What the Well-Dressed Dog Is Wearing

I’ll bet you thought those expensive and wildly inappropriate outfits for dogs were distinctively, characteristically, and embarrassingly American. I certainly did. Well, as it turns out, like so much else the Chinese made them first:

While President Barack Obama has Bo and Sunny, and President George W. Bush had Barney and Miss Beazley, a newly published tale of a dog that lived in China’s Forbidden City more than a century ago reveals this pup’s lifestyle easily outdid that of any presidential pooch.

The royal dog named Big Luck (in translation) had a silk outfit, specially tailored, that covered the dog from snout to tail, the researchers revealed for the first time in a book. Although the dog’s breed is unknown, and the sex is uncertain, it appears to have been about 3 feet (1 meter) long and the outfit was decorated with images of peonies. It even has the dog’s name inscribed on the lining. It was created during the reign of the Guangxu emperor (A.D. 1875-1908).

The silk robe is pictured above. Stylish but not practical.

1 comment… add one
  • michael reynolds Link

    Okay, now we have a good reason to nuke China.

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