Pet costumes are the best part of Halloween — until they're not. Before you dress up your dog or cat this October, run through these seven rules. They take two minutes and they're the difference between adorable photos and a stressed-out pet.
1. The two-finger rule
You should be able to slide two fingers between the costume and your pet's body anywhere it touches. Tighter than that restricts movement and breathing; looser and paws get tangled. Straps around the neck deserve extra attention — snug, never tight.
2. Never block the essentials
Eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and — critically — the ability to pant. Dogs regulate temperature by panting, so anything that limits an open mouth is an automatic no. Lightweight, open designs like bat wings or a Halloween bandana are the safest bets for pets that hate full costumes.
3. Do a trial run before the big night
Put the costume on for five minutes a few days early. Treats, praise, off. Repeat the next day for longer. By Halloween, the costume is old news instead of a surprise attack. Watch for stress signals: tucked tail, pinned ears, freezing in place, or the classic "walk like the floor is lava."
4. Check for chewable parts
Buttons, bells, dangling threads, small plastic bits — if it can come off, it can go in a mouth. Give any costume a once-over and tug-test before it goes on, especially for puppies and cats who investigate everything with their teeth.
5. Make your pet visible after dark
More pets go missing on Halloween than almost any other night — doors open constantly, and dark costumes make pets invisible to drivers. If you're trick-or-treating with your dog, an LED collar makes them visible from every direction. Rechargeable ones are worth it — no hunting for coin batteries at 6 PM on October 31st.
6. Costume time is supervised time
Never leave a costumed pet home alone. Fabric plus an unsupervised pet equals a chewing hazard, a tangling hazard, or at minimum a destroyed costume and a very smug cat.
7. Respect the veto
Some pets just hate costumes, and that's their right. If the trial run goes badly, downgrade: a festive bandana gives you the holiday photo without the drama. A ghost sheet with proper eye holes — like our ghost costume — sits loose and comes off in one second if your pet's not feeling it.
Plan ahead: shipping cutoffs are real
One practical note: if you're ordering a costume online, do it early. Our Halloween Shop has an October 10 order cutoff to guarantee delivery before the big night — and the popular sizes go first.
Everything in the Furly Halloween Shop ships free in the US with a 30-day guarantee. See this year's drop →