Pet Costume Center

Archive for the ‘Pet Clothes’ Category

Pet owners looking for special costumes to dress up their furry friends have lots of online options to choose from. Here’s a mini-guide to five of the better online sites that offer pet costumes to consumers. It includes website URL’s, label information, costume selections and a brief review of why the website is a good place to shop for pet costumes. The guide also includes information on how to select a costume for your pet based on some first-hand experience working at a retail store that sells pet costumes. Here’s hoping you find this pet costume guide useful!

How to pick a costume for your pet

Selecting a costume for your pet isn’t easy. Pets who like to wear costumes have special needs that most pet owners forget about. For example, most cats and dogs prefer wearing costumes that fit well and are easy to get out of quickly because cats and dogs need to feel secure in their surroundings. Furthermore, if you occupy a ferret or other small mammal, you know how hard it is to acquire a costume for it that fits well while also allowing it to do things like use the restroom. This makes some pet owners very leery about the whole conception of putting a costume on their pet. However, I can tell you from putting an occasional costume on my cat that it’s possible to make the experience of wearing a costume fun for both the pet and for you.

Responsible pet owners who understand these things can take steps to ensure that the costume they rep for their pet looks good while also keeping them safe and sound. Here’s how to do it.

Measure your pet for a costume first. To do this, follow these three easy steps:

– Measure the length of your pet’s head to the base of your pet’s tail. This is the “top line measurement” that you might online when they characterize the sizes of costumes they have for sale. .

–Next, measure your pet’s collar size and leg size. To do this, gently station a tape measure around your pet’s neck (or leg) and read off the circumference you see. If your pet won’t let you do this, it might be a good idea not to buy your pet a costume!

–Finally, measure the width of your pet’s chest. To do this, place a tape measure gently around your pet’s chest starting at its widest point and wrap it around. Read off the circumference you see. The widest point is usually around the front paws. This measurement is the most important one of all because most pet clothes sold online are measured from the chest area only.

Look around before you buy.

Now that you have your pet’s measurements, here are a few tips to remember when you shop online for a pet costume.

– Always get a costume that is tad bit bigger than your pet’s actual size. Because every website has its own way of describing costume measurements, buying a costume one size bigger will give your pet more freedom to depart around in the costume. This freedom is necessary because your pet has to be able to do things it normally does when it’s not wearing a costume.

– Don’t buy anything fancy. Fancy costumes are expensive and they don’t last long. Furthermore, most pets can’t stand wearing more than one or two piece-costumes because they tend to obtain bulky, hot and itchy. If you have ever worn a three piece business suit, you understand what I mean.

–Finally, be sure you get a costume that allows your pet to go to the restroom when it needs to. Some pet owners forget this tiny but significant detail with horrid results. Most costumes will have a little vent on the back end that allows the animal to go do its business without making messes. Be sure that the vent is on there and that it is sewn on correctly.

Finally, let your pet dictate the action.

Most cats and dogs will tell their human friends vehemently what costumes they will tolerate. If your pet doesn’t like what you are putting on its body, don’t force the pet to wear it. Instead, explore for something else your pet might enjoy wearing. Our pets have feelings too and they deserve to be respected.

Now that you know how to look for a pet costume, here are five websites that are very good sources for pet costumes and accessories.

Petco (http://www.petco.com/) has a nice online selection of costumes for cats, dogs and small mammals that are “One Size Fits All.” This takes the guesswork out of having to guess what size costume to get for your pet–How nice! Costumes for cats include capes, hats, wigs and other one-piece costume elements that give cats the security they need to feel comfortable wearing the costumes. For dogs, Petco has a great selection of wrap-around one-piece costumes that include occupational, sports and novelty themes. There is also a nice selection of wigs, hats and e masks for dogs that make dressing up Fido fun for both you and your dog. For small mammals, there’s a nice selection of t-shirts and Halloween costumes that come in lots of neat colors.

While they mainly cater to owner during the Halloween season, many of these costumes are fun to wear anytime of the year. Prices range from about $5 up to $20 for all items. This makes it possible to shop for fun costumes for your pet without breaking your budget.

Costumes, Inc. (http://www.costumesinc.com/) has a broad selection of cat and dog costumes that is regularly updated. Their selections include a nifty karate suit and a bride’s outfit that would make a dog wedding much more special. All pet costumes sold by Costumes, Inc. are measured using your pet’s neck size. Sizes will range from extra-small to extra-large. Costume, Inc also caters to obese pets. Their selection of “plus size” costumes is one of the best on the Internet. In addition, cat and dog owners can procure many good bargains because most of the costumes cost $10-$25. They have a fair exchange policy and the easy check-out process makes ordering a breeze.

