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The only thing better than planning your own costume for Halloween is planning your pet’s. Think your dog would look great dressed as Wonder Woman or Batman? You know it. Want to show everyone how much you love Star Wars with Yoda dog ears or an At-At costume? Absolutely. Fancy paying tribute to your favourite musician via your dog? Why wouldn’t you!
If you need a dog Halloween costume idea, we’ve got you covered. Make sure to go slowly and check your dog’s comfort level before, during, and after getting dressed. And if your little baby doesn’t feel like going full-on Frankenstein’s monster, check out Halloween bandanas and collars.
Tips for Dressing Your Dog Up
Whether you make a costume at home or buy one from a shop, there are some things you can do to help your pet have a better time on the 31st.
- Get your pet’s costume early. It gives both of you a chance to get used to it before the big day.
- Let your pet sniff and show interest in the costume before putting them in it.
- Keep treats handy so they see the costume as a good thing. As much as you can, use the treats to guide your pet into the costume—for example, if you’ve got a lion’s mane that goes over their head, guide their head through the hole by enticing them with food, and let them take the treat a few times before fastening it on fully. You don’t want your dog to feel tricked.
- Once the costume is on, take frequent breaks. Try not to keep the costume on for more than a few minutes—say 10 or 15—at a time. And keep the treats coming while they’ve got their costume on. (This is also a good time to take a million cute photos and send them our way, please and thank you.)
- After you’ve taken the costume on and off over a series of days, try taking your pet on a walk while wearing it. Be ready for them to be slower or distracted while they get used to the sounds and feelings of their costume, and of course, treat, treat, treat.
Hopefully, by the time Halloween rolls around, they’ll be comfortable enough in the costume to last the whole night as the witch to your cauldron, the bee to your flower, the Harry Potter to your Voldemort.
Dog Halloween Costume Safety
Here a few things to consider when choosing a costume for your pet.
- If you’re going to be walking around with your dog, make sure you choose some element of the costume that is highly visible so that your pet can be seen from a distance—you want to make sure they don’t get lost, and also that cars know they’re there. Luminescent collars or reflective materials are great for this.
- Choosing breathable materials and making sure the costume isn’t too tight will help your pet feel more comfortable and avoid restricting blood flow. Consider how heavy the costume is, as well, since the added weight means your pet has to exert more effort to move and can tire your pet out or possibly make them overheat.
- Avoid small, dangling costume pieces that your pet might chew or choke on. The last thing you want is an emergency Hallow’s Eve vet visit.
- Keep your pet’s tags on. It’s not uncommon for pets to get separated from their owners on chaotic days like Halloween, so if your pet bolts, you want to make sure their tags and microchip will help them get home.
All preparation aside, if you realise that your pet hates their costume, they don’t have to wear it! Stress and anxiety aren’t good for pets, and the last thing you want is a grumpy dog zombie on your hands. Happy pets are better than costumed ones any day.
Scorpion costume available on halloweencostumes.co.uk
Large Dog Costumes
Some costumes just look better on big dogs, like this lion’s mane. When shopping for a large dog costume, or designing one, keep in mind that a head/ears adornment or shirt-style outfit is often easier to pull off than a full suit.
Popular big dog costumes include:
- Lion
- Superhero
- Wookie
- Shark
- Dinosaur
- Bear
- Moose
- Business suit (just add tie!)
Find the lion costume for big dogs on Amazon.
Small Dog Costumes
If you’ve got a petite pet, there’s a variety of costumes for small dogs available that range from no-fuss to total showstopper. Like any dog costume, when selecting one for your small pupper, make sure to double-check the measurements! Scanning customer reviews is also helpful to get a sense of true size.
Popular small dog costumes include:
- Daisy / flowers in general
- Cupcake
- Ewok
- Butterfly
- Minion
- Spider
- Scorpion
- Fairy
- Mermaid
Find the Bantha costume for small dogs on halloweencostumes.co.uk
Dog Costumes by Breed
If you’re looking for breed-specific dog Halloween costumes, we’ve got you covered. Consider your breed’s best-known qualities and go from there. Some ideas we love:
- Dachshund: Hot dog
- Border collie: Einstein
- Pug: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
- Yorkie: princess
- Boxer: Well, a boxer (pro tip: get child-sized gloves)
- Staffy: Superhero
- Goldendoodle or Labradoodle: Teddy bear
- Shih-tzu: Ewok
- Husky: Rock star (they love to sing!)
- Any puppy: spider
Find the hot dog costume on halloweencostumes.co.uk
Matching Human/Dog Costumes
Picture this: Your dog goes as a raptor, and you go as Jeff Goldblum (or Chris Pratt if you like the reboot).
Popular dog and human couples’ costumes include:
- Bee and flower
- Doughnut and coffee
- Fish and chips
- Beauty and the Beast
- Luke and Yoda (or Leia, or Darth Vader)
- Ghostbusters
- Batman and Robin
- Minnie and Mickey
- Cat and… dog
Find the raptor costume on halloweencostumes.co.uk
Halloween Dog Bandanas and Collars
If you don’t think your pet will go for a full-on costume, or if you want to celebrate for, maybe, the entire month of October, Halloween-themed dog collars are your best bet, and we found that there’s a lot of variety on the internet.
Find this pumpkin collar on Salt Dog Studios.
DIY Dog Costumes
If you’re crafty, DIY costumes offer endless possibilities. Popular DIY dog costumes include:
- Fruits or veggies
- Other animals
- Teddy bear
- Martini glass (just add the cone of shame)
- Winged creatures
- Desserts
Get yourself some felt, scissors, and a glue gun, and the sky’s the limit. Giant soy sauce with sushi, anyone?
And for fun, here are some downright terrible dog costumes to remind you what happens when you leave it to the last minute…
The Final Word: Halloween and Dog Anxiety
Halloween can be scary for dogs, and not for the same reasons it is for us humans. Costumes, strangers at the door, unusual noises: there’s a lot going on that will seem suspicious to your dog.
If your dog is prone to anxiety even a little, consider keeping your dog indoors in a cosy, dog-safe zone for the evening, or tap a trusted pet sitter to keep them company. Halloween night could also be a good time to employ anti-anxiety tools for your dog—and there are many available. Some dogs respond well to dog calming pheromone products and calming supplements, or wearing a ThunderShirt. Talk to your vet about these options and have a happy Halloween!
