Finding the cutest costume for your canine!
Howl-a-ween is here! Wondering what the perfect outfit for your pooch is? We’ll help you choose the best costume for your canine with this Halloween getup guide!
To make things easier, we’ve broken this list down into groups based on the type of costume.
Full Body Halloween Costumes
Where to get ’em:
- Hot Dog Costume (Amazon)
- Bad Pooch Prisoner / Canine Crayon / Chewbacca (Party City)
- Rainbow Dog (Petco)
- Puppy Latte / Ghostbusters (Baxterboo)
Full body dog Halloween costumes consist of any costume that goes across your dog’s entire body, and most costumes fall into this category.
There are some classics that you’ll always see — your dog as a hot dog, as a pod of peas, etc. It can be pretty fun to play off of your dog’s natural size for these costumes — seeing a dachshund dressed as a wiener never gets old.
Pros
- They look awesome from every angle
- The good ones stay pretty secure
- They’re the most “complete” costume style
Cons
- You’ll need to measure carefully to ensure a good fit
- Some dogs are less than enthused about wearing them
your dog as a “scary animal”
A big theme with dog Halloween costumes seems to be dressing up your dog as a different animal that is much scarier and more menacing than your furry pal.
Dinosaurs make sense, they are pretty bad ass. Spiders though? Your pooch may be a little insulted that you find a spider more threatening than him, but if you’ve seen videos of a spider-clad canine scurrying around dark corridors, you know just how terrifying Fido can become!
Here are a few of our favorites…
where to buy: t-rex /stegosaurs / spider / scorpion (HalloweenCostumes.com) | shark (Party City) | triceratops (Baxterboo)
Rider Style Dog Costumes
Rider costumes consist of shapes and figures that are strapped to your dog’s back, giving the illusion that your dog is serving as the faithful steed of some smaller cowboy or creature.
These costumes are utterly hilarious, and probably won’t annoy your pup as much as a full-body costume might.
where to buy: dog jockey (Petco) / Star Wars dewback (Baxterboo) / Star Wars bantha (Chewy) / headless horseman (Little Paws Boutique)
PROS
ider costumes are absolutely hilarious – there is something so surreal about seeing your pooch with a little cowboy on his back.
CONS
epending on the quality and durability of the attachments, rider costumes can slip around or fall off easily, especially if your pooch is not a fan of being ridden.
Front Facing Dog Halloween Costumes
Front facing costumes consist of hilarious visual illusions where your dog appears to be a totally different creature from the front. These costumes usually have dangling arms that allows your dog to transform into an elf, TV character, you name it.
The issue with these costumes is that they only work from the front. From the sides, your dog just looks like he has a bunch of stuff hanging from his chest.
At the right angle, these costumes will generate tons of laughs. However, with all of the costume material front and center, it’s easy for your dog to chew and mangle it if they so desire. For that reason, this style of costume is probably best for more low-key dogs.
where to buy: UPS delivery / action hero (Baxterboo) | Donald Duck (Party City) | Lumberjack (Petco)
PROS
These costumes are very amusing, and it’s pretty wacky being able to see your dog imitating favorite characters with arms!
CONS
These costumes are cute, but only at the right angle (facing forward). From the sides and behind they just look kind of goofy. It’s also fairly easy for your pooch to tear and mangle the material since everything sits right below your dog’s face.
Ears & Head Accessories
Some dogs simply won’t put up with full-body getups or any outfit that alters their sense of self.
For those pooches, sometimes a simple accessory is all you can get away with. Ears and unicorn horns are popular head toppers, but a well-placed bat wing or shark fin can do wonders as well.
Where to buy: unicorn horn / Micky Ears (PartyCity) | viking dog (Baxterboo) | Butterfly / Batwings (HalloweenCostumes.com) | puptini / cupcake head (Petco)
PROS
Ears and accessory-style dog costumes are cheap to purchase and easy to put on your pup.
CONS
Some dogs will shake their head like crazy until the weird thing up on their head finally falls off
Dog Sports Jersey
While not technically a costume in many peoples’ book, canine sports jerseys are a pretty cute getup for die-hard sports owners. If your dog can tolerate it, that is.
where to buy: cowboys / packers / patriots / & more (Party City)
PROS
Dog jerseys are a fun way to support your favorite sports team, and they are sure to garner your canine a good amount of attention!
CONS
Dog jerseys are designed to cover the top half of your dog’s body, which can feel very unnatural for some canines. Try practicing with an old t-shirt before you spend money on a dog jersey that Fido refuses to wear!
PROS: Dog jerseys are a fun way to support your favorite sports team, and they are sure to garner your canine a good amount of attention!
DIY Dog Halloween Costumes
DIY dog Hallloween costumes are tons of fun – check out some of the ideas creative owners came up with on Instagram below!
PROS
Your imagination is the limit – you can get really creative with DIY dog halloween costumes.
CONS
DIY doggie costumes are definitely more work than your standard costume you can buy at the store. Decide if the time commitment is worth it or not!
