Dog clothes for summer: what to put on your dog when it gets hot

Every time the temperature goes up I get the same messages at the shop: “Mar, I feel weird putting clothes on my dog in this heat, but the other day his belly got sunburnt on the terrace… what do I do?”. The question about dog clothes for summer is a fair one and there is no easy answer. I’ll tell you what I tell whoever walks up to the counter with that same look. Let’s go.

Do dogs need clothes in summer? The honest answer

When should I put clothes on my dog in summer — that is the question. And I’ll start with the truth: most dogs don’t need clothes in summer. If your dog has medium or long hair, in good shape, is healthy and doesn’t go out at the worst hours of the day, don’t put anything extra on. Their coat insulates them, their pads do their job and, if you protect them well with cool-hour walks and shade, they’re covered.

That said: there are dogs and situations where summer dog clothes (a light t-shirt, a cotton body, a sun-protective garment) do make sense, and a lot. Not for the aesthetics, for the need. If you put a t-shirt on your dog because you think it’s cute and they wear it perfectly happy, fine. But if the question is “will this cool him down or make it worse?”, the short answer is: in summer, dog clothing doesn’t cool, what it does is shield from the sun and insulate from hot pavement. That’s what matters.

The reason many people think “if he wears clothes he’ll be hotter” is human logic applied to a dog. To us, an extra layer of fabric raises perceived temperature. For a short-haired or hairless dog, a light cotton t-shirt actually lowers direct solar radiation on the skin, just like a light shirt does for a person at the beach. The key is in the material and the time of day.

Breeds that do benefit from summer clothing

There are dogs that need clothes in summer and it’s not about size, it’s about skin type and life stage. These are the three profiles I see most often at the shop buying lightweight summer clothing.

Very short-haired or hairless dogs

Here’s the clearest case. Bull terrier, pinscher, almost-hairless Ibizan hound, Chinese crested, xoloitzcuintle, dalmatian… that whole family has skin exposed to the sun with practically no natural barrier. And a dog’s skin, just like ours, burns. A light cotton or linen t-shirt, sleeveless, saves them sunburn on belly, back and ears (the most exposed areas).

For these dogs I also recommend, alongside the t-shirt, a dog-specific sunscreen on the areas the clothing doesn’t cover (nose, ear tips, paw pads). Human sunscreen is not OK: it stings, they can lick it and the ingredients aren’t safe for them.

Senior dogs with reduced mobility

A senior dog that no longer moves on its own or spends many hours lying in the same spot burns easily by contact. If they live in a house with hot floors or like lying on the terrace, a light cotton t-shirt helps them not burn their belly, which is the thinnest area and where the floor presses. And, on very thin elderly dogs, a thin layer also protects them from strong air conditioning (that’s another one: max-AC is worse for many senior dogs than the heat itself).

My advice here: very light fabric, no tight elastics, and quick on/off in 10 seconds. We don’t want to fight with the senior dog to get them dressed.

Puppies in their first months

The puppy is still finishing developing their coat and their thermoregulation. Their skin is thinner, more reactive to sun and rubbing. A puppy that’s going to spend the day on the terrace or at the beach with the family is a perfect candidate for a lightweight cotton t-shirt while the sun is strong.

If the puppy is a large breed and going to grow a lot, don’t buy expensive clothing: they’ll outgrow it in weeks. A basic t-shirt that does its job during these months is better.

What type of clothing to choose for the heat: materials and designs

If after reading everything you decide your dog does need clothes this summer, this is what to look for (and what I see people getting wrong):

• Natural cotton, linen or breathable technical fabrics. No middle ground. Pure polyester or nylon in summer are a bad idea: they don’t breathe, they retain sweat (the pads, remember) and, worst of all, they heat up in the sun like an oven. Cotton, always.
• Sleeveless or with very short sleeves. Summer clothing that actually works covers back and belly, leaving legs and armpits free. That protects from sun where it’s needed and lets the rest breathe. A long-sleeve t-shirt in August is the opposite of what they need.
• Light colours rather than dark. Dark navy or black in the sun absorbs heat. White, beige, light grey or pale pink reflects. If your dog will be in the sun a long time, white whenever possible.
• Loose but not flapping fit. The clothing should go on and off without pulling on legs, but it shouldn’t be so big it rolls up or hangs off. Always measure before buying (chest girth and back length), don’t rely on weight alone.
• Machine washable. In summer clothes get three times as dirty: sand, grass, water, salt. If it can’t go in the washing machine, don’t buy it. Period.

