Pets today are often considered part of the family, and are treated as such most of the time. Halloween costumes for pets are commonplace, but they need not be common. If the pet is dressing solo or part of a group, then the size, temperament of the pet and wishes of the owners have to be taken into consideration. There should be no restriction on movement for the pet and it should be able to see and walk normally. Safety should be first and foremost on Halloween, for children, adults and pets. A few pets have no tolerance for wearing anything, especially hats, so if this is the case, then you must costume your pet simply.
There are hundreds of pet costumes to be found on the web, but many you can make or adapt yourself. If you are in a patriotic mood or perchance marching in a 4th of July parade, then an Uncle Sam costume for your dog would be a wonderful way to show your pride in the US. These are usually made of a simple bodysuit in red, white and blue, with a matching hat. The latter should be lightweight or your dog will think a bird has landed on his or her head and they’ll try and shake it off.
Another funky outfit is called a dog riders cowboy and it has a miniature cowboy riding your dog like a bronco. Test your dog first as it’s the same as a hat — your dog may simply want to shake the cowboy off. A cute outfit for a pug is a bumblebee. Everything is flexible and comfortable so the likelihood is your dog won’t try and shake it off. There’s a bee-striped shirt (leaving your dog in a natural state in the rear), an antenna headband with a set of black pompoms for antennae, and mesh wings.
If you’re into gardening then dressing your dog up as a flower could work. For this ensemble the manufacturer has made a light green cape, bright pink flower petals, and a set of antennae to match of pink and green. Are you from the islands — Hawaii, that is? Perhaps you’re just a fan of that nostalgic cop show set in Hawaii. It’s a comfortable and simple outfit, with a lei and a Hawaiian shirt. Perhaps this would suit that surfboarding/skateboarding bulldog they have in Southern California.
A butterfly ensemble from Animal Planet has printed foam wings that look like a bright Monarch, plus an antennae headband. Another one from the same company and TV channel is a cowboy dog costume. This can make your little dude into a regular cowpoke It’s made from a character jumpsuit, has stuffed arms, a vest with a fringe, a rope, and a cowboy hat with string to hold it under your dog’s chin. Another costume suitable for a pug, is Yoda from Star Wars. It has Yoda’s big green ears sticking out from the headpiece and a jumpsuit with attached arms. If you love Star Wars then let your dog be the Jedi master for a change.
Zelda the rock star could make your dog over into a punk musician, with its zip-up black jacket, red spikey wig, pants, and a studded dog collar. By far and away the most unusual new costume for this year is a hammerhead shark one. This is another Animal Planet outfit, as is the raptor (dinosaur variety). Both the shark and raptor have nice teeth, but they are harmless. Kids love these types of costumes and they could be used as puppets throughout the year.
If you’re into The Flintstones, then Zelda the cave dog is the perfect outfit for your dog. It’s a stone age riot with its animal print wrap-around shirt, and a black spiked wig. This particular outfit would be perfect for a trick or treating stone age party, including the dog of course. There are classic dog dress up outfits such as a foam bun which fits around your Dachshund making him or her into a real “hot dog”, or a pink tutu for your poodle. Pet stores have regular clothes for all sizes of dogs and these can be used or adapted towards Halloween costumes for pets.
Cats were never mentioned I regards to dress-up, because we all know how cats feel about any kind of costume: “What — you want me to wear that?” Perhaps a cat who’s eaten a whole can of tuna might be inclined to wear a headband for a few second. Just maybe…