Halloween Outfits for Dogs

Choosing the right costume for your dog can be more fun than picking out your own. You can coordinate your dog's costume to match your own ensemble, or pick a costume that best represents your dog's unique personality. From Chihuahuas to Great Danes, there's a plethora of choices for that picture-perfect costume.

Bandannas

Tie a bandanna around your dog's neck for the least expensive costume. This is your best bet if you're afraid your dog will shimmy out of a character costume. Bandannas come in many colors and varieties. Popular Halloween patterns are skull and crossbones, pumpkins, witches and sayings like "Trick or Treat," "Creature of the Night" and simply "Happy Halloween."

Hats and Accessories

If you know your dog doesn't like to be clothed, or if you're looking for another affordable option, try affixing a hat or ears on your dog's head. Some hat costumes also come with bow ties and paw cuffs. You can buy a halo, devil's horns, reindeer antlers, a clown hat and tie, a pumpkin head, a witch hat, a princess hat or a cowboy hat.

Capes

Cape costumes simply fasten around your dog's neck and sometimes are also secured around her stomach. Cape costumes are good for dogs that won't tolerate full-bodied costumes. Popular cape costumes are devil, pirate, princess, Robin Hood and Zorro.

Body Costumes

Body costumes are like a T-shirt with sleeves for your dog's front legs and sometimes also for his back legs. Body costumes can be more elaborate than cape costumes, and superhero costumes are very popular. Other varieties include hippie, Dino from "The Flintstones," Scooby Doo, bumblebee, doctor, prisoner and characters from "The Wizard of Oz."

Price

Small dog costumes will generally cost less than costumes for larger dogs. For under $5, you can find a festive bandanna. Hats and accessories run from $5 to $10. For medium to large capes, plan to spend $10 to $15. Capes for small dogs can be as low as $5. Body costumes start around $15, but a high-end costume will cost $25 to $30.

Where to Buy

Dog costumes are becoming so popular that you can them find them at drug stores and large department stores. Sometimes you can also find costume accessories and bandannas at discount stores like Family Dollar or Dollar Tree. For the biggest selection, try pet stores and Halloween superstores and online retailers.

References

• Glamourdog.com
• Costume Craze

Resources

• Spoiled Rotten Doggies