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Community Corner

"Boo!" or "Woof!" There is Halloween Costume Fun for All: Critter Corner

Get a jump on a costume creation now- then strut your stuff at local Halloween parades and shows.

Halloween is quickly taking over as the most popular holiday. Everyone dresses up and there is no need to exclude your pup. Shopping locally is fun if you want a store bought costume. Fido won't mind if Fifi is dressed the same. Moochie and Company, PetSmart, Pet Supplies "Plus" and Pet's Pajamas all have a large selection of characters and sizes to fit all. Check out their links for a costume contest or parade.


If you like to DIY then here are some quick "low-sew" ideas that can get you started. Use some imagination and tweak these basics to suit your dogs needs.

Spider/octopus- stuff socks and attach to harness. For the head you can use a balloon- draw the eyes in with magic marker.

Diver (to go with the octopus)  spray paint or cover in foil two liter pop bottles as diving tanks. A swim suit with the tail cut out is a nice addition.

Male Dancer: Using an old while shirt, cut off the collar, add a black bow tie. Add a few fake dollar bills to get the party started.

Jester: cut out multicolored triangles and attach to collar- bells (if you are 100% sure they won;t get eaten) are a nice touch too.

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Cloaked figures- including Bat Man, Little Red Riding Hood (great if you have a larger dog too, to go as wolf), Vampire, Super Man. Check out fabric stores for soft cape material and stiffer fabric like felt for the collar. Attach with a ribbon. Retailers have lots of props to go with your favorite theme.

If your dog is not keen on the idea of dress up try festive bandannas or decorate their leash. Semi-permanent dog hair dyes have become the rage, although the jury is still out among animal lovers.

Heidi Baltzly and her dog Panzer, a beautiful and well trained Rottweiler, love costumes any time of the year. They consistently win during summer competitions like the Adopt-a-thon. Baltzly commented that tandem costumes get more attention as do costumes with more props.

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Consider Peter Pan and Tinker Bell or classic Dorothy and Toto. So when you go shopping don't forget the little things, and a costume for yourself too!

Halloween can be a fantastic experience for people and their pets. Don't let chocolate (which can be deadly) or easily ingested small toys spoil your fun.

Do you have a favorite photo? Send it to me at  katherinekpatch@aol.com and we'll have a Patch Puppy Halloween photo gallery!

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