The Anytime Costume company (http://www.anytimecostumes.com/) has been in business for more than 55 years. Their website is a respectable indication why they’ve been in business so long. The company features a large selection of one-piece pet costumes for Halloween and other special occasions. Their Halloween selection is especially salubrious. The best parts about shopping at the company’s website are their friendly customer service and their fast shipping. Most orders arrive within seven working days via UPS. The firm offers a fair exchange-only policy on costumes that allows you to trade your order in for any reason. The prices aren’t half bad either. Most costumes go for $10-$30. From personal experience purchasing a costume, I suggest that you use your pet’s neck and chest measurements and then order the next size up. This will ensure you get the right size in most cases.

The Costume Kingdom company (http://www.costumekingdom.com/) normally specializes in costumes for people. These days their website offers a nice selection of one-piece Halloween costumes for small and medium-sized pets that have special themes. Some of the cuter costumes include a “Dorothy” costume from the Wizard of Oz and a SpongeBob Squarepants outfit that makes small and medium-sized dogs look their best on Halloween. . Most costumes cost $10-$25 with a few others about $30. The website also features a nice selection of sale priced items that sell for less than $10. The checkout process is a snap to use and the very fair exchange policy makes exchanging unwanted costumes for something else a breeze.

Finally, Halloween Street (http://www.halloweenstreet.com/) has a very comprehensive selection of Halloween pet costumes that are categorized by themes. Some of the best themes include a “retro” section of 1950′s and 1970′s pop cultural icons, sports related costumes and nifty Cowboy and Bumble Bee outfits that fabricate any pet look cute.. Most of the costumes are one-piece numbers that wrap snuggly around your pet’s chest. Therefore, chest measurements are a must if you’re going to place an order. Most costumes cost about $10-$25 and the firm also offers a 15% discount on all at checkout. The firm’s easy check-out process makes it easy to checkout and their customer service is top notch, too. When I e-mailed the firm about their return policy, I received a quick and friendly response. You have 48 hours to exchange a costume if it’s the wrong size or damaged. All exchanges must be made by October 27th. If that’s not good customer service, then what is?

Pet Costume Center Resources

Leg bands forced on birds are often painted with a picture of being beneficial. Owners of pets that have flown away or have been stolen stand a greater chance of being returned home. Researchers, scientists and organizations like the US Fish and Wildlife use them to survey wild birds for migratory patterns, predatory loss, eating habits, and nesting spots.

While beneficial pictures are painted as serene there is a darker picture that unmasks from time to time. Birds in captivity and in the wild that have a leg band can suffer from crippling injuries or death.

Baby birds bred in captivity that receive a closed leg band in the week to two weeks following their birth are too small and fragile to remove the band on their maintain. As they grow and the band size shrinks making it impossible for the bird to get off the baby will struggle to balance the weight of the band on the one leg with the other band-free leg.

The leg band won’t give. It is sturdy and solid although it is mixed with some relatively lightweight metals such as aluminum. The baby will fall and have problems walking or jumping until its leg builds up enough strength to support it. There is always a chance the baby will sprain or demolish its leg. Wild-banded baby birds will have to go through the same adjustment phase.

There are people who consider leg bands to be just like wearing jewelry. What happens when jewelry is worn? Skin underneath a portion of jewelry will sweat, think of rings and wide cessation fitting bracelets. There are pieces of jewelry that are plain melancholy to wear and easily come by tangled up in hair or clothes, think of earrings and prongs on bracelets or rings. Jewelry can scratch or rub on skin causing cuts, redness and swelling.

Unprejudiced as jewelry, leg bands will make a bird’s leg sweat and because the band isn’t flexible it can repeatedly dig into the leg and cause painful cuts. Repeated rubbing against the leg can obtain it swell. The band can secure caught on things and leave the bird struggling to get free.

When a band gets hung on something the bird can have a heart attack. Simply being hung and struggling to get loose can scare it to death. The struggling can cause the bird to cut, break or sprain its leg if it manages to smash free. A pet bird can gain caught on a play toy, feeding dish, chain or string. A wild bird wearing a leg band that gets hung perhaps on a branch, vine, fence or maybe a share of string can wound up being prey to a predator as they hopelessly try to break free.

There will always be the possibility of an injury to the bird as long as it is wearing the leg band. From cuts to swelling, breaks and sprains, heart attacks or to being a predators prey leg bands come with risks that can have devastating consequences to the bird.

