Pre-Planning : Pet Halloween Party : Howl-O-Ween : Animal Planet

Halloween Party Pre-Planning

Ready to P-A-R-T-Y!

Breeze, Zeeda and Tully are dressed to impress this Halloween. Photo submitted by: Dawn
Submit your Halloween pet photos here!

Are you planning a Halloween party for pets? Here are some tips that will make your bash spook-tacular! Everyone loves a costume party, even creatures of the four-legged variety. Halloween can be just as much fun for pets as it is for people, and having a pet costume party will allow you to mingle with other pet lovers and give your favorite furry friend a night to remember!

When planning your Halloween costume party, keep the pets in mind. Have the party where pets can run and play. Allow one to two hours for your party -- animals get tired easily, so longer parties tend to fizzle out toward the end.

Invitations
Pet party invitations are usually addressed to animals, but people may be invited as well. It usually goes without saying that a Halloween party requires a costume. Even so, it’s better to tell your guests that costumes are expected. Be sure to mention if there will be prizes for the best costumes — that will encourage partygoers to be creative. Get costume ideas here.

Invitations for your pet costume party should contain all of the essential party details: date and time, location and how to RSVP. For Halloween, orange and black are good color choices. If you cannot find invitations specifically for pets, just decorate regular invitations with some doggie stickers or paw-print stamps. And remember, the most popular dogs and cool cats have active social lives so send them early.

Decorations
For Halloween-themed parties, decorations should be scary, ghostly and gross. Anything spidery is a nice touch. You may also want to adorn your fiesta with pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, tombstones and whatever bloody body parts you have lying around. Remember to keep the lights dim and the music spooky. But always exercise caution when decorating for pets. Those adorable pumpkins, streamers and other decorations could pose potential choking hazards.

Mutt Munchies and Master Treats
Your local pet store will carry a variety of snacks and treats to serve at your party. Some may even carry Halloween-themed goodies. Rawhide and biscuits are an excellent choice for dogs. Grab some catnip for the kitties.

For your human guests, candy corn and lemonade make a great combination. Or serve fruit punch and call it "blood juice." Other Halloween favorites include gummy worms, pumpkin cookies, caramel apples and hot chocolate. Check out four creepy recipes for humans here!

Toys and Playthings
All pets love chewing toys, chasing balls, and catching Frisbees. Get a variety of Halloween-themed play things for your party. Your guests will love them!

NEXT: Planning Activities

CONTENT

Howl-o-ween

Halloween Party Planning

Halloween Party Pre-Planning

Ready to P-A-R-T-Y!

Halloween Party Planner

Play the Brackets!

More Halloween Recipes