July 4th dog costumes: Furry friends show pride from patriotic capes to dresses & bandanas

If you like to dress your dog up in red, white and blue, raise your paw.

As July Fourth approaches, it's an opportunity to extend your patriotism to your four-legged friends via a patriotic pet costume. The red-white-and-blue-pride could vary from super simple, think a star-spangled bandana, to an elaborate, fancy stars-and-stripes costume.

Barkloom, a site for dog owners, offers a pro tip if people in Florida dress their dogs in July Fourth apparel: "If you spray your bandana with cold water, it will help to protect your pup from the sun and keep the cool."

And if you're bringing your dog to an Independence Day parade in your town, "prepare tasty organic dog treats or frozen treats or ice water to keep your pup cool and hydrated." With the hot summer weather in the Sunshine State, it's important to keep your pets cool and hydrated. Frozen treats are one way to do this.

Below is a photo gallery of patriotic pet costumes compiled from archive coverage from the USA TODAY Network-Florida.

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 4th of July pet costumes: Patriotic dog outfits for Independence Day