Halloween is one of those holidays that becomes considerably more entertaining once pets get involved. Whether your dog is perfectly happy trotting around dressed like a dinosaur or your cat would file a formal complaint over a festive hat, there are plenty of ways to let them join the fun.
The PetSmart Halloween Shop is already packed with costumes, seasonal apparel, toys, treats, and accessories for dogs, cats, and even smaller pets. Better yet, you don’t have to go all-in on a costume. There are options for different sizes, personalities, and tolerance levels, including plenty for pets whose idea of dressing up begins and ends with wearing a cute collar.
Here are a few ways to get your pets ready for Halloween this year.
From small pets to larger dog breeds, PetSmart offers costumes and seasonal apparel designed to fit pets of all shapes and sizes. From full costumes to festive apparel and simple collars or accessories, there are options for every pet temperament and comfort level.
Go All Out With a Halloween Costume
If your pet doesn’t mind dressing up, this is your chance to embrace the ridiculousness of Halloween in the best possible way.
PetSmart has full costumes in a pretty impressive range of sizes and styles, including options for small pets and larger dog breeds. That’s particularly helpful if you’ve ever fallen in love with a pet costume online only to discover that “XL” apparently means “slightly larger Chihuahua.”
Fit matters beyond whether you can physically get the costume onto your pet, of course. They should still be able to walk, sit, lie down, see, hear, and generally go about their business comfortably.
If you’re unsure about sizing, stopping by your local PetSmart gives you a chance to get a better idea of what will work. If you already know your pet’s measurements, you can browse and order from the Halloween collection online instead.
There are a lot of costumes to choose from this year, but these are a few of my favorites from the PetSmart Halloween Shop.
Keep It Simple with Festive Apparel and Accessories
Not every pet wants to spend Halloween dressed as a tiny UPS driver. Some barely tolerate the perfectly reasonable things we ask them to wear every day.
Fortunately, “festive” doesn’t have to mean a full costume.
Halloween shirts, bandanas, collars, bow ties, and other simple accessories can give pets a little holiday style without asking quite as much of them. They’re also a good compromise for pets who don’t mind wearing something but draw a very firm line at elaborate costumes.
Pay attention to your pet here rather than getting too attached to your original vision. If they’re comfortable in a shirt but hate anything on their head, skip the hat. Halloween will somehow carry on.
For pets who prefer a more understated approach to Halloween fashion, these are a few of my favorite simpler options.
Don’t Forget the Halloween Toys
Then there are the pets who would like us to stop trying to put things on them altogether.
Fair enough. They can still celebrate.
PetSmart’s Halloween collection includes plenty of seasonal toys for dogs and cats, from spooky plush characters and squeaky toys to Halloween-themed cat toys. It’s an easy way to include pets in the holiday without requiring them to wear so much as a pumpkin-print bandana.
Plus, unlike a costume that comes out once a year, your pet can continue gleefully attacking a stuffed ghost well into November. Pets aren’t particularly concerned with seasonal decorating rules.
If your pet would rather play with Halloween than wear it, these are a few of the seasonal toys that caught my eye.
Add Some Halloween Treats
It wouldn’t really be Halloween without treats, and there’s no reason our pets should be left completely out of that part.
Of course, their treats should come from their own stash rather than ours. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats, and some candies and other foods contain ingredients such as xylitol that can be extremely dangerous for pets.
Instead, set aside some pet-safe Halloween goodies of their own. PetSmart carries seasonal dog and cat treats, including plenty that feel a little more special than their everyday snacks.
You can even put together a small Halloween goodie bag for your pet. They will not appreciate the presentation, but they will absolutely understand the contents.
I found plenty of tempting seasonal goodies while browsing, but these are a few of my favorite Halloween treats this year.
A Few Quick Halloween Costume Safety Tips
Pet costumes are supposed to be fun. If your pet is spending the entire evening plotting the costume’s destruction, it’s probably time to abandon the plan.
Before Halloween, let your pet wear the costume briefly at home so you can see how they move in it and how they react. Make sure it fits comfortably without restricting movement, breathing, hearing, or vision.
Check for small pieces, strings, buttons, or decorations that could become chewing or choking hazards, and supervise your pet while they’re dressed up. It’s also worth remembering that a pet who happily wears a costume around the house may feel differently once the doorbell starts ringing and strangely dressed humans begin appearing on the porch.
Most importantly, take your cues from your pet. If they’re uncomfortable, remove the costume and switch to something simpler or skip it entirely. They can celebrate Halloween perfectly well with a new toy and a treat.
Frankly, that’s probably how they’d choose to celebrate anyway.
Find Everything You Need in the PetSmart Halloween Shop
Whether your pet is ready to embrace a full Halloween costume or would prefer to celebrate by disemboweling a pumpkin-shaped plush toy, there are plenty of ways to include them in the fun.
The PetSmart Halloween Shop has costumes and seasonal apparel designed for pets of different shapes and sizes, along with simpler accessories for pets who aren’t comfortable dressing up. You’ll also find Halloween toys, treats, and other seasonal goodies for dogs, cats, and small pets.
You can shop the full PetSmart Halloween collection online to find your favorites, or stop by your local PetSmart to check out the selection in person and find the right style and fit for your pet.
Then all that’s left is convincing everyone to sit still long enough for one decent Halloween picture.
Good luck with that.
From small pets to larger dog breeds, PetSmart offers costumes and seasonal apparel designed to fit pets of all shapes and sizes. From full costumes to festive apparel and simple collars or accessories, there are options for every pet temperament and comfort level.
