Greatful Moments received this information from Dr. Kelly Hood, DVM, speaking for Pet Health Digest, about recognizing signs of stress in dogs and cats during Halloween costumes, photographs and trick-or-treating.
I love Halloween. I love seeing the decorations, the costumes, the kids getting excited and, yes, taking pictures. But there is one thing I don’t think we need to do to celebrate Halloween — make our pets wear a costume when they really don’t want to.
I know, I know. Some of those pet Halloween pictures are absolutely adorable. But there is a difference between a dog who is happily sitting there in a little costume and a dog who has basically decided, “If I don’t move, maybe this will be over soon.” And apparently, that difference matters.
That Perfect Halloween Picture May Not Be So Perfect: Dr. Kelly Hood, DVM, is reminding pet owners that a dog who suddenly freezes while wearing a Halloween costume may not be cooperating.
The dog may actually be stressed. She says owners should pay attention if their dog becomes rigid, turns away or keeps trying to leave. You don’t have to wait until your dog growls or snaps before taking those signs seriously. That makes sense to me.
If somebody put me in an outfit I didn’t like and then kept telling me to sit still while taking pictures, I might have a few things to say about it too. Our pets can’t tell us, “Mom, I don’t like this costume.” They have to show us.
One of the things I liked about this information is that it points out that you shouldn’t look at just one behavior and immediately decide your pet is stressed. A yawn doesn’t automatically mean a dog is miserable. One change in the ears doesn’t tell you everything. You have to look at the whole animal and what is happening around them.
For dogs, signs of discomfort can include:
- Repeated lip licking when there isn’t food around
- Yawning when they aren’t tired
- Turning their head away
- Pulling their ears back
- Suddenly freezing or becoming rigid
- Crouching
- Tucking their tail
- Backing away or hiding
- Avoiding touch
- Growling, baring their teeth or snapping
Cats can communicate their discomfort differently. They may:
- Rotate their ears sideways or flatten them back
- Crouch low
- Flatten themselves against the floor
- Hold their tail tightly against their body
- Lean away
- Retreat or hide
- Hiss, growl or swat
And here’s another reminder I thought was important: purring doesn’t automatically mean a cat is happy. You have to look at the whole cat. Is the cat relaxed? Can the cat move away? Does the cat want to be there? Those questions matter.
When Your Pet Says “That’s Enough”– If your pet becomes tense, freezes, repeatedly tries to get away or is avoiding the interaction, it’s time to stop. Take the costume off calmly if it’s safe to do so. Turn down the noise. Give your pet some space. And don’t chase your dog or cat around the house because you just need one more picture.
There doesn’t need to be one more picture. The picture isn’t worth making your pet uncomfortable. And please don’t punish a dog for growling. A growl is a warning that the dog needs space. If we punish the warning, we may make it harder to recognize when the dog is uncomfortable in the future.
Halloween Can Be a Lot for Pets– And honestly, the costume isn’t the only thing that can make Halloween stressful. Think about what happens at your front door. The doorbell rings. Someone knocks. Kids are running up and down the sidewalk. There are strangers wearing masks, hats, wigs and costumes. The door opens over and over again. And somebody who normally loves visitors may suddenly decide that all of these strange-looking people are a little too much.
The ASPCA recommends giving pets a comfortable space away from the front door during busy trick-or-treating hours. Give them familiar bedding, water and somewhere they can hide. Cats should also have access to their litter box. And if your pet chooses to hide, let them hide. We don’t have to make our pets come out and meet everybody.
Your Pet Doesn’t Have to Wear the Costume– This may be my favorite suggestion from the entire piece. Let the Halloween theme be about the family — not something the pet has to endure. You can dress yourself up. You can decorate the house. You can put a Halloween border around the picture afterward. And you can take a perfectly good Halloween picture of your dog or cat without putting them into a costume at all.
Now, if your pet genuinely enjoys wearing an outfit, that’s different. Make sure it fits properly. Make sure it doesn’t interfere with movement, vision or breathing. Avoid loose pieces that could be swallowed. And watch your pet’s behavior. If the behavior changes, the costume comes off. Simple.
Sometimes the Best Picture Is the One Your Pet Chooses– I think that’s probably the biggest takeaway for me. We love our pets. We want them included in our family pictures and our holiday memories. But being part of the family doesn’t mean they have to participate in everything we want them to do.
If your dog walks away, let him walk away. If your cat hides, let her hide. If your pet doesn’t want to wear a costume, don’t make them wear one. Sometimes the best Halloween picture is the one where your pet is simply being your pet. And honestly, isn’t that what we love about them anyway?
About the Information We Shared– This Greatful Moments article was based on information provided by Dr. Kelly Hood, DVM, speaking for Pet Health Digest, about recognizing stress signals in dogs and cats during Halloween costumes, photographs and trick-or-treating.
Dr. Hood earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from North Carolina State University in 2019. When using this information, Pet Health Digest asks that commentary from Dr. Hood be credited to Dr. Kelly Hood, DVM, for Pet Health Digest, with readers directed to Pet Health Digest for the original source.
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