Halloween and your bestie!

If you don’t already have your Halloween K9 costumes planned, it is time!  Trick or treating or just strolling the neighborhood on that spooky night requires your bestie to participate with their best look, be it a full-blown costume or just a seasonal collar or harness.

There are so many ways to dress up your woof.  An entire industry has grown up around fantastic costumes, not just for dogs and cats but any pet you can think of can participate in the fun!

There are also all kinds of DIY ideas that make the experience more fulfilling, as you must gather the materials, create the “look” and do multiple fittings.

According to Petmed.com there are some important considerations to keep in mind as you prepare your pet's holiday looks.  The first is to make sure the costume fits. A very common problem with pet costumes is that they are often sold as “one size fits most,” and a teacup poodle and a pug are both considered “small” dogs, but the same size costume is not going to fit both dogs.

Be sure to measure your pet and compare it to the measurements of the costume before settling on a final outfit. If a costume is too big, it might trip your pet, leading to an injury. If it is too small, it could squeeze your pet, limit his ability to breathe normally, cause rub sores, and generally be uncomfortable.

Once the costume is on, be sure to closely watch the body language of your animal. If it acts uncomfortable or frightened, take the costume off and consider a stylish alternative like a spooky bandana, appropriate bow tie, or something else to show off the season without adding stress to your pet.

Make sure your pet has total mobility and his sight isn’t restricted.  Also make sure there are no parts of the costume that the dog can access that aren’t meant to be swallowed.  You don’t want your trick or treating or party to end before it’s over because you have to go the ER!

Make sure tags or ID are visible in case your pet gets loose chasing a ghost.  And watch your pet for signs of stress.  They, like some people, just might not like the costume experience.  Watch for ears back, tail down, not energetically participating.  If you know your dog is not having fun, remove the costume and just let him participate, if he wants to, as a dog.

If you are the one staying home and giving out goodies to the trick or treaters, make sure you have some holiday treats for the pets who come by!

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