We heard you want to dress up your pet, but aren’t sure where to start. Don’t worry! We put in the work to make this year a breeze. Below, you’ll find costume picks for dogs, cats, and what each option says about you. We’ll also cover how a costume should fit, a safety checklist, and signs of stress to watch for.
First, an uncomfortable question: who is this costume for?
Let’s get the awkward part out of the way. Your dog doesn’t know it’s Halloween. Your cat has no concept of holidays, and if she did, she’d consider this one unnecessary. Neither of them has ever looked at a pumpkin and thought, “I should become that.”
The costume is for you. It’s a small way to spark joy, but pets are not always on the receiving end of the joy. We’re not judging. Who doesn't love seeing a pug dress up like a wheel of cheese? But some pets might not be the Halloween type, and that's okay.
Here’s a quick self-audit. Who is getting the most out of this outfit? If the answer is “the group chat,” proceed with caution. If the answer is “my pet, who is wiggling at the sight of the costume and demanding it be put on immediately,” wonderful. You’ve found the rare pet who wants this.
Don’t put your pet in a costume unless you know they love it. Period. A pet who skips Halloween hasn’t missed anything. A pet in pajamas they chose themselves (a cozy blanket counts) is having an excellent night.
For those pets, like Baylee here, who thoroughly enjoy being the center of attention and a good outfit, here are some ideas to wow their adoring fans.
What are the best Halloween costumes for pets in 2026?
NRF’s 2026 survey ranks pumpkin first at 11.6% as the top costume, with hot dog at 5.9% and ghost at 2.8%. Pumpkin also led NRF’s 2025 list, which makes it the vanilla ice cream of pet costumes. That’s a compliment. Vanilla wins for a reason.
NRF also projects nearly a billion dollars (yes, in this economy) in planned 2026 spending on pet costumes. And in NRF’s 2025 survey, 23% of consumers said they planned to dress up their pets. That figure covers all surveyed consumers, not only pet parents, so nobody can say how many of them asked the pet first.
We’ve sorted the picks below for dogs, cats, and DIY fans, plus a section of pop culture ideas for people who care more about the joke than the look.
Best dog Halloween costumes for every size and shape
Think of these as casting notes. Dog Halloween costumes run from a plain cape to a full wrap-around outfit. Pick based on your dog’s size, coat, and patience, not on how good it looks on the model on the package.
Pumpkin. The classic, but we’re biased. The shape is simple and round, and it works on most sizes. Go for a soft vest or wrap. The hat is optional, and it’s usually the first thing to go, because your dog has opinions about hats.
What it says about you: you like tradition, and you’ve made peace with the orange.
Hot dog. A bun-style wrap across the back works well for small and long-bodied dogs. Make sure it doesn’t bunch under the belly or get in the way when your dog needs to squat and pee. No one likes a soggy dog.
What it says about you: you saw a long dog and had a vision.
Ghost. Choose a lightweight cape-style drape that stays off the face. If your dog can’t see, it’s not a costume. It’s a problem.
What it says about you: you probably had tumblr, you’re comfortable with minimalism, and you own at least one old sheet.
Superhero cape or bandana. The best first costume, and your best bet for dog costumes for large dogs, where full outfits can be a nightmare to size.
What it says about you: you want a good photo with minimal negotiation.
Wing sets (bee, ladybug, bat). Wings sit on the back, away from the face. Check that the attachments are secure and don’t pinch.
What it says about you: you live for the fantasy, and you think your dog (or cat) does too.
Small dogs can get swamped by bulky, layered outfits, so keep dog costumes for small dogs (or cats) light.
Pay attention to the fastenings. AKC’s chief veterinarian recommends Velcro only, with no buttons, drawstrings, or elastic, and no dangling parts that are easy to chew and swallow.
Funny and creative pet costumes your dog will never understand
This is the section where your pet’s cultural literacy lets you down. Your dog has not heard of any of the following people, events, or tote bags. That’s what makes it so funny.
These creative pet costumes work best as a duo. Your pet wears one simple, comfortable piece. You handle the wig, the props, and the commitment, which is only fair, since you’re the one who needs this to land.
