If dogs were really meant to dress, there’d be a store called “Bloomingdog’s.”

But there’s no denying that some days are cold, even in California, and a small dog needs an extra layer.

The first time I tried to put a coat on Joey, he froze and wouldn’t walk. It was like a horse blanket made of stiff fabric. I decided it was hopeless.

Dressing up your dog in knits

Then I got into knitting. What better project than a dog sweater? It’s small; it’s fun and doesn’t take a lot of time. You don’t need a lot of yarn but there’s still enough challenges to keep it interesting.

Even so, I was a little wary of going to all that trouble only to have another bout of clothing paralysis. I decided to buy a cheap sweater and see if the flexibility of the knit would make him happier.

I found a simple shaded blue knit sweater that harmonized nicely with Joey’s blue collar. It cost less than $10. If it didn’t work, my bank account hadn’t been ransomed.

I got it on him will relatively little fuss. He moved happily in it, so we went out walking.

Girl dog sweaters vs boy dog sweaters

The first telephone pole he saw, he lifted his leg. A few moments later, the urine trickled out his left sleeve. Apparently, he had a girl dog sweater. They squat. Joey lifts and leans. Since the sweater was a long tube with sleeves on one end, it funneled waste products.

I spent a challenging hour or so altering the sweater so that it had a U-shape opening on its underside.

Joey has several sartorially spectacular friends. Jean-Pierre, true to his French heritage, always looks sporty in hoodies or anoracks.

Missy is the ultimate. Every day, she wears painted toenails and a matching scarf. She’s even trained to lay on her back with her feet in the air until her polish dries. She’s the black Chihuahua shown in her rain gear — and with her red scarf and toenails.

Make a project out of dressing up your dog and knit a dog sweater.