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- Dressing a pet in a ridiculous costume is one of the great joys of Halloween.
- We've curated 15 of our favorite cat and dog Halloween costumes of 2020, including Yoda, Superman, and the Notorious RBG.
Dressing a pet in a ridiculous costume is one of the great joys of Halloween and, in 2020, there's virtually no limit to the choices at your disposal. From Disney princesses and Star Wars characters to knife-wielding horror icons and savage beasts, this year's crop of cat and dog costumes are a much needed bright spot.
While not every pet has the same enthusiasm for Halloween costumes as we humans, most can learn to love their outfit if they are introduced slowly in a positive, fear-free way. At the end of this article, I've drawn from my decade of experience as a professional dog trainer to break down both how to select the Halloween costume that's best for your cat or dog and how to teach them that a costume is more fun than frightful.
Here's to a spooktacular Halloween for you and your pets with our 15 favorite pet costumes of the season.
A tiny cowboy mouse to take your cat for a Halloween ride
Bootique
Saddle up your cat and let a mouse take the reins. This one-size-fits-all plush saddle clips around the neck and belly and carries a stuffed 10-gallon-hatted mouse who's ready to hit the trail.
A Yoda costume for budding canine Jedi Masters
Amazon
Keep your dog from the dark side with this front-walking Yoda costume. The outfit comes with a step-in robe for the front legs, stuffed foam arms, hood-style ears, and a detachable lightsaber.
A lush lion's mane to channel your cat's (or dog's) ferocious side
Frisco
This Halloween, give the tiny tyrant in your life the chance to play king of the animal kingdom with this lion's mane hooded collar available in three sizes.
A monkey costume for your little monkey
Urban Outfitters
What's more fun than a barrel of monkeys? This front-walking monkey costume, which comes complete with a banana.
A Notorious RBG costume to pay homage
Etsy
Pay homage to the SCOTUS and its most "notorious" member, Ruth Bader-Ginsburg. With RBG's iconic polyester "dissent collar" and shiny gold crown, your cat (or dog) will be serving up justice all Halloween long.
A shiny dragon suit for vanquishing enemies and destroying kingdoms (or maybe just your living room)
Target
With iridescent green and blue wings and a spiked tail, this dragon costume is as legendary as the mythical beasts, themselves. Made of soft polyester, the easy-to-wear one-piece fastens around the neck and under the belly so your pup can take flight.
A slice of toast for your cat's head
Chewy
Long live cat breading! Chewy brings the internet meme to life with its toast-shaped costume collar just for cats.
A Superman costume not even kryptonite can stop
Chewy
This easy-to-wear costume is fit for a superhero. The outfit comes with three pieces — a red cape, a belt that ties around the belly, and a bib with the Man (er ... Dog) of Steel's classic logo.
A Chucky costume to haunt your dreams
PetSmart
The red-headed horror icon and his carving knife are out for some child's play in this front-walking dog costume available in five sizes.
A color-coordinated fin for a Halloween adventure fit for Shark Week
Etsy
On land or at sea, your dog will strike fear in the hearts of all who cross their path with this molded shark fin. Made of lightweight plastic, these easy-to-wear fins come in a variety of colors (and sizes) to complement your cold-blooded canine.
A Cookie Monster costume almost good enough to eat
Chewy
C is for both "cookie" and "canine" with this front-walking Cookie Monster costume. The fuzzy blue monster suit comes with a drawstring hood topped with monster eyes. You supply the cookies.
A cat-sized vampire cape for bloodsucking adventures after dark
Chewy
Reveal your cat's true nature with this satin vampire cape with a Dracula-style stand-up collar. Fangs not included, but never fear (or maybe do), your cat's already got a pair.
A Snow White costume for princesses big and small
Chewy
Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to Halloween your pup goes in a dress fit for a princess. In Snow White's classic blue and yellow gown and a big red hair bow, your dog will be the fairest of them all.
An insane clown for a night of hilarious horror
Chewy
There's a killer clown on the loose and it's serving up your pet's head on a platter this Halloween. This creepy front-walking illusion suit slips over the front legs and head, and situates the top half of the menacing doll at the shoulders.
A classic dad joke in Halloween costume form
Urban Outfitters
What do you say to a dog in a hot dog costume? Ketch-up! Dress up your pup in this easy-to-wear bun for a wiener-takes-all night of Halloween fun and games.