The lettuce outbreak. Your pet is a head of iceberg lettuce in a soft leafy collar or green vest. You’re the food safety inspector, with a clipboard and rubber gloves. Fair warning: this one gets a big laugh or an awkward silence, depending on the party. Your pet will be thrilled either way, because it’s lettuce.
Kelly Clarkson and the bird sculpture. Your pet is the singing bird. You’re the shopper squinting at the price tag. Print the price tag on the costume or use a sticker. A dangling tag is a chewing hazard.
The Trader Joe’s mini tote. Your pet is the tote, in a striped canvas-style vest. You’re the crew member who has seen things, with a crooked name tag, messy hair, and a “limit one per customer” sign. Leave the handles off your pet’s version, because they snag. Your pet is now worth more than the real bag, emotionally.
Zohran Mamdani and the pothole. Your pet is Mamdani in a suit and tie and/or wig, you are the pothole with cardboard cut out painted black stuck to a t-shirt. You’re the problem, your pet the solution.
A Knicks player and a basketball. Your pet is the basketball, in a roomy orange vest with black stripes. You’re the Knicks player. Please do not dribble your pet.
Erling Haaland and the Viking row. Norway’s players sat on the pitch and performed the rowing celebration their fans made famous at the World Cup. You and your pet sit on the floor and row in sync. Your pet is unclear on why. Skip the horned helmet. A red bandana does the job, and if you have a dachshund, congratulations, you own the longboat. For those who have no idea what’s going on in sport, feel free to just throw your dog in a Furkin, throw on a blond wig and call it a night.
Bad Bunny and the moving bushes. About 400 performers dressed as sugar-cane grass in the Super Bowl halftime show, and the internet noticed the bushes moving. Let your pet take center stage, and you can be the leafy green backup.
Danny DeVito and the Jersey Mike’s sub. DeVito’s Jersey Mike’s ads lean on absurdly overstuffed subs. Your pet is the sub, in a soft roll-style sleeve with felt toppings sewn flat. Long dogs wear this best. You’re DeVito, with a rumpled suit and the look of someone who is very happy with their sandwich.
Miranda Priestly and the flowers. For your Devil Wears Prada fans: you know the line about florals. Your pet is the florals, in a loose petal collar that stays off the face. You’re Miranda, with a silver bob, enormous sunglasses, and a coat draped over your shoulders. Look unimpressed. This is the one costume where you and your pet are making the same face.
Best cat Halloween costumes (and when to skip them)
Cats are the only members of your household with a fully intact sense of dignity, and they usually like to keep it that way. Unfortunately, most will have already decided, and the answer was no.
If your cat is truly relaxed about being handled, you have a few low-commitment options:
Festive collar or bow tie. Use a breakaway style so it releases if it catches on something.
Lightweight bandana. A pumpkin or ghost print gives you the look with almost no fuss.
Short cape with a Velcro closure. Make sure it doesn’t drag or tangle around the legs.
Cardboard box. Many cats climb in on their own. Add a “fragile” label and call it a costume. Your cat will think it was their idea, which means it’s the only successful negotiation of the evening.
Skip it completely if your cat freezes, hides, or goes for the door. A cat who sits perfectly still for the camera isn’t necessarily a cat who’s fine. Sometimes they’ve just left their body. And if you’ve got a new kitten this fall, our Halloween cat names are a better use of the energy.
DIY and no-costume ideas for pets who hate dressing up
The most radical thing you can do on Halloween is nothing. But if you need to make something, a DIY pet costume can be as simple as a bandana, and that’s a perfectly good costume. These ideas work for cats and funny dog costumes alike:
No-sew bandana. Cut a triangle from an old cotton T-shirt and tie it loosely, or add a Velcro tab.
Old-tee cape. Cut a rectangle, round the corners, and close it with Velcro at the neck.
Bow tie or festive collar. It’s quick, and it keeps the neck and face clear.
Photo props. Pose your pet on a blanket with decorative pumpkins, take the picture, then put everything away.
