The Best Pet Costume Ideas Sometimes Require Making them by Hand
Me: pulls supplies ordered from Amazon out of envelope.
Maizie: *looks at me with her “oh no, what now” face.*
A few weeks earlier I had gone into a group chat and asked friends for ideas for matching costumes for Maizie and me. The suggestions were amazing, and it was so hard for me to choose one.
What i ultimately chose I was easily able to find a full on costume for me on Amazon, but one didn’t exist (in dog form) for what I wanted Maizie to be.
My first thought – oh no, I need to choose something else.
Second thought – no, I got this. And the Amazon ordering began.
Me: come here Maizie
Maizie: *carefully jumps off of the couch while giving me the side eye*
Me: *puts what I have so far on Maizie and assumes that when I finish it will work *
Things Don’t Always Work as Planned
2023 was year 3 of Maizie and I participating in the Ugly Dog Howloween contest (the best place for a Pet Costume Contest). In 2021 Maizie got 3rd place (Beetlejuice and Lydia). In 2022, she got 2nd place (Hamburglar and Ronald McDonald). Would 2023 be her year for first?
Me: *starts gluing a paper bowl to a dog hat, covering it with green fabric cut from a Tshirt bought at the dollar store.*
Maizie: continues to stare at me
The costume ended up being harder to make than I thought. I used a Dog Pirate costume that I already had and removed the hand hook. Then proceeded to add to it – a jacket, a bow tie, random fabric from the dollar store, a teacup and….rolls of thread.
But the hardest part was the hat.
Let me clarify. I made it easy enough. The hard part was getting it to stay on Maizie’s head without flopping to the side. Even with practice we failed.
That didn’t stop us though. With what we had…we headed to Ugly Dog for the Howloween contest.
It was a struggle from the beginning to the end.
First thing I messed up was not paying attention to the wig under the hat and how it was displayed when I put it on Maizie’s head. Second hiccup was the hat flopping to the side of Maizie’s head as we walked toward the judges. Third? I realized after the contest that I never tied my bow on the back of my dress. (Slaps my forehead with an eye roll)
Would I do it again? Yes. Would I change things? Yes.
That being said, we always have so much fun and meet so many amazing and supportive people and amazing pets (regardless of hiccups) – many of them who return each year like we do. (If you are near Chelsea, MI and want to participate be sure to check the Chelsea Event Calendar or reach out to the Ugly Dog Distillery where the contest is held.
Did Maizie win in 2023? No. Was it worth it? Yes.
What will we be for Howloween in 2024? Do you have any suggestions for other Pet Costume Contests? If you have answers for either question let me know in the comments!
