Let's be honest, when you see people walking around with their cute little dog in a purse or tucked under their arm it's not about loving their dog so much they have to take it everywhere they go. The dog is being used as an accessory.
It might be that this trend is on its way out after all the bad publicity generated as a result of people like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears being criticized for using their pets as accessories. The dogs are cute but seriously accessorizing with your pet is in bad taste.