While traditional trick-or-treating may be rare where we live, we more than make up for it by living in a nearly week-long Halloween sitcom-esque state where it is completely normal to walk around city decked out in full costume. Even for dogs.
Knowing that our pups will be marching, and literally walking miles in their gear, we've learned how important it is to keep them comfortable and feeling safe.
After some trial-and-error, here are some things we have learned about finding costumes that are comfortable and don't disintegrate as we walk:
Preventing Wardrobe Malfunctions:
We know how distracting it can be for the pups to wear a costume that's falling off. Plus, we're not so fond of chasing hats and tiaras flying off mid-walk. We keep our hats, headbands, and tiaras in place by securing them with elastic under the chin. We custom measure it for each pup to make sure it's not too tight; to doublecheck we make sure we can fit our palm comfortably underneath the elastic.
Non-Restrictive:
We are always looking for costumes that are easy for them to walk in. Mr. B usually sticks to hats and bowties, while Miss M wears elastic wings. We always check that the elastic is not restricting and that it won't rub against her arms while she walks.
While a lot of people stopped to give their beads to our pups during the Pride Parade, they mostly wear the beads when they are sitting and watching the parade or posing for photo opps.
Weather Considerations:
Back when I was marathon training, people used to say you should prepare the clothes for your run by estimating 20 degrees higher than the actual temperature. I always keep this in mind for our pups when we're walking. I don't think we're walking intensely enough that I should estimate a full 20 degrees, but we are always very conscious of keeping them comfortable during the warmer weather. Usually Mr. B will just wear a hat--bonus: it helps shade him from the sun! While Miss M can stay cool with a tutu or wings.
At the same time, we have learned to layer for the cooler weather.
Our pups' short-hair doesn't keep them warm enough, so they like to stay warm by wearing hoodies, jerseys, and jackets. I remember how disappointed I was on Halloween when I needed to wear a coat over my costume, so we try to make it match.
Comfort and Safety:
We know wearing costumes can be an added stress for dogs in addition to all of the other noises, obstacles, and commotion out on the street. We always spend time testing our costumes at home and creating positive associations. We wrote more about it here. If it ever seems the pups are uncomfortable, we do make sure to remove the costumes.
Also:
What is your 'go-to' dog Halloween event? This has been our favorite thing to do every year.
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