Pet Costumes: Don't Let the Fun Turn Sour!

The growing closeness between humans and pets has elevated them to the status of full-fledged family members. The more our love and interactions with pets increase, the more we want them by our side in our daily lives and in all our celebrations.

Holiday Season: Strengthening Social and Family Bonds

The holiday season is an opportunity for many people to strengthen social and family bonds, to create shared rituals that enhance the sense of belonging to a community or culture, and it can also provide emotional comfort. In this spirit of gathering, togetherness, and sharing, and within this festive atmosphere, it is not uncommon to use common costumes and outfits to have fun and further strengthen our relationships.

The holiday season, which includes Saint Nicholas Day, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, and others, offers unique opportunities to create shared memories with our loved ones. Taking photos allows us to capture these precious moments, freezing them in time. This tradition of group or individual photos strengthens the bond between those present and provides a way to reminisce about these moments of collective happiness.
There is nothing surprising about the fact that today we want our furry, feathery, or scaly companions to be part of this memory of happiness together.

Pets and Costumes: A Thriving Financial Market

When we say full-fledged family members, we also mean allocated expenses. In 2020, the pet market in France reached €4.5 billion, with approximately €300 million dedicated to pet clothing; an increasing portion of this amount is specifically allocated to costumes, particularly for special occasions like Halloween and Christmas.

Pets, Costumes, and Social Media: The Dangerous Triangle

In the age of the internet and social media, posting our holiday photos has become a common practice for sharing memories, creating social connections, expressing our identity, and keeping up with popular trends. Gaining likes and participating in trending hashtags gives us a sense of belonging and makes us feel like part of a group.

While some trends allow for innovation, creativity, laughter, fun, and spreading happiness, others can lead to inappropriate or even dangerous behaviors, especially when it comes to our pets. The trends featuring our companions in costumes are numerous, particularly during the holiday season, and they can generate discomfort, anxiety, and fear in our pets, potentially leading to distressing situations. In fact, there is an increase in the number of dog bites during the holiday season.

Christmas & Co : A Disrupted Environment and Increased Stress

The holiday season can be a challenging and stressful time for humans. Since pets are emotional sponges, they can pick up on our emotional states and may feel uncomfortable with the tense atmosphere in the home.

Additionally, the holiday season often means more invitations from friends and family, increased absences of pet owners who are themselves visiting or shopping for Christmas and other celebrations, and changes in the environment to accommodate holiday decorations, which can cause disorientation in some of our pets. Our companions are also exposed to unusual stimuli during this time, whether it’s sounds, lights, smells, and so on.

The holiday season itself already brings a significant amount of stress to many pets. Adding the obligation to wear a costume can be the last straw that leads to serious issues (such as bites, loss of trust, escapes, etc.).

Do pets enjoy wearing costumes?

While some animals may enjoy the attention they receive when wearing a costume, most would prefer to forgo our human desire to dress them up. Wearing a costume can limit their natural behaviors, cause overheating, induce fear, hinder their grooming behaviors, and restrict their movement. These issues are even more pronounced in prey animals, for whom fleeing is a highly probable behavioral response to stress.

When pets are unprepared and a costume is put on them without their consent, most will exhibit a significant number of discomfort signals, suggesting they are having a very bad time, despite the laughter, cooing, and attention from humans.

Here are some concrete examples:

Is dressing up a pet dangerous?

Beyond the emotional discomfort that can come from forcing a pet to wear a costume, this practice can also pose physical risks and dangers. Here are some essential things to check before dressing up a pet:

- Movement Restriction: The costume should not limit or restrict the animal's natural movements. For example, a parrot should not have his wings blocked, and a dog should not be prevented from urinating.

- Breathing: Costumes that include masks can impair the animal's ability to breathe properly. For instance, a dog should not wear a costume that alters his nostrils for more than the duration of a photo.

- Strangulation Risks: The costume should not contain strings or ties to minimize the risk of strangulation. For example, a cat should not wear a costume with a string around his neck for longer than it takes to take a picture.

- Temperature Control: The costume should not increase the animal's body temperature. For instance, a guinea pig should not wear clothing made of nylon or polyester.

- Sensory Impairment: The costume should not impair the animal's senses. For example, a pig should not have his vision obstructed.

- Small Accessories and Toxic Materials: The costume should not include small accessories that could be ingested or be made from toxic materials. For instance, a rabbit's costume should not contain elements made of ivy.

Is it the same for all types of clothing?

While these characteristics apply to all clothing we want to put on our pets, it's essential to distinguish between leisure clothing and clothing intended to ensure the animal's well-being.

Some animals, like dogs, may occasionally need to wear coats or pajamas to ensure their physical well-being. Whether due to age, illness, or sensitivity, wearing clothing under these conditions is highly recommended.

Anthropomorphism: A Problem or a Solution?

