Ashley Williams of Mexico, Mo., decided to dress up her 10-week-old Boston terrier for Halloween this year.
Tucker will wear a firetruck-shaped shell on his back and a red firefighter’s hat on his head, held on with elastic straps to make sure everything stays put. Williams plans to take her miniature trick-or-treater to a family Halloween party.
“He’s part of our family now,” she said. “I thought it’d be fun to take him to my grandparents’ and mom’s, all dressed up.”
Williams says she hasn’t dressed up for Halloween since she was a kid, but her relatives get in costume and that’s a reason for Tucker to do the same.
Costumes come in sizes for poodles and Great Danes, and with choices like Tinkerbell and a peacock, it’s not hard to find one that suits your pet’s personality.
All dressed up with nowhere to go? Treats Unleashed is hosting a Halloween trick-or-treat party from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 27. There will be opportunities for pets to be photographed. Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes, and there will be treats for dogs and their owners.
Petco sponsors a pet costume contest, which will be held this year at 2 p.m. Saturday. Ribbons and gift certificates will be awarded for the winners who are judged on creativity, attention to detail and pet parent involvement.
“You can buy a costume, but the winners make their own costumes and put a lot of thought into it,” said Kate Tripp, a team lead and dog trainer at Petco.
The contest isn’t limited to dogs and cats. Tripp plans on bringing Bootstrap, her three-legged lizard, to the contest.
“He’s going to be a dragon — I’m making it,” she said. “He’s a very small lizard. The wings were easy, but anything on his head I don’t know if he’ll keep on.”