Here it is, just a few days from Halloween, and I have have neglected my favorite people: my pets!
You may think I’m nuts, but I love to dress my dog and cat up in pet costumes for Halloween. And, apparently, I’m not the only one. According to Time Magazine , Americans spend a staggering $370 million on pet costumes each year, which is just under what they spend on costumes for their children.
Here's my dog trying on one of her many costumes. Cute, eh?
My dog fell asleep in costume, so I don't think it was too traumatic for her.
Hmmm, maybe our pets are better behaved than our children? Who knows! What I do know, is that like the rest of you, I’m a sucker for a pooch in a costume, and it sounds like the rest of you probably are, too.
It’s funny, had I seen my parents putting a costume on the family dog as a child, I would have assumed that they had completely lost all connection to reality. Fast forward a few decades and pets in costume are as common as anything and no one seems any crazier…well, not too much crazier anyway. Yorkies running around in lederhosens, border collies in tutus, and bulldogs dressed up as Marilyn Monroe just make me grin.
I’m not an expert in dog or cat language, but my dog sort of prances a bit when we put in her in a cute little outfit. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen many lizards, snakes of turtles in costume, but I’d sure like to!
If you’re thinking of dressing your little Fifi in a sparkling ensemble that would make Paris Hilton envious, just remember to try to keep the time in costume short. Although most pets love the extra attention, if they seem to have had enough of the outfit, give them a break…animals need to be respected because they are still animals who will defend themselves if they feel the need. But, most of the time costumes are tolerated and they’ll love you even if you do make them look ridiculous once a year. That’s just what pets do….love you anyway.
If you don’t have a pet, there are always great pets that need a good home, and then you can join the People Who Put Their Pets in Costumes Club. That’s not really a club, but it should be.
Happy Costume Wearing Furry Friends!
