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12 Dog Costumes For Halloween

October 8, 2019

Halloween is almost here! Do you have your costume yet? What about your dog's costume? One nice thing about Halloween is that it's easy to get festive for it - all you need is a costume and some candy. Well, dogs can't have candy, but they can dress up (with a little help from their humans). To join in the fun of the holiday, we’ve curated some of the top dog costumes this year. Read on to find out which ones made the list!

Costume Safety With Pets

First, let’s go over some safety guidelines for dressing up your pet. For starters, only put a costume on your dog if he or she enjoys being dressed up. If your dog doesn’t enjoy it, it's best not to force it. Otherwise you may cause unnecessary stress and anxiety. Signs that your dog is unhappy in a costume include lowered head, flat or pinned-back ears, lip licking, yawning, panting, wide eyes, flat whiskers, slumping or shaking.

Pro Tip: If you still want your dog to be festive but he or she doesn't like costumes, opt for a themed bandana.

On the flip side, if your dog is fI’ve with or enjoys being dressed up, then go for it - as long as you're safe with it. Make sure the costume fits properly and does not restrict movement, limit sight and hearing, or inhibit the ability to breathe or bark. Also check the costume for small pieces that can be chewed off and become choking hazards. It's best to stay close to your dressed-up pup, in case something goes wrong (such as overheating) so you can address it immediately.

Pro Tip: Try on pet costumes before Halloween to familiarize your dog with their new outfit. If you can, do so several times for short periods to ease him or her in. Use lots of treats and positive reinforcement to make the experience a good one.

We recently released a Halloween safety guide detailing all this and more, so make sure to check that out for other safety tips. While being safe is most important, this holiday is meant to be fun, so let's get into the fun part. Here are some of the top costumes for dogs this Halloween: