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Halloween Costumes for Small Dogs: Boo’s Greatest Hits

A dog named Boo taking Halloween seriously was basically a legal requirement, and he delivered. This guide ranks small-dog costume ideas by the standard he set: maximum cute, zero misery, and a photo your group chat will care about.

One rule before the list, learned from the master: the best costume is one your dog barely notices wearing. If your dog turns to stone the moment the outfit goes on, scale down to a themed bandana or collar. We wrote the honest guide to whether dogs even like this; read it before you buy.

The ideas, ranked by Boo logic

1. The dinosaur. The reigning champion of small-dog costumes. A hood with felt spikes turns any small dog into a five-pound apex predator. High cute, low restriction. Get the look: a small-dog dinosaur costume.

2. The pumpkin. The entry-level icon. Usually just a soft vest or hood, meaning even costume-skeptical dogs tolerate it. Orange already matched his fur. Get the look: a small-dog pumpkin costume.

3. The teddy bear. For Pomeranians and doodles this is barely a costume, it is a documentary. Lean into what the haircut already started. Get the look: a bear-ear fleece hoodie.

4. The hot dog. The pun writes itself for dachshunds but works on any small dog with the confidence to carry a bun. Get the look: the Rubie’s hot dog costume.

5. The ghost. Budget pick: it is a white sheet with ear holes, and on a dog named Boo it was practically canon. DIY in ten minutes, photographs beautifully. No scissors required: a ghost-face dog tee keeps the face clear.

6. The pilot / bomber jacket. For the dog with a serious face and no patience for hoods. Jacket-style costumes restrict the least and flatter the most. Get the look: a faux-shearling aviator jacket.

7. The spider. A harness with soft legs attached. Maximum drama from above, minimal awareness from the dog wearing it. Get the look: a spider-leg harness.

8. The bat wings. The spider’s cousin: a felt harness, wings that hold their shape, and the rest of the dog left alone. On a Pomeranian the wings are nearly as wide as the dog, which is the point. Get the look: a bat wings harness.

9. The cowboy rider. The most-reviewed small-dog costume we found, and it earns it: a saddle-shaped vest with a tiny cowboy riding on top, so your dog appears to be giving someone a lift. Nothing on the head, nothing on the legs, maximum double-take on the sidewalk. Get the look: the cowboy rider costume.

10. The walking bear. The Shark Tank one: a hoodie with stuffed arms, so a dog on its hind legs reads as a teddy bear out for a stroll. The loudest costume on this list and the one most likely to get filmed. It sizes by body length rather than weight, so measure first. Get the look: the Pandaloon walking bear.

11. The vampire. A cape with a stand-up collar that fastens at the neck. Dignified, dressed in two seconds, and it suits the dogs who refuse hoods but will tolerate a collar. Get the look: a small-dog vampire cloak.

12. The witch. Hat and outfit. Best on a dog who already tolerates things on its head; take the hat off the moment the ears go back. Get the look: a small-dog witch set.

Buy early (a Boo-fan pro tip)

Small-dog costume sizing is the first thing to sell out, every single year. The XS dinosaur exists in abundance in early September and is a collector’s item by October 20th, and rush-shipping a replacement means paying double for the wrong size anyway. Get the costume early, because photos take rehearsal: a first short wear for the fit check, a second for treats-and-praise association, and by the third session the costume is old news and the photos look relaxed instead of hostage-like. Two weeks of runway is the difference between a dog wearing a costume and a dog tolerating an ambush.

Fit and safety, the short version

Measure neck, chest, and back length before buying; small-dog sizing is chaos across brands. Nothing over the face or pinning the ears. Supervise the first wear, keep sessions short at the party, and bring treats so the costume stays a good deal. If the evening involves a lot of strangers and doorbells, the costume matters far less than the calm.

Boo’s own costume archive lives on in the photo gallery, and his year-round wardrobe is documented in Boo’s Closet. Halloween was just his championship season.

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