#22 – Superpups and Puppachinos! Dog Costumes and your pup.

It’s that time of year when our Instagram feeds can be filled with endless pictures of puppies in the cutest costumes: pirates, super heroes, sunflowers and even a favorite hot beverage or food.

While it is tempting to do the same with your pup, here’s some questions to consider before spending extra money on a costume for your Habibi Bear pup. 

• Does my pup accept change easily? 
• Is my pup relatively low key and easy-going? 
• Does my pup enjoy dressing up? 
• Do I sometimes see a “sassy” personality from my dog? 

There are dogs who absolutely love, love, love dressing up. If you’ve ever had one of these dogs, you know exactly what I am talking about! You can see it in their gait. They literally will prance with delight when wearing a t-shirt, vest, hat or bandana. Their eyes are soft, slightly closed and relaxed. Their mouth is open and they are doing a “doggie smile”! These are the dogs who are great candidates for full Halloween costumes.

Here’s a Cute Costume Video from our Trainer, Emily at Pup Academy.

What if your Habibi is not as enthusiastic?

On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who will try to back out of a new collar, vest, harness or neckerchief.   These are the more subdued pups, with a bit of a tentative nature. Often they will try to “back” out of the new apparel, or maybe try to “shake” it off. Puppy may be exhibiting signs of discomfort and distress, with shivering, shaking, trembling, or rapid panting. Their ears can be all the way down or their tail between their legs. If this is the case, it would be a wonderful time to work on conditioning your puppy to something a little less overwhelming. With gradual short exposures in increments and stages to the new apparel, puppy will learn that the new item isn’t a threat.

No matter what type of puppy-brash and bold or a little more reserved, with a bit of time, treats and patience, if you start now, your Habibi Bear puppy could be the best dressed pup by Christmas!