Dog Halloween Costume Night: Sizing, Photos and Treats
Our freeze-dried treats are the one thing that gets Ella to hold a pose for more than two seconds, which matters a lot on dog Halloween costume night when everyone wants the one good photo before the costume comes back off. She is not a dog who loves being dressed up, so we have learned to keep the whole process short and treat-heavy rather than fighting her into something she will just try to shake off on the porch.
Sizing before you buy
Every costume in our shop is sized by weight, not by breed, which matters more than people expect the first time they order one. Ella sits right in the middle of most size charts, so we always check the weight range on the product page against the number from her last weigh-in instead of guessing off her age or her breed mix. A costume that is one size off either way is the difference between a dog who tolerates ten minutes of photos and a dog who is out of it in thirty seconds.
If sizing feels like a gamble, or your dog is one of the ones who just will not wear a full costume no matter what size it is, a bandana or a bow is the easier route. It still reads as dressed up in a photo without anything covering her legs or her middle, and it comes off in one motion instead of a struggle with straps. We keep both options on hand every October, because we never know which one Ella is going to tolerate until the day actually arrives.
Costume shopping around here usually starts with whatever character or style catches our eye first, then narrows down to whatever size chart actually matches Ella once we pull up the product page. It is a slower way to shop than picking by picture alone, but it means fewer costumes going back once they arrive.
What goes in the pouch
Whatever costume or bandana ends up on her, the treats come first. We start with our Pup-Ornaut Pumpkin and Apple and our cheddar bites, both small enough to feed one piece at a time between shots without breaking the pose she is already holding. A treat in hand held just above the camera lens is most of the trick to a costume photo that actually works.
From the shop
Our Pup-Ornaut Pumpkin and Apple and cheddar bites come first for the photo session itself, both from our freeze-dried treats collection. From our pet costumes collection we like the Lady Bug Pet Costume for a dog who tolerates a full costume, and if that is not your dog, our circle-logo bandana or anything in the bandanas and bows collection covers the no-costume version of the same photo. Everything treat-side also lives in our Halloween dog treats collection, and the rest of the season is at the Halloween shop.
Where to go
If a photo on the porch is not enough and you want an actual costume contest, a few options fall within range of Malvern in October.
Market District Halloween Pet Parade & Costume Contest, October 2, 2026, in York, is early enough in the month to be a dry run before Halloween itself.
Barks & Boos at the Mill, October 29, 2026, in Germansville, lands right at the end of the month if your dog's costume is still holding together by then.
Sea Witch Festival & Costumed Dog Parade, October 23 to 25, 2026, in Rehoboth Beach, is a bigger trip but the parade itself is built entirely around costumed dogs.
More contests and parades turn up through the month at the dog-friendly car events board.
Questions
How do I know what size costume to order?
Weigh your dog and check that number against the size chart on the product page rather than going by breed or age. When a dog falls between two sizes, we size up, since a costume that is loose comes off easier than one that is tight across the shoulders.
What if my dog will not wear a costume at all?
That is most dogs, honestly. A bandana or a bow gets you a dressed-up photo without a costume covering the body, and it takes seconds to put on and take back off, which matters if your dog's patience runs out fast. We treat it as the default option now and the costume as the occasional upgrade, not the other way around.
What treats work best for getting a dog to hold still for photos?
Small, single ingredient pieces you can hand out one at a time. Our cheddar bites and Pup-Ornaut pieces both work because neither one takes long enough to eat that the pose falls apart while you wait for the shot.
For more of what we carry into the rest of fall, visit Explore.
