Matching dog-owner Christmas sweaters take ugly to a new level

The ugly sweater trend has hit the canine world, with predictably hideous results.

Seeing a niche in the market, Brent Poulton and his wife started producing ugly Christmas dog sweaters last year for their Chilliwack pet store.

But Brent says “it just didn’t feel fair” that owners couldn’t have a matching human version to go with it.

“After all, if you are getting an ugly Christmas sweater for your dog, you should really get one too,” he tells Vancity Buzz.

It’s a concept that’s catching on. The Poultons came out with five sweaters under the Funky Tails line in 2014 – this year they have expanded to nine styles.

Well… if you can call them styles. There is the “Time for Treats,” which features a hungry dog chasing a one-armed gingerbread man, and the “Turdogen,” a dog with his head stuck inside a turkey.

Perhaps the crowning piece in the collection is “Dog Peeing under Christmas Tree,” which needs no explanation.

“The Dog Humping Snowman is also always a hit,” Brent says.

The sweaters are sold at specialty retailers in B.C., Alberta and Ontario, as well as on the Funky Tails website.

There are seven sizes for dogs and five for humans. Adult sweaters start at $50 USD, while the canine versions start at $20 USD, and increase in price with the size of the animal.

If you’re not a big Christmas fan, there are also Easter sweaters, and the Poultons are consider rolling out Thanksgiving clothes next year too.

Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for the latest designs.  And tweet me with your own canine ugly sweater pics!