5 Best Ways to Celebrate Halloween With Your Pets

Halloween is coming up -- and for those with pets, you might also be looking for ways to celebrate “Howl-oween.”

Here are five ideas for celebrating an unforgettable Halloween with your furry friends this year.

1. Dress Up in Costume

One of the best things about Halloween is what makes it unique from other holidays -- dressing up! And there’s nothing that says humans are the only ones who get to have some fun wearing costumes.

For dogs especially, there are plenty of costumes available to dress them up to celebrate. Whether you want spooky, funny, or simply paw-dorable, you’ll likely be able to find something that fits your taste and your pup’s personality. But the same is true for cats and horses. You might just have to look a little bit harder.

This hot dog costume for dogs or cats is easy to slip on. It’s designed to fit most pets, with a neck and belly strap to help keep it attached. You can order it from Chewy.

For horses, you’ll really have to get creative, but you can find plenty of inspiration online. And no matter what type of pet you have, think about a matching costume for yourself for added excitement.

Remember: When coming up with a Halloween costume for your pet, pay attention to make sure that wearing a costume isn’t putting them in distress. If you use any type of fur or body paint for your pet’s costume, be certain that it is non-toxic and pet-safe. And don’t leave them unattended -- this can help ensure they stay safe in their costume while having fun.

2. Have a Photoshoot

This can help you have some Halloween fun with your pets without spending a lot of money. Plus, it can give you great memories that you will be able to enjoy for years to come.

If your pet has a costume, start there. Find a place in your home or outdoors for them to pose, then snap some pics to share with family and friends or social media. You could even put on your own costume and join them in some photos as well. This is especially fun if you have matching costumes.

Even if your pet isn’t wearing a costume, you can still set the scene with Halloween goodies to provide an interesting backdrop for your photos. Think about pumpkins, hay bales, fall leaves, balloons, and spiderwebs as props -- and your own favorite Halloween decorations.

Feel free to make the photos as simple or as complex as you like. If you’re an expert photographer, see what special effects you can add in the editing process to make these photos extra cute or extra spooky.

3. Attend a Parade Together

Many cities and towns have Halloween parades, and your pet might be just as excited about it as you are. Whether you plan to go in costume or not -- or whether you plan to bring your pet in costume or not -- attending a parade can be a great outing to celebrate Halloween together.

Dogs may be the easiest type of pet to bring to a parade, but it depends on what works best for you and your pet. Some parades may even feature horses, so if that’s something you’re interested in doing with your horse, be sure to find out parade details from your local parade host organization.

Some cities and towns even have a special pet Halloween parade. And they may have costume contests for pets as well. For example, New York hosts the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, which is promoted as the largest dog costume parade in the world.

Keep in mind that many Halloween parades for humans provide candy, sometimes thrown from parade floats into the crowd. Be sure that your pet doesn’t eat anything that can make them sick.

4. Get a Spooky New Toy

When you put up the Halloween decorations, pets may be curious and want to play with them. Getting them a new Halloween toy could be a great way to keep them occupied and let them get in on the spooky fun.

For dogs, try this Nightmare Before Christmas squeaky plush toy. Or, to give them even more Halloween goodies, try this Halloween Goody Box from Chewy.com. It includes treats as well as toys.

For cats, take a look at this Halloween Teaser Wand with catnip. It comes with three hauntingly fun attachments: a jack-o-lantern, a ghost, and a spider. Chewy also offers a Halloween Goody Box for cats.

While it may be a little more difficult to find Halloween-specific toys for horses, they deserve new toys, too! Try this Ball Horse Feeder in bright orange to share a bit of the holiday spirit with your equestrian friend.

5. Bake Some Yummy Treats

Humans get to enjoy Halloween candy and other treats. Don’t leave your pet out of the fun.

Try making your dog these “Mummy Bones.” With natural peanut butter, honey, yogurt chips, and even pure pumpkin, these baked treats may fill the whole house with the scent of autumn. Get a dog-bone cookie cutter for even more cuteness.

For cats, try making these homemade pumpkin treats. Not only are they cute and delicious -- they’re also healthy! With pure pumpkin and salmon, it combines some of your kitty’s favorite things with tastes of the season.

Just like cats and dogs, horses are able to eat pumpkin as well. And these pumpkin cinnamon horse cookies are so good, you might just want to try them yourself. With pumpkin, oats, cinnamon, molasses, and brown sugar, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more delicious combination.

Gou Gou Pets Can Help With Howl-oween

On Halloween night, things can get a little hairy. Whether your pet needs some grooming after donning their costume, or the night’s excitement has gotten them a little bit worked up, Gou Gou Pets can help.

Try our Crouching Tiger, Hidden Tangles Detangling Spray. This spray is made with high-end, top-tier ingredients. These ingredients help preserve your inner zen and also keep your pet’s coat silky smooth. Tap into the power of ancient Chinese wisdom with this gentle detangling spray for your pet that is made with naturally-sourced herbs and oils including rosemary, chamomile, and lavender oils.

And our Joint & Pain Management line can help with the “owws.” General Oww’s Joint Spray consists of a soothing blend of herbs for your four-legged friends that ease joint discomfort and tightness associated with daily exercise, athletic performance and aging. Chinese herb, Bian Xu, reduces swelling while resveratrol ensures long-lasting benefits by keeping inflammation and General Oww’s at bay.

Be sure to use the coupon code HOWLOWEEN for 25% OFF either product.