How to help your pet love their Halloween costume
Leila Zwelling
While costumes are not right for every pet, a little training can go a long way toward helping a cat or dog be comfortable in some form of Halloween attire, whether that's a festive bandana or a full-body suit. The rules are the same for both cats and dogs: Go slowly and reward frequently.
How to pick the right costumeBefore purchasing a costume, give some thought to your pet's personality. Are they sensitive to handling? Are they easily spooked by unpredictable noise or movement? One of the keys to helping a dog or cat love their costume is selecting one that fits their comfort criteria, not one based on looks, alone.
For sensitive cats and dogs, you want a costume that is as unobtrusive as possible. It's best to avoid:
- Hoods or head pieces
- Leggings that may partially restrict movement
- Hanging elements like spider legs or other molded pieces your pet can see in their peripheral vision
- Eyeglasses and other facial accessories
If this is your pet's first time wearing clothing, try a less complex costume such as a collar or simple sweater-like outfit to start. A successful fear-free introduction to a low-maintenance costume this year paves the way for a more outlandish one in years to come.
Introduce your pet to their costume
Leila Zwelling
For a dog or cat to love their costume, it must be a source of treats and fun from the day you pull it out of the package. If your pet becomes uncomfortable or frightened as you gradually desensitize them to their costume, end the day's training session and move more slowly the next time around.
- Sit with your cat or dog. Place their costume, along with a bowl of high-value treats — something extra-special your pet rarely gets such as pencil-eraser-sized pieces of chicken or cheese — on a nearby table or surface.
- Lift up the costume so that your pet notices it. When they look, mark the moment with the word "Yes!" and reward them with a treat. Put the costume back down.
- Wait for 30 to 60 seconds then repeat, lifting up the costume and marking and rewarding when your cat or dog looks at it. Repeat for up to 10 minutes.
- Some pets will begin responding positively to your lifting the costume in a single training session. Others will need several sessions to build up excitement. When their interest is piqued, they are ready to move on.
Encourage your pet to interact with the costume
Leila Zwelling
Next you'll want to get your cat or dog comfortable with the feel of the costume against their body. Each of these steps may require multiple short training sessions with your cat or dog. Keep your training sessions short and give your pet plenty of time to rest in between training.
- Begin by placing the costume on the floor in front of your pet. Using your voice or tapping the costume with your fingers, encourage them to touch it with their nose or paw. When they do, mark the moment with "Yes!" and reward them, placing the treat on top of the costume. Repeat until your pet is touching the costume with ease without your prompt.
- Now use the costume like a glove to touch the body parts on your pet that it will cover. If your costume is a collar or hood, touch it to their neck quickly, mark the moment with "Yes," then reward, and set the costume down. If your costume is a body suit, touch it to your pet's back, side, or belly quickly, mark the moment with a "Yes," then reward, and set the costume down. Repeat until your pet is comfortable with its touch.
- If your costume has velcro or other fasteners that make noise, desensitize your pet to those next. Hold the costume without touching your pet. Fasten or unfasten the material. When it makes a noise, mark it with "Yes" and give your pet a treat. Repeat until your pet remains relaxed when the sound is triggered.
Dress your petNow that your cat or dog knows that the costume pays handsomely, they can begin trying it on.
- Begin slipping the costume over your cat or dog's essential body parts. For a collar or suit with a head-opening, hold a treat on one side and lure your pet's nose through the hole. When their head pops through to eat the treat, mark it with the word "Yes." Repeat until they are able to comfortably dive through the hole.
- For a step-in bodysuit, hold the fabric around your hand so that you can easily slide it over your pet's leg. If that's too much for them initially, place the fabric opening on the floor and encourage your dog to place a paw inside. In either case, mark with "Yes" and reward each time your pet is successful. Repeat until your pet is comfortable. With more complex costumes, introduce each element separately before moving on to Step 3.
- Finally, fasten the costume. Mark with a "Yes" and reward when the costume first goes on. Continue to mark and reward as your pet wears the costume. Leave the costume on them for just a couple of minutes at first and reward frequently until it's time to disrobe. As your cat or dog becomes more comfortable, increase their costume-wearing duration and gradually decrease the frequency of your treats.