How to Train Your Dog to Like a Costume

Would you like to have your dog wear cute costumes for Halloween or just because, but he refuses to have you put them on? Does he act as though he cannot move as soon as you put a cute coat or shoes on him? The good news is this can be changed easily. While it is quite common that dogs initially do not enjoy wearing clothes, we can teach them to be more accepting – and even like – wearing costumes!

Start Small

No matter what behavior you want to teach your dog – whether this is a new trick, or to not pull on leash, or enjoying wearing a costume – it is always very important to start with small steps. In the case of dressing up your dog that means that you should not initially try to put an elaborate, fancy costume on your dog. You should rather start with perhaps a little bow for his head or a thin sweater.

By going in small steps and making sure your dog doesn’t get overwhelmed, you will actually reach the point at which your dog can wear a full costume the fastest!

Happy Hours

Pick a time of the day for your costume practice when your dog is usually happy and sleepy. The more awake and excited your dog is, the harder it will be to have him hold still for his costume. You also want to make sure that your dog is content and not in a bad mood. If something happened earlier that day that upset him in any way, it is best to skip the costume practice so that he does not associate the negativity with his costume. For example – if he had to go to the vet and get shots and was scared and anxious, just wait until the next day with his practice.

If your dog likes to snuggle up with you at night while watching TV, that is a perfect time to use for getting him used to his costume!

Great Treats

Great treats will be paramount for creating a positive response to the costume. You want to have them handy when you start the training process – don’t make the mistake of having them in another room. The longer of a time span there is between putting on the costume and feeding your dog treats, the less clear the connection will be for your dog.

Put the bow or sweater on your dog and then feed him many treats in quick succession. Your dog can easily have 20+ treats just for putting it on the very first time. With dogs, you get one chance to make a great first impression, so make it count!

Keep Sessions Short

You are probably itching to take pictures and show your cute dog off to your friends, but hold on – you need to make sure first and foremost that your dog is comfortable with the costume, and that the session does not take too long. For the first time, just a minute or two in the costume is completely sufficient. You absolutely need to take it off before your dog grows tired of it.

It is much smarter to have frequent and short sessions rather than occasional long ones. If your dog did great in his first costume session, he will already be happy to see you bring out the costume the next time, as he remembers the treats and fun!

Consistency

Consistency is very important in dog training. Ideally you want to put a costume on your dog every day for a few minutes. Set yourself a calendar reminder or alarm on your phone and make the costume training part of your daily schedule. As a dog trainer, I can tell you from experience that the reason most training fails is inconsistent practice!

Add To The Costume

Further up I recommended to start out with a very basic costume. If your dog is doing well, you can and should of course make it more elaborate. Paying attention to your dog’s level of comfort is very important: If you notice that he is very uncomfortable in a specific costume, give him an extra handful of treats or take it off and try again the next day. You should absolutely never force your dog to keep on wearing a costume he obviously dislikes: This would make him hate all costumes and break your trust!

Have Fun

Have fun with your pooch and costumes! There are so many fun ways to dress up our dogs, and I am sure you will enjoy the fun times that come with it.