Before I had my son (who is now a big, rambunctious 5-year-old), there was a pup named Shane. My roommate and I adopted him from a shelter way in Brooklyn after visiting a gazillion shelters and trying to find the perfect dog for us. As soon as we saw Shane, a sprightly Miniature Poodle mix (we're not sure what he was mixed with, but we threw out everything from Doberman to Scottish Terrier back in the day), we knew he was OUR dog.
I was 22, but my maternal instincts were already in full swing, and I literally treated Shane like a baby (to the point, where looking back, it was slightly psychotic). I mean, I carried this dog with me everywhere (and, btw, at 17 pounds, he wasn't the lightest load) — and I did so in a houndstooth Puchi Bag ('cause why shouldn't he travel in style, right?). Shane had his own toy box, all kinds of outfits (my roommate was actually jealous of his lime-green-and-orange crewneck pullover sweater), and even some designer treats (in truth, he ate waaay better than we did). That scrappy dog was my loyal companion for many years — but Shane wasn't used to sharing my attention and when I moved in with my then-boyfriend (who later became the father of my child), Shane channeled his anger in not-so-subtle ways. He destroyed furniture. He scratched a hole through a door. He'd even climb on the bed at night and bite my BF's foot for no particular reason. Shane got even angrier once my son arrived. When he wasn't hiding under the bed sulking, he was growling, barking, showing his teeth angrily, and trying to climb atop the baby's bassinet. Eventually, it got to the point where I was left with no choice but to send Shane off to one of my friends. I was devastated, but I knew it had to be done. Since then, I haven't gotten another dog — maybe because I just can't imagine loving a dog as much as Shane... Truth be told, I still do a double-take every time I see an off-white poodle in the street, hoping I might have some Lassie-esque reunion with my old buddy...
The point of my long-winded story is simply this: all you dog owners who pamper your pets and play dress-up with them and just adore them the way you would a child, I GET it. Like I said, as much as I may crack jokes, it wasn't so long-ago that I was making some space on my closet shelf for Shane's raincoat.
So, if you want to bless your pup with some accessories of her very own, look no further than these adorable Mimi Green crochet flowers, which can be worn with most dog collars but look particularly funky when paired with Mimi Green's own colorful designs. The crochet collar flowers are handmade using 100% cotton yarn and, on the back, they feature a ribbon-like strip with a velcro patch, which allows you to loop tem onto your dog's collar and then close securely with the velcro tab.
The flowers are available in numerous colors including lemon lime, bubblegum pink, candy apple red, and salt water taffy blue. You can buy them individually or, if you want your pooch to have options so she can color-coordinate with her ensembles, you can opt for the 4 Flower Bouquet (pictured at top), which includes four crochet flowers (you can choose which colors you prefer).
Hey, who said your dog can't have a little Flower Child in her?
Mimi Green Collar Flowers, $11.95 each; Mimi Green 4 Flower Bouquet, $39.95; Mimi Green Collars, $28.95 each. Visit ShopMimiGreen.com