Pet Costume Center Resources

We Americans love our pets. However, with growing frequency, it seems many of us would love them to be anything other than the animals they are. Each year millions of pet owners spend enormous amounts of money and recall every occasion possible to disguise Fluffy, Max and Tweetie in ever more elaborate and far fetched anthropomorphic costumes.

A multi-million dollar industry has sprung up over the past several years to transform beloved pets into clean heroes, pirates, cartoon characters, historical figures and a myriad of other realistic or fanciful entities to make them look less like what they are and more like us.

Unhurried night talk show host and comedian Jay Leno delights in pointing out the ridiculous extremes this growing trend has near to in his “Headlines” segment on “The Tonight Show.”

“What do I hate? ” Leno often asks his band leader, Kevin Eubanks.

“Stupid pet costumes,” chortles Eubanks. Then Leno holds up an advertisement featuring some hapless pet wearing a particularly bizarre or outrageous get-up. The audience howls as Leno scolds, “Your pet is not going to wear this, O.K.? ”

And, yet, they do, whether they want to or not. Thanks to the creative efforts of an army of pet costume designers (when did that become a career choice? ), owners can dress their pets in themed costumes to commemorate every holiday, birthday, wedding or themed party anyone can think of.

Across the nation, pet parades are organized and staged to show off any costumed pet that can walk, hop, fly, crawl or be carried. Prizes are awarded for the most imaginative transformations. Newspapers and magazines regularly feature these events, and some, like the weekly Parade Magazine, speed their own contests, encouraging owners to send in pictures of their efforts to turn their pets into something else.

There’s no question that people are having fun with this trend, and most pet owners would argue that the costumes help them express their pets’ personalities and reinforce the owners’ feelings that the pets really are a section of the family. There are even glance alike costumes so owners and their pets can look more like each other.

Aside from Leno’s tongue-in-cheek objections, a few organized animal rights groups put serious effort into campaigning against the costuming of pets. They claim the practice robs animals of their inherent dignity. Dignity? Do creatures that take every opportunity to stick their noses into each others’ crevices, lick their maintain privates, eat from the garbage whenever possible, and sometimes even try to eat each other have any inherent sense of dignity? For most of us, it’s hard to imagine our pets feeling a sense of shame over being dressed like a ballerina when they would happily jump at the chance to roll in some other animal’s poop.

Pet costuming has even reached the level of popular art. Photographer and pet lover William Wegman has made his name and fortune in the art world with his books, films and calendars depicting his beloved weimeranars in glamorous and whimsical costumes and poses. The pictures are often startling, blending human clothing, arms and legs with the heads of his dogs in vignettes that blur the line between species.

So, go ahead and dress up your pet. You might even use pet costumes to make insightful social commentary. Transform your dog into its approved meal, a postal carrier. Disguise your tom cat as Bill Clinton. Put your pet chicken in a Colonel Sanders outfit. Dress your horse in a Camilla Parker-Bowles costume. Oh, wait, Jay Leno might quip, that’s not a costume.

Pet Costume Center Resources

Cats are very clean animals. They meticulously clean themselves, and they don’t love rolling in the mud like some dogs do. In fact, many cats stay inside all the time. In spite of this, sometimes it is just essential to give kitty a bath. After years of cat bath battles, I have finally found a way to bathe a cat that does not end with my arms scratched up and my cat ticked off.

HOW BATH TIME USED TO BE

Previously, my husband and I would put off giving our cats a bath for many months, even if we knew they needed it, simply because it wasn’t worth the fight. To accomplish this feat, we would usually put the cat in the bathtub, wet her down, soap her up, and then rinse her off. Sounds simple right? Well, if you have ever tried it this way, you know that it is not as easy as it sounds. First of all, this task usually took both us, one of us to hold the cat, and the other to do the wetting, washing, and rinsing. Kitty spent the whole time trying to climb out, and unfortunately she would usually succeed at least three times during the bath. A wet cat can be slippery and hard to hold, even with two hands, which pretty much meant that my bathroom always a complete mess by the time we finished. Plus, I could pretty much count of having to change clothes afterwards, since I would be soaked with water, soap, and cat hair. Also, when she did not succeed in getting out, her many attempts usually left both of our arms covered in scratches. I thought to myself… there must be a better way.

A BETTER WAY… SHOWER WITH THE CAT

There certainly is a better way. Unfortunately, this really only works if you have a shower with a glass door. One day when I was about the witness my cat knock the shampoo off the ledge of the bathtub, I speedily closed the shower door and then watched her try unsuccessfully to slide the shower door open. When I saw that this was not something she could easily do, a light bulb went off in my mind. All that I needed to do was put the cat in the shower and finish the door!

