Get Your Best Friend Ready for a Night of Terrors
Halloween—or Howl-O-Ween—has gone to the dogs. Make sure yours has the perfect costume.
Halloween is just around the corner, and that means that the time to find the perfect costume is right now. If you have been holding off on finding the perfect costume for your teeny tiny fluffy friend, it’s time to get moving. You want to make sure that you find the best possible costume so it can arrive just in time for this spooky holiday. Who doesn’t love cute puppies in Halloween costumes?
In this post, we’re going to dive right into what you need to know when shopping for Halloween costumes for your dog (with some added tips for small dogs). Don’t worry—this one is going to be a real scream.
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Dressing Your Furbaby Up for Halloween
Pawrents are always wondering what they can do to make their time with their dogs even more special. Already, so many dog lovers are making moves to incorporate their favorite fluffy friends right into their favorite holidays—and let’s face it, is any holiday better than Halloween?
Halloween is the perfect holiday to share with your dog—if you know how to make sure they enjoy it. Remember, as fun as Halloween might be, it can be a stressful time for dogs. New people, loud noises, and all kinds of people wearing funny (and scary) costumes. What’s the best way to combat this? By giving your dog a costume of their very own. On Halloween, small dogs can show off some big spooky energy—and it all starts with a costume.
Dog Costume Sizes: What You Need to Know
Shopping for dog costumes is a practice that pet parents must master throughout the years if they plan to have their pup dress up too. On your first Halloween with your dog, you might not know where to start. Don’t worry, you would not be the first pet parent to look at the Halloween options for dogs and think am I missing something here? The truth is that shopping for costumes for your dog can sometimes be more difficult than shopping for human costumes sometimes!
Fabric
When shopping for dog clothing, it is tempting to just focus on the look—but think about when you shop for yourself. Chances are that you probably want something that is comfortable and moves well. The fabric used to make your dog’s costume can have a huge and lasting impact on their comfort throughout the night. To avoid tempting your dog to gnaw the costume off, make sure you get them something comfy!
Fabric can influence the fit of your dog’s costumes in a big way—especially if you go for something that is only available in one size. The best fabric for dog costumes should be comfortable and easy to move in, but when it comes to size, your big focus should be on how well it stretches. Stretchiness can influence the fit of the costume quite a bit.
How to Measure Your Dog for Clothing
Just like with human clothes, dog clothing and costumes tend to come with certain measurement recommendations for different sizes. Finding the right measurements for your pup is important and will help you to land the perfect size that first time around. You can follow our measurements guide on how to find the perfect fit for your pup here. It can help a lot to follow the guide provided by the manufacturer of your dog’s costume. Then, they’ll be ready to enjoy their costumes and have a great time!
Picking the Perfect Costumes for Your Dog
The right costume can define your dog’s legacy for years to come. Let’s be honest, you are going to have those pictures all over your Instagram, which means you want something that looks great on your pup. For the Halloween season, you always want to get creative. Consider the following questions before you make your decision.
What’s Your Dog’s Vibe?
Every single dog is a unique and magical work of art, and they’re personalities can be as diverse as snowflakes are! This is why it is crucial to consider your dog’s overall vibe when choosing a costume. Think about how you shop for costumes. Chances are you don’t just want any old thing. You want something that suits you—and your dog deserves the same.
Deciding on your dog’s vibe means looking at a few specific factors. What does your dog look like? Do they have pointy ears that would make them the world’s cutest sheet ghost? Are they intimidating enough to pull off a zombie look? Are they just plain adorable and ready to look even cuter? Beyond look, consider their attitude. Some costumes are totally not friendly for dogs that have the zoomies, but some can be amazing for keeping small dogs warm. Consider all of this while you shop.
What Will Your Dog Be Comfortable in?
Comfort is a huge area of concern when costume shopping. How many of us have ended up miserable because the costume that we chose looked great but didn’t feel great? You want to make sure that your pup is comfortable. If they love to rub up on people, don’t get them something with giant wings. If they like to lay down, don’t get them something with a large front piece. Make sure you pick something that your dog can enjoy.
What Are You Wearing?
It is easy to get swept up in the glitz and the glamour of the dog costume world—but don’t get carried away before thinking about what you are wearing. Every Halloween, dog parents around the world have the unique opportunity to make the most amazing family Halloween group costume.
While you don’t have to match your dog, the truth is that it can make Halloween a lot better. We don’t make the rules—we just know that some serious magic happens in group photos where dogs are pulled in on the theme. Whether that means dressing up like a family of cowboys or a group of seaworthy pirates, you can have so much fun matching your dog on this holiday.
Choosing Costumes for Your Dog that Won’t Break the Bank
Pawrents only want the best for their pups, but it is important to remember that the best does not always mean the most expensive. No one wants to overspend on their dog costume. We want a costume that our pups will feel comfortable in and look great in too.
