There’s no denying that pet Halloween costumes are cute. Before you put an R2-D2 outfit on your pooch or adorn your cat with a witch hat to greet trick-or-treaters, however, you’ll want to consider what’s best for your pet.
Here are five reasons to think twice before dressing your pet up for Halloween:
Costumes can mask an animal’s body language.
An ill-fitting cat or dog Halloween costume can make it hard to tell whether your pet is feeling anxious, scared or skittish. In turn, it could lead to unsafe encounters on a night where there is more activity in your neighborhood than usual.
Dogs whose bodies are encased in costumes are not able to display their normal range of social signals, which can prevent their intentions from being accurately conveyed to other dogs and humans, says Barbara Davis, a certified dog behavior consultant and owner of Bad Dogs, Inc. “A dog without a costume may perceive your costumed dog as weird at best and a threat at worst, which may result in unprovoked attacks or fights.”
Your pet hates wearing clothes.
While some animals may enjoy prancing around in a costume and appreciate the extra attention that comes with it, others simply don’t tolerate clothing of any kind. If you want to know how your pet feels about clothing, take a look at their eyes while they are in costume. If you can see the whites of your pet’s eyes or if they appear buggy or red, this is a sign that your pet is not happy about wearing clothing, says Dr. Judy Morgan, a veterinarian based in Pennsville, New Jersey and owner of Naturally Healthy Pets.
Other telltale signs include a lowered tail and an inability to move or fear of walking in the outfit. If your pet dislikes being in their dog or cat costume, they may also chew or scratch at their outfit. “Before you know it, their foot gets stuck in a loop, and your pet could be strangling themselves,” says Morgan.
Costumes can impair your pet’s ability to see or hear.
Some costumes come with head pieces, hoods and hats that may restrict your dog or cat’s ability to see clearly or muffle their hearing, says Davis. When the costume changes your pet’s perception of the world around them, it can make a potentially scary night even scarier. Not great if you have masked strangers coming by and knocking on your front door.
Dog and cat costumes are often ill fitting.
Most costumes come in a limited range of sizes, so getting a great fit for your pet may be more difficult than anticipated. If the costume is too large, it can slip around, get caught on furniture or create a tripping hazard as your pet moves around in it, Davis says.
If the costume is too small, there may be discomfort in the body, restricted movement and possible overheating. “This is particularly dangerous for short-nosed dogs, like Pugs, Bulldogs and Boxers, who may struggle to regulate their body heat even without a costume.”
In addition, a full-body pet Halloween costume may restrict your dog’s ability to turn his head, wag his tail, walk normally and jump. “Because the dog is not aware of these restrictions, he may injure himself in trying to do things dogs normally do,” says Davis.
Some costumes can be a chewing or choking hazard.
Some costumes contain ornaments, fasteners, wires and other parts that may cause mouth injuries if chewed or internal injuries or blockages if swallowed, Davis says. Additionally, costumes made of plastic or scratchy materials may hold body heat and trap it in there.
“Any costume you are considering should be carefully examined to make sure they don’t contain any buttons, snaps, fasteners or metal parts that could cause choking or internal injuries,” Davis says. “Sometimes these items aren’t evident, as metal stays or wires can be embedded within the costume or its parts to stiffen it or give it shape.”