At first, I thought I might just want to turn the water on and shut the shower door. Then I realized that she could probably just quit in whatever corner of the shower got the least water, and without shampoo she wouldn’t be that clean anyway. The answer was clear… I must win a shower with my cat.

So, I put on my bathing suit, grabbed the unsuspecting cat and a bottle of kitty shampoo, climbed in the shower, and shut the door. Once I turned on the water, she began to try to escape, but it was no exhaust. She realized she was trapped. Making it even easier, she sort of froze with her paws up on the edge, trying to paw open the shower door, making it ultra easy for me to wash her undersides. Kitty was shampooed in no time at all, and I just moved the showerhead around to where she was to get her rinsed well. At the kill, I enlisted the expend of a plastic cup to rinse her undersides, and then we were finished. It was such a piece of cake. I turned the shower off, got a towel, and rubbed as much excess water off of my cat as possible. It was a beautiful thing! I grabbed my other cat and began the process again.

In merely a fraction of the time that I aged to spend washing just one cat, and I had bathed two cats! Besides that, my arms were not scratched and I had not ruined my clothes, plus I had a refreshing afternoon shower myself!

Pet Costume Center Resources

Having a cat that can get over stimulated quickly, and turn around and bite you can be a difficult thing to deal with. Or what if your cat is timid and jumpy and runs every time someone moves. There are ways to help him or her out, but your cat may not always overcome it.

There is nothing wrong with having such a cat, if you can handle it. Be wary though of having a cat that is easily over stimulated or aggressive if you are going to have it around children, especially if they are easily frightened.

I have two cats: one is relaxed, loves people, and isn’t startled when she hears things. She just basically snoozes, plays, and socializes fearlessly. My other cat however is jumpy, nips, and rebels when he is overly bored or feels neglected. When I am trying to work on my computer and am not actively petting him at all times when he is on my lap, he gets mad and goes around my apartment pawing at my TV, computer cover, and windows. But he has greatly improved his behavior but it took action on my part too to help him out.

Give Your Cat Attention When He’s Estimable. Ignore Him When He’s Bad.

Never yell at your cat, especially ones that are jumpy. One good solution to this is when your cat is naughty to emphasize that you will not give him any attention if he acts up. If ignoring isn’t good enough and he’s nipping at your hands (as mine does) put him in another room and shut the door. But only do this for a few minutes. It will be long enough. Please do not forget about your cat in the room. Basically the message you are trying to give your cat is, “If you are going to be nippy and mean, I will not give you attention.”

Basically, this is a short time out. It’ll let him cool off some steam.

Realize Cats Get Angry and Resentful: Find Out What is Causing Their Grudge

Some cats will soil your carpet, some will knock things over while you are away, and others will be more aggressive. On the flip side, some may just ignore you. Cats are not like dogs in this manner. Dogs are diminutive better about being happy to see you no matter what. Cats will be revengeful, and even hold grudges.

If you have to be away for a while at work, construct clear your cat has everything he needs. Don’t be afraid to leave a little laundry on the floor. Your scent will help remind them that you are coming home.

My cat has so considerable built up energy when he sees me after I’ve been gone for work that he doesn’t know how to be gentle. Having a second cat helps because it gives him someone to socialize with so he doesn’t engage it out all on you. Two cats can still cause a lot of mess together if they get into mischief.

Soiling the carpet or your clothes may not always be a revengeful act. You may have to look into if your cat has a bladder infection or some other health pickle causing this. They may be trying to stammer you something.

Make Sure He Has Something To Do

Cats don’t sleep all the time. I notify my cats are up all hours of the day, and when the lights go out that’s when the real party begins. Don’t automatically assume your cat is going to be joyful with a comfy bed. They need something to hold their attention, otherwise they’ll have all sorts of built up energy and not know what to do with themselves.

My cats like stuffed toys and balls. I have a catnip rug, but I am careful about catnip because too much catnip sometimes overstimulates my male cat, causing him to be more aggressive. I also am careful with toys with strings and small pieces. A lot of cats are, for lack of a better word, stupid with not getting tangled up or getting little pieces of their toy in their mouth.

Perhaps It’s Time For a Second Cat

This should only be used if you know not only you can financially handle another cat, but if your living set is suitable. Many apartments only allow one cat. A second cat has helped release a lot of energy out of my male cat. Now by the time he gets to me, all he wants to do is snuggle. Another cat is double the litter mess, double the cost, double the trouble, but at the same time be a unbelievable addition.

