Are you a novice pet owner or new to NYC and wondering how you can include your dog in some spooky excitement??

Halloween in the Big Apple can be an absolute blast, and when you’re a pet parent your natural instinct is to include your furry BFF in all the fun! But before you throw a costume on the dog (or cat, or guinea pig, or turtle, or…), here a few questions to ask yourself.

Is your pet new to your household and you aren’t quite sure how she will react to being dressed up in a costume?

Are you worried your fur-buddy might be too anxious to be surrounded by rowdy children walking the streets in their costumes?

Can your pet be territorial in your home and you are worried about trick-or-treaters coming to your door?

We’re here to help you figure out if and how you should include your fur-baby in your Halloween activities, so read on for some tips to make sure you’re enjoying a fun, SAFE Halloween with your pet! In fact, we are SO excited about this topic that we have divided this article into two parts. Stay tuned for our Parades and Trick Or Treating segment later this week!

Dressing your pet in costume—is it a good idea?

That depends a lot on your furry friend. If your dog is nervous, anxious, aggressive or not particularly well trained on a leash, it’s probably best to forgo the costume and leave your pup at home. We want our canine companions to be as comfortable as possible, especially if we are considering bringing them outside around children who are trick-or-treating, or to any type of event with a lot of other dogs and people around.

Perhaps your dog is normally quite calm but you just don’t know how they would behave in a costume?

Do they sometimes wear a dog sweater or booties, but always seem uncomfortable when they do?

If Fido isn’t accustomed to or shows discomfort when wearing doggie clothes, it’s best to try out the Halloween costume well ahead of time to see how she reacts and at what comfort level. Even the most ‘chill’ dogs can become overwhelmed and anxious when they are in situations that are alien to them, especially if said situation is crowded and/or rowdy. And if your pup is already feeling uncomfortable in their costume, their discomfort will only intensify in this environment.

So when trying out a costume on your dog, here are some signs to look out for that indicate their discomfort:

Ears folded back
Tail between their legs
Eyes rolling back or looking sideways
Hunched over and/or refusing to walk on the leash when in the costume
Growling or showing their teeth
Barking

If your dog is showing any of these signs, it’s best NOT to dress him up in a costume. Maybe instead try some smaller ways of incorporating the Halloween spirit, such as:

A hat and/or wig (if your dog will permit)
A Halloween themed bandana around their neck
A tuxedo or skeleton bib
Halloween themed collar or harness

After trying it out, if your dog DOES seem comfortable enough to wear a costume, make sure that you thoroughly inspect the costume to make sure that:

the costume is never impeding their breathing
your dog can move easily and nothing would entangle her
there’s nothing in the costume that he could choke on
the costume can be leashed securely and safely, ideally in 2 places

If you follow these easy guidelines and make sure your pet’s comfort and ease is at the forefront of your mind, you are sure to have a spooky, fun Halloween with your pet!

Keeping your pet safe this Howl-O-Ween (Part 1) Costumes