To be honest, I was never a dog person.

I grew up with Muslim parents, lived in a non-pet household (fish don’t really count), and a dog bit me when I was little. Everything about my face and body language reads, “Beware of dog.”

And then I moved to Toronto, and dogs were everywhere. They stood with me in elevators and sat beside me on streetcars. So I was forced to get over myself and eventually coexist and appreciate how adorable and friendly they can be. I guess you could say that I’m a semi–dog person now.

It being the pet issue, instead of featuring clothes for dogs, which would have felt a bit like a foreign subject, I thought featuring clothes with dogs would be much more fun. Besides, dogs are trending. Doggy pics fill my Facebook feed daily, and sporting a canine print on your chest is, well, kind of badass.

Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci seems to think so. He featured rottweilers on T-shirts and the fashion boys went nuts. Though you probably could have got a real dog for around the same price, wearing one seemed to make people feel nothing short of fierce, (and I hate using that word).

Here are some other ways to declare your love for pooches if you don’t want to dip into your overdraft.  True companionship aside, all of these looks would probably draw the same amount of positive attention that a real dog would.

Speaking of boxers
Vintage stores are the best spots to find animal tees. Dog tees can be harder to come by, so make sure you’re into the thrill of the hunt. I found this boxer sweatshirt, which is actually a new print on an old sweatshirt, at the Public Butter in Toronto. The good news is that they’re making multiple runs of their prints; the not-so-good news is that they make them only in smaller unisex sizes. But skinny boys know how hard it can be to find something that actually fits, so hopefully they'll find this news refreshing. Printed sweatshirts will be huge for fall, and this is a perfect piece for a cold summer night, so grab one now!

Boxer sweatshirt: $10, available at Black Market, 256 Queen St W, and The Public Butter, 1290 Queen St W

The original
Before Givenchy, Christopher Kane and Rick Owens featured furry wildlife on T-shirts, we had The Mountain tees. Ah yes, sold by the woman in mom jeans and ladies’ Reeboks at a booth at the CNE — hundreds of neatly folded T-shirts to choose from, including unicorns and wolves under a haunting moon. This is the best look for less. Though, maybe go for the dog, wolf or bear tees, and leave the bunnies and guinea pigs on the shelf.

Rottweiler tee: $20
shop.themountain.me

Put a dog on it
First came birds on women’s blouses. Now we have wiener dogs on men’s accessories. This skinny tie is a much more subtle option than being draped in rottweiler swag, and its hint of print is an exciting addition to your business-casual attire. The same goes for these greyhound-print boxer shorts, where only you (and those close enough to know what’s in your drawers) will know about your love for the speedy breed. Although, you could put it all out there and wear these as short-shorts, like I do. Woof.

Tie: $74, available at Banana Republic. bananarepublic.com; Boxer shorts: $18, available at Gap. gap.com