Great Halloween Costumes for Pets: Trick-or-Treat to Those with Four Feet!

It’s no secret that Halloween has become one of the most profitable holidays in the country. From costumes and candy to haunted houses and décor, it’s a holiday of imagination, expression and pure fun.

At House Home & More we know that pet owners will do just about anything to include their furry friends in the spooky celebration - speaking from personal experience, of course. So, it comes as no surprise to us that pet costumes have become an essential part of Halloween shopping.

And we’re not just talking cats and dogs, here. Over the years, pet owners have come to dress up their guinea pigs, rabbits, reptiles, pigs and more!

Some of the biggest costume manufacturers in the world, like Rubie’s, Rasta Imposta and Disguise have all joined in on the pet costume frenzy, which has put a huge selection of costumes at the fingertips of pet owners everywhere.

With so many possible choices, it might feel overwhelming to decide how to dress your pet this Halloween. Should you create a costume for your pet that matches yours? Should you make it an entire family theme? What if your pet hates wearing costumes?

Well, don’t worry, we’ve got more than a few clever suggestions and helpful shopping links to get you through the hectic Halloween season!

Quite the Character

Film and television are great sources of inspiration for your pet’s Halloween getup. Why not dress your furry pal as your number one Netflix star or Hollywood hero?

The world of superheroes provides plenty of options for popular pet costumes, with many packaged items already on the market. This is an easy theme for a dynamic duo or for large groups, so the entire family can join in on the super shenanigans!

And don’t forget about the villains, which can be a fitting choice for those mischievous, sometimes menacing, but always adorable pets we have.

Disney characters also offer a big selection of costumes for pets and the entire family. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (with the humans as the dwarves, of course) is a classic choice for a big group. Or you can saddle up as the Toy Story cast and buzz around a holiday pet parade.

If you want something edgier than a hero or princess this year, look to your favorite streaming television shows for awesome ideas! Create custom Pres and VP biker vests so you and your pet can rep a Sons of Anarchy theme. Or fit your pet with a collar and necktie, while you don a suit, newsboy cap and pocket watch - by order of the Peaky Blinders, of course.

You can also use films or shows that feature an animal the same breed as your pet. For example, if you need a costume for your pug, you can conjure up a couple of Men in Black outfits in a snap. If you have a gray terrier, whip up some Wizard of Oz duds! And if you happen to have a hairless cat, how could you possibly resist a good Doctor Evil bit?

Warning: If you decide on matching or family-themed costumes that include your pet, be ready for a full day of selfies, Instagram posts, Facebook shares, Tweets and retweets!

Stay Relevant

Pop culture and current events are great sources for costume ideas. Current fashion trends, hot products and even political figures will probably make their way into the most notable pet costumes this Halloween.

Try tapping into this year’s trending slang, phrases and acronyms to create a truly clever pet costume. For example, with just a small pair of horns and a goatee, you can transform your dog or cat into a champion G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time). You can even embellish the costume further with your favorite athlete’s jersey or a gold medal!

While some of these items, like the popular Pawnold Trump, can be found through distributors, many of them will be DIY pet costume projects.

Silly and Fun

There is no shortage of humor when it comes to Halloween for pets. Many companies offer zany food shaped costumes, like the classic hot dog or the highly favored taco, and hilarious pet-rider costumes.

If want to make a uniquely funny outfit for your pet, try using common phrases to create a clever costume. Phrases that include your pet’s species typically work the best for this. For example, a “cat burglar” or a “watch dog.”

Fantasy creatures are a great choice for limitless creations. Try some pet-safe hair color chalk or glitter to turn your pet into a unicorn or fairytale dragon for the evening! Be sure to test the product on a small area of your pet first, to ensure they don’t have any allergies.

Spooky and Scary

The world of the dark and creepy is more popular than ever in pop culture, and Halloween is the perfect time to showcase your love for sinister cinema.

Premade pet costumes are available in more than a few spooky options these days. Pets can strut their scary stuff dressed as horror icons like Freddy Krueger, Jason, Chucky and so much more!

If you’re a DIY enthusiast, the possibilities are endless for turning your pet into a creepy creature. Use pet-safe temporary hair colors to transform your pet into a skeleton. Or watch a few YouTube tutorials and build your own latex wound to fasten to your pet’s harness for zombie gore galore!

Keeping it Simple

Many of us have pets that simply refuse to wear anything other than their collar or harness. Frankly, some of us even have trouble getting our pets to do that much.

If you have a social pet who would love to spend Halloween with the group, but will never feel comfy wearing a costume, don’t fret. There are plenty of fun accessories that fit just like a collar or harness to get them in the spirit.

A Halloween bowtie or collar, Hawaiian lei, simple cape or a harness with small wings will do the trick (or treat) without pestering your pal all day. If your pet is used to wearing sweaters or shirts for warmth, put them in a fun seasonal print and have them looking festively feisty in a flash!

If your pet will wear a sweater or shirt, you can easily build a comfortable costume with light-weight felt embellishments. For example, put your pet in a solid colored shirt and then add felt (or hand-drawn) dots to instantly create a ladybug or leopard. The same can be done with stripes for a bumblebee, tiger or prisoner. Think big!

Where to Buy Online

Shopping for pet costumes and accessories online is probably your best bet if you’re looking for a vast selection. One good site to visit is purecostumes.com. You can find humorous pet costumes, licensed character costumes and food shaped costumes here.

Another great source is petcostumecenter.com, which features a wide variety of costume sizes, including costumes for big dogs, which are always hard to fit. You can also find simple accessories, hats, pop culture costumes and even scary pet costumes here.

Chewy.com also has a fun selection of pet costumes, but we must throw in a caution: with their wonderful array of everyday treats, toys, grooming essentials and other helpful home goods, your Halloween shopping could turn into a general shopping spree! Nothing spells F-U-N like spoiling our pets at a great price.

Don’t forget to peruse crafting and DIY websites like Pinterest for tutorials and ideas. Home-made costumes for your one-of-a-kind pet may be surprisingly simpler than you think.

Animal specific websites and forums, like dogsaholic.com and thecatsite.com can also be helpful links for costume ideas. At the very least, you’ll encounter health and training tips, heartwarming articles and plenty of pics and videos of adorable pets.

Where to Buy In-Store

While shopping online will ultimately provide the largest selection, shopping in-store will allow you the freedom to see and feel the costumes. Pets come in all shapes and sizes and it can be difficult to tell how a costume will fit simply by reading measurements.

Many pet stores that carry costumes are happy to host your pet for try-ons. This will help limit the possibility of returns and hopefully help identify items that your pet won’t feel comfortable in. Some pets are great with shirts, but become anxious in hats, headbands or other accessories.

Petco, PetSmart, Target, Walmart and Spirit are popular brick and mortar stores that carry pet costumes. You can also try local pet and costume shops for a smaller, but possibly more unique selection of products.

Happy Howl-O-Ween

There has never been a better time to celebrate Halloween with your pet. If you’re not the best at crafting for your cuddly creature, there are plenty of professionals and retailers just a call or click away. If you’re already a wardrobe wizard, you can brainstorm with other creatives on forums and maybe even offer inspiration to a pet-costume novice.

When all is said and done, you’re ultimately the most qualified person to pick out your pet’s costume. You know their personality, quirks and comfort level better than anyone. If you stick to a costume that enhances these features, you’re surely in for an enjoyable holiday filled with picture-perfect memories. And we’d love to see them!

Visit our Facebook page for a loveable look at some of our very own House Home & More pets. And don’t forget to tag us in pics of your pets in their Halloween best!