What you should never put on your dog in summer

This section is the most important to me. What I see every week in July and August at the shop:

• Hoodies, jumpers or coats. However obvious it sounds, somebody always puts a hoodie on the dog “because it’s cute” and doesn’t connect that it’s 32 degrees. That’s heat-stroke territory.
• Synthetic dark polyester in the sun. It multiplies the temperature. If you want colour in summer, light cotton.
• Closed fabric booties all day. To protect from hot tarmac, booties make sense for the walk — but take them off when you get home. If they wear them all day, they sweat inside and pad problems appear.
• Hats and caps they can’t shake off. A visor for a photoshoot is one thing, but no dog should wear a hat “protecting from the sun” the whole walk. It usually annoys them and blocks their side vision. To protect from the sun: cool-hour walks and shade.
• Clothes with studs, sequins or hard bits. In the sun they heat up and can burn their back. And they rip them off with their teeth in five minutes.

Our pick of summer clothing at Mascoboutique

At Mascoboutique we back Milk & Pepper as our reference brand for lightweight small-dog clothing. Sleeveless t-shirts, pleasant cotton, prints that don’t age badly and a fit that works on yorkies, bichons, toy poodles and the like. These are the three that fly out in summer.

• Camiseta Yoan. By Milk & Pepper, in navy with an embroidered backpack on the back. Sleeveless, lightly stretchy cotton that adapts to the dog’s shape without pinching. The one I sell most to clients with a yorkie or a dachshund: it looks great and is easy to put on. €29.90.
• Camiseta Azumi. Also Milk & Pepper, in pink with a rainbow and a message on the back. The cheeriest option: I recommend it for dogs heading off on holiday with the family or for summer photos. Same sleeveless cut and the same pleasant cotton. €29.90.

• Camiseta Solena. The most “sailor” of the three: white with navy stripes, sleeveless, stretchy cotton. My go-to t-shirt for clients who want it for beach trips or seafront cafés (as long as the beach allows dogs, of course). Light colour, breezy and it looks great on any small dog. €26.90.

All three are machine washable on a low cycle, come in several sizes (check the size guide on each product page) and they’re the ones I see come and go from the shop every summer. If you want more options, pop into our dog t-shirts section or into the general clothing category where you’ll also find bodies, polos and other lightweight pieces.

In short

To not get it wrong with your dog’s clothing this summer:

• Most dogs don’t need clothing in summer. The most important protection is cool-hour walks, shade and water, not fabric.
• If your dog has very short hair or is hairless, is a senior with reduced mobility, or a puppy in their first months, a light cotton t-shirt helps more than you’d think.
• Material: cotton or linen, sleeveless, light colour, loose but not flapping, machine washable. Never dark polyester in the sun.
• No hoodies, coats, all-day booties, awkward hats or studs that heat up.
• If you need a starting point, the Milk & Pepper t-shirts (Yoan, Azumi or Solena) are our main pick for summer clothing for small dogs.

And if you’re interested in dog care in summer beyond clothing (heatstroke, walks, dog-friendly beaches), I recommend our article Summer with your dog: what you can’t forget, where we cover it in depth.

And if you still have doubts about size or whether your dog is one of those that does or doesn’t, message us on WhatsApp or pop by the shop. Dressing a dog well isn’t about putting clothes on them: it’s about putting on just the right thing, at just the right time, in just the right material.

About the author

Mar is the founder of Mascoboutique. What began as an idea to dress and equip her own dog grew, over the years, into a reference boutique in Madrid for families with dogs. Every t-shirt, harness or lead that comes into the shop passes through her hands first: she tests the materials, looks at the stitching and pictures the dog that will wear it. That old-school shopkeeper’s eye is what she also applies to the blog: here we don’t recommend what sells best, we recommend what she would put on her own dog.