We highly encourage dog parents to be wise and explore their options when shopping for costumes. You don’t want to spend more on your dog’s costume than you would on your own, no matter how cute it is! Our dog costumes generally come in under $30, so feel free to use this as a reference point if you shop around!
How to Make Sure Your Dog Has a Good Experience
Halloween is a lot of fun, but sometimes it does mean taking on a little extra work. Trust us, it is well worth it to ensure that your pup is comfy all night long in their adorable costume. There are a few steps that you can take to make sure that your dog has fun no matter how you choose to celebrate.
Check Their Comfort Levels
The most important thing that you can do as a pet parent on Halloween is continuously check in with your pet. Make sure that they still seem comfortable in their costume and look for potential signs of annoyance or pain. If your dog seems tense or starts fidgeting with their costume, it might be time to let them return to their natural and fluffy glory—at least for a while.
It is important to make sure your dog stays comfortable in their costume but remember that this night comes with more potential issues than just a snug costume. Keep an eye on your pet to make sure that they are comfortable with the people and dogs around them. It also helps to consider the doorbell ringing, any loud music, or other issues that might impact the comfort of your pup.
Wash the Costumes if Needed
Not many pet parents know this, but sometimes, it really helps to wash your pet’s costume before you put it on them. Pet costumes can come with some notable smells, just from packaging and travel on their way to you. These smells, while not totally overwhelming a lot of the time for us, can be unpleasant for your pup’s sniffer and even their skin. Just like us, dog skin and fur can be sensitive to strong odors. If you can smell it, it’s probably a good idea to wash it—or at least let it air out.
When in Doubt, Size Up
Dogs come in different and unique bodies, just like us. If you have a pup that is right on the cusp of sizing up in a costume, it is generally a good idea to go with the larger size. Now, keep in mind that this can vary from one brand to the next, and that is why measurements and size guides are so important. When it comes down to it, you want your dog to be comfortable. While we might want to squeeze into something for the aesthetic, you can guarantee that your dog doesn’t.
Respect the Power of the Clothespin
Clothespins are a dog parent’s best friend on Halloween. These versatile and age-old tools have been helping humans for ages, and this is one other area where they really shine. You can use clothespins to pin your dog’s costume together and keep everything in place. This is especially helpful for accessories, or anything that might move while your dog is active. Clothespins can also help you to size down a costume if you must go with a bigger size and it isn’t a perfect fit.
Cute Small Dog Costumes—and One for Large Dogs Too
Every dog has their own unique style and needs a good costume to match. While finding the right size and getting something comfortable for your pup is important, you need something that looks great too! These are our favorite Halloween costumes for pups this year.
Cowboy Dog Costume
Perfect For
RUNNING
This adorable Cowboy Dog Costume was made to make even the smallest dog feel big. Designed with an adorable saddle and one very excited cowboy, you can transport your pup right back to the Old West. As comfortable and easy to put on as it is hilarious, this costume is an instant favorite.
Pirate Dog Costume
Ahoy Matey It's
CAPTAIN BARK
All good dog parents know that dogs just can’t get enough of the sea. You can show your dog’s water-loving and mischievous nature with this adorable Pirate Dog Costume. Made for pups who love swimming, boats, and howling sea shanties, this is one costume you will love to show off.
Tropical Bird Dog Costume
Cosy & Comfy
FELT CLOTH FABRIC
Dogs are dogs year-round, and sometimes they like to shake things up. This vibrant and colorful Tropical Bird Costume is perfect for helping your dog play pretend for the night. While they might not be able to fly, they will love showing off all night long in this cute costume. This is for dogs that really want to stand out on Halloween.
Crocodile Dog Costume (for Big Dogs)
Fiercely Guard
YOUR HOME
After ten months of being good boys and girls, some dogs like to be a little scary. What could possibly be scarier than a crocodile lurking beneath the surface of the water? This fun and cozy Crocodile Dog Costume is perfect for helping your dog to play the role of seriously cute predator for this one night of fun.
The Takeaway
Halloween can be a stressful night for dogs, but with a little extra love and care from their dog parents, it doesn’t have to be. On this night, make sure that your dog isn’t scared and is enjoying themselves as much as they can. To make the most of it, find them a cozy costume that is guaranteed to get them plenty of pets from anyone that sees them (if they like that, of course)—and don’t forget to make them a little treat bag of their own!
Until next time, thank you for reading!
About the author: Gabrielle is the loving pawrent to adorable pups Willow and Dilla. Growing up surrounded by dogs, she always dreamt of having her own. Willow and Dilla came into her life and changed everything. Now, she's crazy about pampered pooches, and her perfect day involves dancing with her husband, dressing up her furbabies, and cuddling them to sleep. For Gabrielle, life is all about spreading love and joy with her adorable canine companions by her side.
