Is it Cruel to Dress Up Your Dog for Halloween?

Halloween is just around the corner, and pet shops are full of adorable doggy costumes.

From the traditional hot dog costume to monsters, superheroes, and everything in between, it’s hard to resist picking up an outfit for your dog to wear.

You might get a kick out of taking pics (and posting them) of your beloved pup dressed as a ladybug. Or can’t wait to parade Fido around the neighborhood in a Batman costume…

But, here’s the age-old question…is it cruel to dress up your dog for Halloween?

Here are my thoughts…

First of all, every dog is different.

Out of my four dogs, a couple of them would probably enjoy getting dressed up in a costume.

For instance, my dog Inka really loves any attention. Put a little bow in her hair or put a jacket on her and she gets all excited when you smile and fuss over her. She jumps around, is silly, and she really loves it.

That being said, I know some of my other dogs wouldn't like it so much and would probably try and chew the outfit off as soon as you got them dressed.

It all comes down to preference. Some people love ballet while some people are more into rough and tumble sports like football.

There’s nothing wrong with either activity or person, they are just very different.

When you’re deciding whether to dress your dog in a costume, keep the above analogy in mind.

If you put your dog in an outfit and his tail goes between his legs and he looks fearful, he clearly doesn’t enjoy it, so you should remove the costume.

Just like if you put a kid in a ballet class and she hated it, you would take her out of the class.

So, how do you know for sure if your dog is stressed out and not happy to be in a costume? Here’s some easy-to-spot warning signs…

Warning Signs that Your Dog is Stressed Out Due to Being in a Costume

1. Tail Between Legs—A tail between a dog's legs is a definite sign that he is unhappy and stressed out.
2. Panting—Heavy panting is a sign of anxiety and feeling stressed and is similar to having a panic attack. If your dog is panting and it’s not hot weather and your dog is not running around then think twice about if they are relaxed.
3. Biting or Snapping—Even the friendliest, most well-behaved dog can quickly go from gentle and sweet to biting and snapping if he feels uncomfortable and stressed out.
4. Being Unable to Move—Most dogs aren’t used to wearing clothes, which means a full body outfit can make them feel as if they are paralyzed. If your dog refuses to move while in a costume, he is stressed out.
5. Chewing Costume/Rubbing on the Floor—Trying to take off a costume by chewing on it or running it off is a definite sign that your dog is not happy.
6. Whining/Whimpering—Whining and whimpering is a dog’s equivalent to crying. If your dog is crying only while in a costume, clearly he is upset or distressed.

If you dog shows ANY of the signs listed above while in a costume, I advise that you remove him from the costume immediately.

He is not happy, and the stress of being in a costume can quickly lead him to turn to unusual behaviors like biting and becoming aggressive.

However, if your dog doesn’t show any of the signs above, there’s a good chance that she really doesn’t mind being in a costume. If this is the case, there’s certainly nothing cruel about keeping her dressed up.

Just be sure to keep an eye on her behavior throughout the night.

If at any point the costume does become too much for her, please do the responsible thing and take it off immediately.

Now that you know the signs of whether it’s ok to dress your dog in a costume or not, I think it’s important that we talk about costume safety. Check out these tips…

Safety Tips for Dog Halloween Costumes

1. Pay Attention to the Costume Material—There’s no way that you’d want to wear an itchy sweater all day long. And the same applies to your dog. It’s important to think about the types of materials your dog's costume is made out of. If the material isn’t comfortable and you wouldn’t wear it, don’t put it on your dog.
2. Make Sure the Costume Fits Appropriately—A costume that is too snug will not only be uncomfortable, but can also cut of your dogs circulation. On the flip side, a costume that is too big puts your dog as risk for getting tangled up and slipping and falling. Make sure the costume you pick fits your pet comfortably.
3. Beware of beads, pom poms, and plastic—It’s natural that a dog will want to chew things off his costume if something is dangling off of it. Details like beads, googly eyes, and pom poms are cute, but can put your dog at a serious risk for choking if eaten. Give your dogs costume a once over for any choking hazards before you put it on your dog.
4. Be Mindful of Your Dog's Body Temperature—Costumes add an extra layer on to dogs that already are covered with a layer of warm fur. It’s important to keep an eye on your dog to make sure he isn’t overheating. If you notice him panting heavily, remove the costume for a while to let him cool off.
5. Never Leave Your Dog Alone in a Costume—Getting tangled, choking, overheating…there’s a lot of things that can go wrong if you leave your dog unattended in a costume. If your dog doesn’t mind being dressed up, that’s great! But, just because he’s comfortable in a costume doesn’t mean you should ever leave him unattended in one.
6. Make Sure Your Dogs Eyes, Nose, and Mouth are Uncovered—The last thing you want to do is obstruct your dog’s airways or prevent him from being able to see where he’s going. Choose a costume that covers his body, not his face.
7. Less is More—Some costumes cover a dog from head to tail. They might be cute, but they are probably also heavy, restrictive, and uncomfortable. I personally think less is more, and I think your dog will agree with me! Pick up a cute bandana,put a bow tie on your pup, or grab a halloween themed dog t-shirt that fits your pet.