Two Pitties in the City has said before that dog rescue is a lot like dating. For example, Petfinder is a lot like an online dating site and adoption events are like speed dating. Because there are so many other dogs to compete with for attention, you have to dress up to attract potential suitors. Ginger has learned this all too well…after almost 6 weeks with little to no attention at the adoption events, we decided to doll her up up a bit to increase her chances of finding her One.
I found an adorable 2t tutu at Target for $6.99 and her “collar” is actually a toddler headband, also from Target ($3.99)! Turk completely approved of her outfit – anything to get her adopted and out of his hair!
Once we got to the adoption event, one of the Petsmart managers insisted we add a pair of cute fairy wings ($5.99) to complete Ginger’s look.
The response at the adoption event was INSANE! I had barely walked two feet into the store and Ginger was already swarmed with little kids wanting to pet her. A very sweet couple even talked to me for quite awhile and mentioned that they had several friends who were interested in adopting their own pit bulls after meeting their two rescued pitties. They took a card with Ginger’s info and promised me they would do their best to spread the word about her. People like them give me hope that Ginger’s forever home is out there!
Many asked me why I dressed up a boy dog like a ballerina. Because pit bulls can ONLY be boys. This is how Ginger felt about people mistaking her for a boy…
So we learned our lesson: cute outfits make Ginger one popular pittie princess! We’ll continue to dress her up from now own to help her stand out from all the yappy puppies that seem to get all the attention!
What do you do to make your dogs (foster or forever pup) stand out?
Our Waldo Bungie 
13 comments
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August 22, 2011 at 9:54 AM
Nancy Black
She looks adorable and you just may have found the right combo to find her a new family. Thanks for the advice. We just got our first foster ( a jack Russell from a puppy mill) and I will use your ideas when it’s time to get out there and find her forever home. After all one has to use any trick one can to tip the hand in one’s favor, right?
August 22, 2011 at 10:00 AM
Emily
Let me know how it works for you once you get your JRT out there! A couple other pups at the event were wearing shirts and they really did seem to get more attention – whatever works! We’re not above cheap tricks to get our foster babies noticed!
August 22, 2011 at 10:17 AM
kate
She’s so cute!
August 22, 2011 at 10:32 AM
Pauley James
We do the same; girls dressed in tutus & boys in ties. We have not tried fairy wings yet. Hoping Ginger meets her family soon 🙂
August 22, 2011 at 10:41 AM
Aleksandra
what a great strategy. i normally cringe when i think of princess gear, but for dog adoptions, it’s such a great idea 🙂
August 22, 2011 at 4:12 PM
brooke & darwin
thats so cute! I think Darwin may be a ballerina for Halloween this year!
August 22, 2011 at 7:33 PM
Crystal K. Wiebe
I wish we could do that for our foster pup. Unfortunately, we have discovered that he is just too uncomfortable at adoption events, period, and his discomfort can come out as anxious aggression. So, we have to keep working to socialize him and find him the perfect, patient forever owner via other methods. (His “Adopt Me” vest works well on walks.)
August 22, 2011 at 7:40 PM
Emily
Well, you have to do what works for your foster! It’s good that you have found ways to make it work for you!
August 23, 2011 at 2:57 PM
Kristine
I love the fancy costume! She looks awesome and doesn’t even seem to mind the princess look. Whatever gets the people crowding around, right? I hope the day will turn out to be even more successful than you know! Who can resist that tongue?
My dog stands out all on her own. She is the one leaping over tall buildings to steal your sandwich. 😛
August 23, 2011 at 2:59 PM
Emily
Steal my sandwich?!?! Ginger would do the same thing, if I gave her the opportunity – that girl LOVES her food! And no, she doesn’t mind being dressed up at all – like Two Pitties in the City’s Ms. M, Ginger will stop at nothing to get attention from humans, even if it means dressing up! 🙂
August 23, 2011 at 4:14 PM
Two Pitties in the City
Yes, it’s amazing how much attention you can generate from a little tutu, which I’m not beyond doing if it’s for a good cause or to find our foster a home. And she looks so pretty!
August 26, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Two Grad Students and a Pittie
Pretty Pretty Princess!
August 26, 2011 at 2:00 PM
Kirsten
Holy moly! You brought her to an adoption event in that outfit? What a great idea!
I just got my big bully foster boy Fozzie a pink bandana, but a tutu and wings would be even better!
Kirsten
http://peacefuldog.blogspot.com/