By Gary Bennett
This article appears in the October 24, 2024, edition of Frederick News-Post’s 72 Hours magazine.
When did pets, especially dogs, become such a large part of Halloween? According to a recent survey by PetSmart, 75% of pet owners are planning to dress up their pet for Halloween. Dogs lead the way, by a wide margin, as the pet of choice to don creative clothing. Most pet owners even plan to match their pet’s attire to their own!
It is clear most pet owners don’t intend to leave their pets behind when enjoying this fun season. Millennials lead the way in saying they’ll dress up their pets (86%), followed by Gen Z (81%), Gen X (74%) and Baby Boomers (59%).
All cohorts admit that social media posts drive this phenomenon. Pets clearly rule when it comes to social media, even more than children. About a third surveyed admitted that pets in costumes are designed to draw attention and get maximum likes. Kids in costumes trailed slightly behind.
It seems tempting to treat the prevalence of pups sauntering down the street dressed for the season with kids and parents in tow as a recent, social media-driven spectacle. But that is really not the case. As long as dogs have been human companions (going on 12,000 years now), humans have been dressing them.
Ancient Egyptians employed seldom-used dog collars as a status symbol. Around the time of Christ, Romans adorned their dogs with golden collars encrusted with diamonds and rubies. In 19th-century England, the royal family dressed their dogs in jackets and trousers, and the trend soon caught on. Not to be outdone, well-to-do French citizens of the same time dressed their dogs in costumes for social gatherings, travel and beach outings. They even had bathing outfits, silk jackets and tea gowns for their furry friends to lounge in.
It should be no surprise then that modern-day pet owners enjoy dressing up their fur babies for Halloween. After all, what is cuter than Butch as a pumpkin, hot dog or bumblebee?
But the question remains: Is this behavior good for the dog? Or, as one person told me last year, “Can’t we just let dogs be dogs?”
Well, I think we are.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals believes that dog clothing should have a clear benefit to the dog — think sweaters in cold weather and paw protectors in hot weather. But one can reason that providing beneficial clothing to dogs does not preclude it from being beautiful or fun. Let’s face it, dogs are unaware of how they look. Therefore, the Society has concluded that if your pals are comfortable and appear happy, Halloween-themed clothing isn’t going to hurt them. Indeed, they may enjoy the added attention and smiles.
Have you ever wondered why people began dressing their dogs? One explanation is that many pets serve as an extension of the personality of their owners. If you like Halloween, you want Spot to like Halloween, too. Others like to honor their pals by bestowing human-like qualities on them. Who doesn’t speak long, complicated sentences to their pooch while they seem to intently listen? Still others may be lonely and have a need to get as close to their pets as possible — be a part of the pack, so to speak. But the main reason is simpler. According to surveys, most people say it’s just plain fun.
So if you plan to dress up your best friend for Halloween festivities, here are some tips from Frederick-based experts at the Humane Society, Animal Welfare League, and Frederick County Animal Control to make your day safe and fun:
• Measure your pup and make sure the costume fits well but not too tightly.
• Dogs always need a full range of motion. Make sure they can comfortably walk, eat, lie down and run.
• Avoid costumes with small buttons and other decorations pets can chew off and swallow.
• Avoid non-breathable fabrics like nylon and polyester.
• If your pal has never dressed up before, give them a few days to get used to their new duds before trotting them out in public. You can quietly assess their reaction in private.
• Not all dogs will enjoy dressing up. Watch for signs of stress, which may indicate a preference to remain unclothed: aggression, whining, excessive yawning, head-shaking, a refusal to move, panting or persistent body shaking.
The experts offered other tips for a safe Halloween season, even if your pets don’t dress up:
• Slowly introduce adult and children costumes and decorations a few days ahead to limit stress. Remember that humans dressed in scary costumes and big blow-up decorations are strange and novel objects to pets. Give them time to adjust.
• Offer treats and reassurance if you observe reactions such as startled jumps, flattened ears, flattened tails or cautious approaches.
• Never leash them into a spooky situation they can’t escape. Let dogs explore at their own pace.
• Practice doorbell chiming to get your pals used to the constant commotion of trick-or-treating. Reward patience and bravery with calm words and tasty treats.
• Keep human treats off limits to your pups and throw away those candy wrappers, too. Beware their ingesting even the smallest portion of chocolate or sugar-free candies that contain xylitol.
• If all else fails, remove your dog from the chaos. Consider creating a cozy space for your doggos to get away from all the ghouls and goblins.
If all systems are go and you’re ready to strut your mutt, here are the top 10 doggy costumes of 2022 according to Prosper Insights & Analytics 2022 Halloween Survey. Perhaps this will give you some ideas.
• Pumpkin • Hot dog • Bat • Bumblebee • Witch • Lion • Spider • Ghost • Superdog • Devil