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics to non-human animals. It is a natural tendency for humans who seek to create emotional and affectionate bonds with other animals.

While anthropomorphism is increasingly accepted today because it enhances our empathy, respect, and kindness towards our pets, it can still sometimes be detrimental to them.

Believing that our pet is part of the family and therefore will naturally want to engage in the same activities and amusements as we do is a mistake, as it prevents us from adapting our behaviors to meet the needs of the individual in front of us. For example, while we humans may find it adorable to see a dog wearing a Santa hat because it looks funny and cute, we must keep in mind that this accessory may cause discomfort, stress, or anxiety for the dog. It is absolutely crucial to respect the individual, its species, its needs, and to prioritize its well-being rather than projecting our human desires onto it.

The Golden Rule of Costumes: Consent!

To ensure that dressing up our pets is not a stressful experience but rather an enjoyable one, respecting their consent is the top priority.

Consent means being able to give informed agreement to participate in an activity. It involves having our own choices acknowledged, understood, and respected. Our pets should have the power to say yes or no to wearing a costume, and we should respect their response.

Therefore, even if we have already purchased a costume for €150, even if we could win an amazing prize in an online photo contest, and even if our pet looks too cute and the costume would suit them perfectly, if they say no, we should not insist and simply accept that it won't be for this time, not for this costume.

Beyond respecting a clear yes or no, it is crucial to recognize and honor all the signals and communication from the animal.

If a dog is licking his nose, if a cat has dilated pupils, if a guinea pig flattens his ears, or if a parrot flattens his feathers, we must consider even these more subtle signals—beyond an outright attempt to escape or bite—as a clear refusal, and we should immediately abandon the idea of dressing them up at that moment. Even if the animal initially "said yes," at the first sign of discomfort, we should remove the costume. They have the right to say no, and they have the right to change their mind after initially agreeing.

What are the alternatives to costumes?

What’s great in 2024 is that we have plenty of alternatives to costumes for capturing beautiful photos of our pets during the year-end holiday season.

Photo Editing

Today, free websites and apps allow us to create realistic photo montages. A simple photo of our pet lying at home, a wave of the magic wand, and voilà!

Outdoor Photos

If our pet doesn’t like the idea of wearing a costume and we want beautiful seasonal photos, taking lovely pictures in nature allows us to create exceptional memories while spending quality time with our dog.

Photos in Front of Decorations

It is common to decorate our homes during the holidays season, especially at Christmas, when the tree takes center stage in the living room. Setting up a basket, a chair, or a perch in front of the illuminated tree can make the photos of our pets irresistible.

Photos with Backgrounds

Today, we can find affordable backgrounds on various online sites that allow us to make our holiday family photos memorable without having to dress up our pets.

Holiday-Themed Objects

If our pet does not want to wear a costume, there are still plenty of other options to capture beautiful moments. Holiday-themed toys, food enrichment items, leashes and collars, as well as themed blankets and throws, can help create wonderful memories without the need to dress up our pet.

Dressing Up Ourselves

If our pet doesn’t like the idea of wearing a costume, we can dress up in a festive way ourselves and take a photo with our companion.

Minimalist Accessories

If we really want to add an accessory to our pet for a photo, it’s best to choose something minimalist. A cape, a bandana, or a simple hat—an accessory that is easy to put on and comfortable to wear—is preferable to a full costume that may restrict the animal more.

Acquired Trained behaviors

If our pet has already learned a behavior, such as holding something in their beak or mouth on cue, we can use this to incorporate a holiday-themed accessory into our photos without dressing up our furry friend!

Costumes: A Training Like Any Other

If, despite all these options, the desire to dress up the pet remains strong but respecting their consent is central to our approach, we should view putting on a costume as a training just like any other, by:

- Taking the time to create a training plan

- Progressing step by step

- Abundantly rewarding good behaviors

- Always respecting consent

In this video, I work with Marley’s consent, waiting for a behavior that indicates he is ready before I make any movement towards him with the costume. During the preparatory phase of the plan, if Marley rests his head on the cushion, I take that as a sign that he agrees to the approach with the costume. If he doesn’t rest his head, I don’t approach the costume, and if he removes his head after placing it down, I immediately take off the costume and step back. If he shows any signs of discomfort while wearing the costume, I remove it right away.

This two-way communication and respect for his emotions allow us both to have fun when I come home with a new costume.

My Pet Said Yes!

If your pet has consented to wear the costume you chose, you'll be able to take some lovely photos. However, there are two key points to keep in mind:

First: even if our pet seems comfortable in their costume, they should only wear it for a very short period—just long enough for a photo—and always under supervision.

Second, I want to remind that even if we have implemented the best positive reinforcement plan for our pet to wear the costume, we should remain honest with ourselves: these photos are meant to satisfy us, the humans, not our pets. So after capturing those beautiful photos, let’s treat our pets to something THEY TRULY find enjoyable!