The pumpkin tops the pet costume chart at 11.6 percent, followed by the hot dog at 5.9 percent and the ghost at 2.8 percent, according to WDBO. A dog dressed as a hot dog is basically a pun with legs, so its staying power makes sense. Superheroes, witches, lions, dragons, and sharks round out the popular picks, which suggests pets have no shortage of ambition. The same report notes that cat owners are less likely to dress up their pets, which will not surprise anyone who has ever tried to fit a tiny hat on a cat.
Trends are shifting too. Audacy reports that a Manhattan costume shop has been selling out of Pupasaurus Rex outfits, and dogs dressed as Krypto the Superdog are turning up as well. Owners are clearly all in. A MetLife Pet Insurance survey covered by Global Pet Industry found that nearly one in three respondents spent more on their pet's outfit than on their own. That is either pure devotion or an excellent photo strategy.
Of course, a costume is only cute when the pet agrees to it. The ASPCA recommends dressing a dog or cat only if they love it, and says the outfit should never limit movement, sight, or the ability to breathe, bark, or meow. It also suggests a test run well before the big night, a check for small or dangling pieces that could be chewed off, and skipping headpieces altogether. Identification matters as well, since a spooked pet with a tag or microchip is far easier to return home. A festive bandana still counts as a costume, and a comfortable pet makes for a much happier photo shoot.
There is a nice symmetry in all of this. The Celts pulled on animal heads to fit in with the spirits, and today animals pull on pumpkin heads to fit in with the family. The purpose has shifted from survival to snapshots, but the heart of the tradition is unchanged, a little disguise, a little mischief, and a lot of people gathering to enjoy it. So whether your pet is a roaring dinosaur, a sleepy taco, or a very serious bee, the costumes below prove that the oldest Halloween tradition is still going strong.
