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Oct 16, 2015 | Insurance
By Arden Moore, a certified dog and cat behaviorist with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Arden is an author, radio host, and writer for Pets Best, a cat insurance and dog insurance agency.
With Halloween approaching, more people are pairing up with their dogs to go trick-or-treating or attending costume parties. According to a 2012 survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, Americans spent a record $370 million on pet costumes in 2011. Among the most popular costumes are dogs dressed up as ghosts, action or super heroes, witches, pumpkins, devils and bumblebees.
Some outgoing, confident dogs happily and effortlessly turn into clothes hounds for Halloween. They seem to love the attention they garner by sporting a Halloween costume. Other dogs who are more apprehensive and unsure do their best to communicate that they want no part of donning any clothing.
It is important to take the time to heed your dog’s body cues on wearing outfits. Nix the notion if you put a costume on your dog and he displays any of these signs:
If your dog does enjoy wearing hats, coats and other costume clothing on occasion, size up the costume properly.
1. Make sure the outfit allows him to move easily and does not impair his mobility. A pet costume must fit well and remain securely in place. Tight clothing can impair circulation while a outfit too loose or too big can get tangled and cause the dog to trip while walking.
2. Avoid costumes that cover his face or ears to prevent him from seeing and hearing properly. Dogs rely on body postures more than vocalizations when communicating with other dogs. You don’t want to hamper your dog from clearly signaling to other dogs at the Halloween party.
3. Closely examine the outfit before purchasing to make sure that it does not sport any buttons or other small items that your dog can easily pull out, ingest and trigger a choking incident.
If your dog is game for wearing costumes, consider coming as a couple in outfits for you and your dog. Consider coming as Beauty and the Beast, Elvis and Priscilla Presley, Batman and Robin or other famous duos.
Protect your pup all year long, make sure you claim your free complimentary coverage from Pets Best today!