You dress yourself up every Halloween, and decorate your house and yard. If you have kids, you probably dress them up as well. You have bag after bag of fun-sized candy bars, and your trick-or-treat bags are sitting by the door ready to go. It seems like everything is in order for a night of frights and fun, but you realize that one member of the family is not prepared – the family pet.

At first thought, this might seem a little strange. But why not dress Fido up for the holidays? After all, he is part of the family and will enjoy the walk around the neighborhood as much as the kids. And retailers are making it even easier to dress Fido up with pet-sized (and shaped) Halloween costumes.

Where to buy pet Halloween costumes

Your local pet store and retailer may carry a limited selection of pet costumes. However, shopping online will give you a lot larger variety to choose from. You could even look at dressing your dog in a similar outfit to your own so that the two of match.

Getting ready

If your dog is not used to wearing clothes, he might not appreciate the idea of a Halloween costume at first. Prior to Halloween, put it on and have him wear it around the house. Check to make sure that you have purchased the proper size. Pet Halloween costumes that are too big can be easily shed, or cause your dog to trip.

Don’t forget to try on the Halloween accessories as well, as many dogs may try to paw off hats and headbands the first few times they wear them. Also verify that you can fasten the leash securely to your dog’s collar while he is wearing the Halloween costume. There will be plenty of activity going on outside on Halloween night, so you don’t want him slipping loose.

Using your pet as a prop

If you choose a more elaborate costume, you can coordinate Fido’s Halloween costume to the rest of the family. For instance, if you also have a small child, you can have the two of them dress in similar costumes. Or have you child and the dog reverse roles for the night – have your child be a puppy and dress the dog in an appropriate human costume. If you have a small dog, you could dress him up in baby clothing and push him in the stroller.

Make the holiday pet friendly

As much as you love Halloween, you probably want everyone else to love the holiday as well. Keep in mind that even if your dog is in costume, you should obey your local leash laws. Not all people love dogs, and some small children may be afraid of them. And of course do not forget to clean up after your pet!

If you want to make the holiday more pet friendly, consider having a bag of doggy biscuits to hand out for pets that come along. Or you can challenge your friends and neighbors to a costume contest. Making your dog part of the Halloween fun can be a memorable event for everyone involved.

paul hulse writes for the costumes online retailer www.incostume.com. please visit their site for more information on pet costumes

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