Dog Obedience Training

Tips for Getting Your Dog Used to Wearing a Costume

One of the best-loved traditions in America is dressing up in costumes, particularly for Halloween. Theme parties are another chance to dress up and since they can be held year-round, there’s no waiting for a certain holiday. Just choose a theme and throw a party— possibly even as a fund-raiser for charity or as a grand opening for a new business. Or for no reason at all other than to get friends and family together. But when you do, don’t leave the furry family members out of the fun. Choose costumes for dogs that are easy clean and easy care and they’ll provide years of laughs.

Some dogs are really easy to dress up, especially if they are already accustomed to wearing doggie sweaters or winter gear like boots. Some pooches just seem to really like Halloween costumes for dogs, probably because of all the attention and treats they get because they look so cute! Although you can just take a dog sweater you already have and add to it to make a costume— angel wings, spider legs, giraffe spots, or tiger stripes— the costumes you can buy online are adorable, unique, inexpensive, and make people laugh!

Since there are so many cute and funny costumes for dogs, it’s easy to get excited, but don’t let that excitement overturn your common sense. Take time to let your dog get used to wearing the individual parts of the costume before you put it all together. When he can wear the entire costume at home, and will move around in it without trying to immediately rip it off, then he’s probably ready to be away from the house while wearing it (maybe going trick or treating with you). If your canine is not used to a costume for dog, introduce a costume slowly like this:

• Put a small piece of the costume on him.
• Praise him as soon as it touches him.
• Pop a treat in his mouth.
• Immediately take the costume off of him and tell him what a terrific dog he is!
• Repeat for a total of five repetitions and take a break.

After your dog has learned to wear a costume, and has been rewarded by the attention it generates, introducing each subsequent costume is easier. So if he does well with Halloween costumes for dogs, just think how adorable he’ll look in a Santa Suit or as a leprechaun or in a Hawaiian dog costume at your next luau or backyard barbecue!