Halloween costume dog

Halloween costumes are costumes worn on or around Halloween, a festival which falls on every October 31st.

The Halloween costume has a fairly short history. In fact, wearing costumes has been associated with many different holidays, including Christmas. One of the earliest references to wearing costumes at Halloween is in 1895, where "guisers" are recorded in Scotland. However that's the end of mentions of costumes in England, Ireland, or the United States until 1900.


Early costumes emphasized the pagan and gothic nature of the holiday, but by the 1930s costumes based on characters in mass media such as film, literature, and radio were popular. Halloween was originally promoted as a children's holiday, and as a means of reining in the licentious and destructive beahvior of teenagers.

At first, Halloween costumes were aimed at children, but after the 1950s, Halloween became very popular and was celebrated by adults too. Soon the Halloween costume was worn by adults as much as children.

Today, the National Retail Federation reports that Halloween is the second biggest holiday, spending-wise, in the U.S.A., right after Christmas! In fact, 7 out of 10 Americans are planning to celebrate the Halloween holiday, a larger slice of the population since its Halloween survey started nine years ago.

Of the expected $6.86 billionin spending, the NRF projects that $310 million will be spent on pet costumes!!!!

From Wikipedia article on "Halloween Costumes."

Ingredients

1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 c. milk

1) Pre-heat oven to 350o.
2) Mix flour and cheese together.
3) Add the butter or margarine and mix well.
4) Slowly add the milk to form a thick dough (you may not need all of the milk).
5) Knead on a lightly-floured surface for a few minutes until smooth.
6) Roll out to 1/4" thickness.
7) Cut into shapes and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
8) Bake for 15 minutes.
9) Let cool in oven with door slightly open until cold and firm.
10) Extras can be refrigerated for later use.

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowl of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms-especially dark or baking chocolate-can be very dangerous for dogs and cats.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, but they can produce stomach upset in pets who nibble on them.

3. Wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet might suffer cuts or burns, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!).

6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also, be sure to try on costumes before the big night. If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au naturale or donning a festive bandana.

7. Take a closer look at your pet's costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.

8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.

10. Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver, increaing the chances that he or she will be returned to you.

From the ASPCA website. Read more about Halloween Pet Safety at the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

You can order one of these dog halloween costumes here, and see others too.

Featuring a fun basketball theme, this Top Paw Basketball Player Costume for Dogs will have your canine friend scoring points with everyone you walk by this Halloween.

The costume is made from 100% polyester to ensure comfortable indoor and outdoor wear, and the hook-and-loop closure easily adjusts to fit your dog's neck size. Spot clean this multicolored costume for easy maintenance.

And here's a complementary outfit: the Grreat Choice Cheerleader Dog Costume .

Want something to cheer for? How about how cute your pet will look in this bright red and blue Cheerleader Costume by Grreat Choice!

Made exclusively for PetSmart.
100% polyester.
Turn inside out and machine wash in cold water.

Frog Dog Costume 

Dressed up in a frog costume, your dog will have a really "hoppy" Halloween! A Petsmart exclusive.

Just $14.99

Your dog will bring fun antics to any Halloween party in this festive clown costume. A PetSmart exclusive.

Click for more Dog Halloween costumes from PetSmart.