You wear the costume. Your pet wears nothing, or just a bandana. This is the healthiest option on the list, because the person who needs the costume is the one in it. Let your pet sniff your outfit first, and take off any mask around your dog.
Skip the hot glue, googly eyes, buttons, and ribbon tails. A swallowed object, and a $5,000 emergency vet bill is a great way to ruin all the Halloween fun.
Halloween costumes that don’t require your pet to dress up
Your pet can join the costume without wearing one, to keep the evening stress-free.
Dog and owner costume ideas
Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. Dress as Little Red Riding Hood, complete with a red cape and basket, and let your dog play the Big Bad Wolf.
Dorothy and Toto. Grab a blue gingham dress and ruby slippers, and let your dog play Toto from The Wizard of Oz.
A mail carrier and the neighborhood menace. Dress as a mail carrier and let your dog play the enthusiastic mail-chaser.
Harry Potter and Fang. Put on Hogwarts robes and round glasses, and let your dog play Fang, Hagrid’s enormous but cowardly boarhound..
Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. Dress as Shaggy Rogers and let your dog play Scooby-Doo. Add friends dressed as Fred, Daphne, and Velma for a full Mystery Inc. group costume.
Peter Pan and the Darling family. Dress the family as Peter Pan, Wendy, John, and Michael, and let your dog play Nana, the Darling family’s devoted nursemaid.
A lion tamer and a golden retriever. Dress as a lion tamer and let your golden retriever play the lion. Their fluffy golden coat does most of the work.
Cat and owner costume ideas
A witch and her black cat. Dress as a classic Halloween witch and let your black cat play your familiar.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Salem. Dress as Sabrina and let your cat play Salem, her sarcastic feline companion from Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
The Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat. Dress as the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland and let your cat play the Cheshire Cat. Your cat’s ability to appear and disappear on their own terms suits the role.
How should a pet costume fit?
“It went on” is not the same as “it fits.” Measure your pet, not your hopes. Start with three measurements: neck, chest at the widest point behind the front legs, and back length from the base of the neck to the base of the tail. Then compare them with the sizing chart instead of guessing by breed.
Your pet should be able to move, see, hear, breathe, and bark or meow freely. You should be able to fit two fingers under any strap. Check the fit while your pet stands, sits, lies down, and walks. Watch for bunching and twisting too, ill-fitting outfits can twist around a pet and cause injury. Skip anything that covers the face or has small parts your pet could chew off.
Pet costume safety checklist
A costume that works for one pet can be a problem for another. Fit, supervision, and your pet’s comfort decide it, not what the label says. Run through this before the big night:
The costume doesn’t limit movement, sight, or the ability to breathe, bark, or meow.
It has no small, dangling, or easily chewed-off pieces.
Fastenings are Velcro, not buttons, drawstrings, or elastic.
Your pet has tried it on before the big night. The AVMA recommends getting pets used to costumes beforehand.
You never leave a costumed pet unsupervised.
Your pet has an ID tag and a current microchip, in case they bolt.
You take the costume off at the first sign of stress. Not after one more photo. At the first sign.
How to get your pet used to a costume (and spot signs of stress)
If your pet is a maybe, give them a week or two. Springing a costume on them at 6 p.m. on Halloween is how you end up with a pet who has a new fear and a very clear memory of who did it.
Leave the costume out so your pet can sniff it, and give a treat.
Put it on for a few seconds, treat, then take it off.
Add a little time each day, with treats and calm praise.
Walk around the house in it, then try the full outfit.
If your pet seems unhappy, stop. They’ve given you their answer.
The bottom line on dressing up your pet this Halloween
Pick a costume that suits your pet’s size, test it early, and stay close while it’s on. Watch for stress signs, and keep the candy out of reach. If your pet doesn’t want to participate in the Halloween festivities, better not to force them. Keep an eye out for Halloween hazards, and we’re sure you will look great with or without your pet dressing up this Halloween!
A special thank you to the Pumpkin team who shared photos of their pets for this article. In addition to being great parents, we are grateful for all that you do.
