Dog Breed Shirts from Inkopious

I've always been a dog lover, but I didn't always think I was in the market for a breed-specific dog item. However, in February of 2020, I splurged.

The dog I grew up with, Trixie, was a mutt and a rescue dog in the truest sense. My three older brothers and a cousin found her while hiking at Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, New Jersey. She had been abandoned in the park land and was surviving off of acorns and whatever else she could forage. My brothers took to her, but it was my mother who couldn't resist her when the time came for her to pick up the boys. Trixie came home with us and became our doggy. We never learned what mix she was, but our vet suggested she was a mix of cocker spaniel and fox terrier.

However, in the past few years, I have done odd jobs, walking and caring for a variety of canine companions, including many purebreds. I began to have an affection towards particular dogs and the breeds they represented. Soon, my Facebook page was filled with photos of the cuties, and my Facebook feed was filled with ads targeted towards dog lovers.

In February of 2020, shortly before the coronavirus pandemic started and half the world, it seemed, was in lockdown, an ad from Inkopious showed up in my Facebook feed with a Valentine's Day promotion.

The printed designs on these Valentine shirts featured various breeds wearing heart-framed glasses with hearts floating above their heads. I gave in and purchased two sweatshirts in two different colors, dusty rose and sage, featuring breeds that represented, for me, two dogs for which I was caring regularly. I was wanting some warm and very casual tops, and these seemed perfect for wearing while walking and playing with my canine friends. They also served as personal reminders of two special dogs.

My doggy inspirations for these purchases share a name with alternate spellings. Roxie, the English springer spaniel, is a spunky, agile, goofy, affectionate dog. I can remember one occasion when I was sitting for her and lying down on the right side of a queen sized bed. Roxie stood on the floor to the left of the bed, perhaps a foot away from the edge. In what seemed like one giant leap, she was not only on top of the bed but flopped up against me. I thought, "So, this is why it's called a springer spaniel!"

Roxy, the soft coated wheaten terrier, is an affectionate, friendly creature, curious about all living things and a friend to humans and dogs alike. She's known to do the "wheaten greetin'," jumping up and, sometimes, giving kisses.

Around February of 2020, shortly before I purchased the shirts, Roxy was recovering from spaying surgery and was forced for a while to wear the "cone of shame." When her recovery was past, her owners allowed her to play with the cone in the yard. In a memorable moment, captured in the video above, she raced around with the cone on her face, in a kind of doggy equivalent of dancing with a lampshade on the head.

I like my Inkopious shirts. The fleece is very soft and warm, and the printed designs have a lot of appeal. I think the heart theme made them extra sweet. The only downsides are that, after a year, the springer spaniel shirt became quite pilly, and, also, the design didn't print with quite as much contrast on the dusty rose color as opposed to the sage. The wheaten pattern pops against the green background much better.

I can probably resolve the pilly issue with a device made for shaving the pills off of fabric. I tried using my Flawless brand epilator on the shirt, but I don't think I have discovered a genius life hack. I would say that method was semi-effective, but it would also be painstaking to use this tiny device to go over the whole area where it's needed. Still, the green shirt is free of pills. It may be only this particular fleece that is prone to pilling. The dog designs can be printed on a variety of fleece and T-shirt knit options, so this issue would not prevent me from purchasing again from Inkopious.

The exact options I purchased last year do not seem to be available anymore, but there are still some very similar options for sale.

You can purchase the same sweatshirt in dusty rose featuring Quincy the springer spaniel in the design above or with added aviator glasses or Santa hat, just not the heart glasses.

You can also purchase the heart design on some different shirt options, including short and long sleeved T-shirts and a French terry hooded sweatshirt in gray.

These two particular breeds are not the only design options for shirts either. The full list of options includes everything from Affenpinschers to Yorkshire terriers and even designer breeds like Aussiedoodles and puggles.

One of many other dog design options is the hoodie above featuring Brandy the Cavalier King Charles spaniel.

A few cat and bird breeds are also included, but there doesn't seem to be quite as many choices here yet.

Greta the calico cat is available in a St. Patrick's design, with an assortment of other costumes and props as well as without any. You can find this kitty with a Santa hat, bunny ears or patriotic sunglasses for instance.

I've also noticed that for both breeds of my choice, there are now several doggy models. In addition to Quincy the English springer spaniel, there is also Maggie, Ever and Wilbur, each with a distinctive look. Chester the wheaten terrier is now joined by Niles. The nice thing about this added variety is that one of these models might more closely resemble the special dog in your life.

Over all, I would recommend Inkopious for pet and animal lovers of all sorts.