I can’t imagine things without my second cat. It has helped calm the nerves and aggression out of my male cat significantly. They still have their territorial battles, but my home seems like a happier home. The extra scooping is a dinky price to pay for all the love she gives me other cat, and the play time she gives him, and all the cuddles she gives everyone she meets. The second cat also helped sooth the timidness of my other cat.

Now what about that timid cat? He may always be timid to some extent, but you can help him. There are a lot of reasons why a cat may be timid. Perhaps he is feral and had very little human interaction. Perhaps he was slightly abused and had a dreadful past. Maybe your cat was the exiguous and was always picked or neglected.

Stop Enthralling, or Find His Favorite Toys to Bring During a Move

I moved multiple times in three years, and each time it put a strain on my cat. He always crouched around the new apartment sniffing his surroundings as he checked out the new place. Being stable in the same location will help your cat over time calm down and feel more relaxed. Since I was always moving or taking him to my parents with me, he saw the cat carrier as an evil thing. When he heard the cat carrier, or even saw me get my shoes on he’d hurry.

It has been a long time since he has gone anywhere, except to the vet when he was sick and since then he doesn’t mind when I put my shoes on. He is relaxed, and not afraid he’s going to have to ‘go somewhere new’ again.

If it is not possible for you to discontinue in one state for long, contemplate having a blanket or a stuffed toy that your cat likes, that has his and your scent on it, that you always have for every move. For my cat, it was a microscopic baby sized blanket and a stuffed toy cat that was always immediately laid out when we were at a new location. He immediately latched onto those items and it helped him feel more at home.

Your first objective when releasing your cat from his cat carrier to the new home is to unpack his approved toys that will perform him feel safe and at home.

Use Your Inside Voice

Now I know it isn’t always possible to keep your dwelling completely quiet when needing to vacuum or use a blender, but there are things in you that you can keep in control of. I noticed that any heightened volume of my voice causes my cat to become afraid and nervous. Even when he is biting, yelling will either cause him to run away or bite harder because he is afraid.

He never bites hard enough to break the skin but I know I have to still be cautious with him. I used another approach that has helped me. I talk him through it. If I yell I would only startle him and cause him to lose some trust with me. Instead give him a chance to snap out of his mood and consume a gentle voice. If this doesn’t work after awhile I resort to a time out, but the time outs are basically far past us now as he normally can be talked through his mood. The key here is to never do anything to startle your timid cat because it will break the trust, even when he’s naughty.

Never Ever Hit

Hitting a cat is impartial not proper. Cats are selfish animals for the most allotment. As much as I love my cats, I believe this to be good. They will love you, cuddle, and be a astronomical pet for you, yes. But they also hold grudges. They may not remember why they’re holding a grudge against you, but they still will. A unnerved cat will never get over his timidness, and a nice cat may become stunned, if he is struck. If he soiled on your carpet or you come home to a shattered vase, hitting the cat will do nothing. He’ll have no idea why you’re hitting him, but instead fair see you as a threat. Hitting will only cause timidness and aggression in your pet.

Associate Yourself With Their Food

Calling your kitty to eat when opening a can of food or giving them a few pats on the head when their eating to display you’re the one that feeds them can help. If nothing else your timid cat will at least begin coming out and looking for you when he’s hungry. Some cats are very territorial over their food, so if your cat is growling while he eats just leave him be.

Sit At Their Level, Have Fun With Your Cat

Allow your cat to also associate you with fun and play time. Find a toy they might like, such as a wand with a string and feather and play with them. Some cats simply enjoy stalking things under a newspaper that you proceed around under it. Don’t make many sudden movements, but move quietly with your cat. Even reward his play time with a treat. And never underestimate the power of a gentle voice, or even meowing at your cat. Cats love it when you at least try, even though you may sound silly or feel strange doing it. If you feel really weird about it, objective do it when you’re alone with them. They will begin to build a trust with you as not only their playmate, but their friend.

Cats objective like to feel comfortable and safe. They are not as human loyal as perhaps a dog would be. An overstimulated and petrified (timid) cat takes a lot of time and patience to work with. The main key to remember is to not to do anything abrupt or loud that might frighten them, and give them a lot of attention when they are behaving. Don’t be afraid to talk to your kitty, many talk back. And others are quieter, but are trying to remark you something, you just have to listen.

Pet Costume Center Resources

• Are Pet Doors For Sliding Clear Glass Door A Good Solution For The Home? | eConsumerAlley.com
• What kind of damage can acid reflux disease cause? solution
• Connecting A Computer To A TV | Live TV Internet