Why Don’t Dogs Have Belly Buttons?
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could dress your dog, just like the puppies and kittens, and make him/her “doggie fashion”, instead of having those silly looking belly buttons? Unfortunately, it is just not possible to give a dog a coat or any type of body makeup. In fact, many animal shelters refuse to even consider adopting out older dogs with “undone” belly buttons because they consider them unsanitary. Believe me when I say that a dog with a belly button is far more comfortable walking around on his/her back.
It’s not that I dislike dressing dogs. What I do object to is someone trying to force a dog to wear a shirt or skirt. The natural order of nature intended that the dog’s belly should hold food and water. This has not been altered. Therefore, it is not appropriate for a dog to have a belly scarf, headband, or anything else attached to their body, which is nothing but a piece of jewelry.
The reason that I object to these types of accessories for dogs is that it is in violation of the dog’s right to privacy. A dog’s navel is his private space. It is his castle. If you take away that space, you are invading his private world. If you insist that your dog wears a belly button collar, scarf, or any other odd fashion accessory, you are telling him that you do not care about his feelings and that you will simply attach whatever you decide to attach to his body to his “castle”.
Perhaps some people wonder if it is bad to dress up your dog, to make him “fashion correct”. After all, it is your dog’s fashion. After all, if your pooch was a human being, would you think it strange to dress up that overweight cat to look like a cute Barbie doll? I think not.
To start with, dogs have a different kind of body chemistry than humans. You see, dogs have a lower metabolism, and it is much easier for them to maintain a steady temperature by shedding. When a dog has to stand still for a long time and doesn’t get to freely breathe, that coat of fur can get really dry and can easily be damaged. In addition, the oils produced by dogs can be very thick and can easily get caught in fabric or other items of clothing.
Also, some dogs have a tendency to “go gay” when they are uncomfortable or in pain. If a dog gets hot or cold and starts rubbing his belly button, that is one sure sign that he is feeling discomfort. If you don’t let him out of his cage to relieve himself, that is also an indication that he may be “acting out”.
In addition to these problems with dogs having an uncontrollable urge to relieve themselves, they also have problems dressing up. There is nothing more irritating than a pooch that won’t get dressed for the day. Why don’t dogs get dressed? It’s probably because they don’t have a button in the first place! The button goes down because the skin on their stomachs becomes too sensitive when they don’t have a regular supply of bathroom breaks. This could be a big problem if your dog were to get loose and chase down some guests at your party, or if you were to find a hair or a toy in his mouth after a meal.
Another reason that dogs don’t have buttons is because the nerve endings on their stomachs aren’t located near enough to their rectum to create a soft landing. That’s why you will often find dogs whimpering in pain when you rub their belly button. They are not in pain, but they want you to take care of them, which means rubbing their button. It’s easy to understand why people insist that a dog has to have a button, because it would make their life much easier.