Fun Ideas For Pet Halloween Costumes

Halloween has traditionally been a night for parents taking their children trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. I’ve noticed several folks accompanying their children have their dog on a leash as they walk through the neighborhood, and some of them have dressed up their canine companions in some pretty cute Halloween costumes. Makes sense. Why not let Fido join in on the festive fun? Or Fifi, if the cat has any interest in your plans.

Choosing a Costume

If you’re trying to come up with fun ideas for Fido’s costume, you’ll need to do some brainstorming. Consider what the kids will be wearing and see if there’s a way to incorporate a theme. If your toddler is a lion, perhaps your dog could be a lion, too.

Or think of pairs . . . how cute if you have Batman and Robin, Beauty and the Beast, Elliot and E.T., or Bo Peep and one of her sheep. Your dog doesn’t have to wear every bit of the character’s outfit for people to get the idea. If Fido is Batman, his human sidekick can handle the mask.

And if you’ve got an amenable cat, a witch and her cat makes perfectly good sense, especially if the cat is black. You wear the hat and carry the broom. Fifi already has her part covered.

Or Alice and the Cheshire Cat, Gargamel and Azrael, or Lady Tremaine and Lucifer. If you’re not into evil villains and their cats, perhaps Odie and Garfield or Pooh and Tigger. The people can do most of the dressing up. A cat reclining beside Alice is still very much a cat in the picture, even without the pink stripes.

Think of something cute and clever for your dog’s breed or your cat’s color. A taco Chihuahua or a black cat bat might get you started. For a whole family, how about a woodland bunch? A little mushroom, a fox, and a dog dressed as a bumble bee could make quite a picture. Or put together a diner crew with aprons and paper hats for the people and a hot dog costume for Fido. Somebody has to be lunch.

Buying a Costume

You can find pet costumes at many of the big box stores and pet stores, as well as online. Amazon can be a place to start looking for ideas, and Chewy’s Halloween costume collection has options for dogs and cats. The choices for dog costumes are pretty amazing. Lions and princesses, cows and devils, and dogs dressed as hot dogs. Somebody has thought of almost everything.

The trickiest part of picking out a Halloween costume for your pet is getting the right size and a comfortable fit that doesn’t cause your dog or cat any grief. Check the measurements for that particular outfit. A small in one costume may not fit like a small in another, and a photo of a dog who looks like yours won’t settle it.

Your pet needs to be able to walk, see, breathe, and bark or meow normally. Look for anything that might catch, twist, or rub, along with small pieces they could chew off.

Making a Costume

You can also get creative and come up with your own homemade costume. Things you already have around the house may come in handy, and a bit of simple sewing can go a long way. Start with something your pet already wears comfortably, such as a well-fitting shirt or bandana, and keep the additions simple.

Save the hats, headbands, and leftover luau lei for the people if your pet objects to them. Keep loose string, glue, and small decorations out of reach while you work, and check the finished outfit for anything that could be swallowed, snagged, or pulled loose. Homemade costumes need the same fit and movement checks as store-bought ones.

You can make the human half of the costume, too. A bonnet and shepherd’s staff for Bo Peep, a little woolly outfit for her four-legged sheep. Elliot can stand beside a bicycle while E.T. keeps all four paws on the ground. A basket ride isn’t required to make the reference work. A backdrop can do some of the work, too. A cardboard castle behind your princess and her four-legged dragon may be all the scenery you need.

While the possibilities may seem endless, simplicity is important if you expect your dog or cat to sport a DIY costume for very long. You want to spend Halloween enjoying the result, not chasing Fido around to put his hat back on.

Getting Your Pet to Actually Wear a Costume

Don’t just assume your furry friend will be fine with the costume you’ve picked out. Check the return policy before buying, and try the outfit before the big day, in a quiet setting, while you still have time to change your plans.

If your pet is comfortable with the outfit, keep the first fitting brief and watch how they move. If they freeze, hide, struggle to get out, or keep pawing at it, take it off. Practicing is a chance to find out whether the costume works for your pet. It isn’t a project to make them put up with it.

And if you’re expecting your toddler to wear a hat when they’ve never worn one before, it’s a good idea to try that ahead of time, too. A cute idea can quickly turn into frustration if your child is pitching a fit over a costume while your pet is pawing at and wiggling out of theirs. Make sure everyone is happy and content, safe and comfortable. Otherwise, it’s just not worth it.

Stay with your pet while they wear the costume, and take it off when the pictures or activities are over. If you do take your dog trick-or-treating, keep them securely leashed with identification, and choose the outing based on how they handle crowds and unfamiliar sights. Leave the neighborhood tour to the people if your pet would rather stay home.

With a little creativity and some planning, your costumes just might impress the neighbors or the judges at a costume contest. Either way, make sure you take pictures for the photo album. Fifi can supervise from her usual spot.

For the candy, doorbell commotion, decorations, and morning-after cleanup, see Halloween Can Be Scary for Pets.