingers under the tied bandana.
Additional Considerations When Dressing Up Your Dog
In addition to sizing, selecting the pattern that best complements your dog’s appearance, and choosing the appropriate signaling color, you also need to consider a few other things . . .
- 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.
- Colors/Patterns/Prints – Finally, you have to decide what colors and what patterns/prints will best suit your pup’s personality and your taste, as well as what will best serve the practical applications. (This is included again because it’s so critical.)
(Adapted from “All About Dog Bandanas.”)
And Always Have Fun and Be Creative
At the end of the day, the most important thing is just to have fun. Don’t obsess over selecting the perfect bandana. Give several a try and see which ones suit your pooch best.
And you can get creative too. Consider ordering your dog bandanas from a company that offers custom printing. That way, you can personalize the bandanas, and your creativity will be limited only by the scope of your imagination.
Where to Get Quality, Affordable Animal-Print Bandanas
Do you want your furry family members to be fashionable and safe?
Then you should go to the animal-print 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. You can get more information about us here.
