National Dress Up Your Pet Day (January 14)

One weird holiday on January 14 is National Dress Up Your Pet Day. Check out the other weird January holidays!

History of National Dress Up Your Pet Day

Although the idea of dressing up pets (dogs, for the most part) in a costume is associated with Halloween, there’s actually an official holiday! National Dress Up Your Pet Day was founded in 2009 by celebrity pet lifestyle expert and animal behaviorist, Colleen Paige.

On this fun holiday, matching outfits with your pet is encouraged! You can dress them silly, like in a Halloween costume, or you can put them in their favorite comfortable sweater (it is still cold out there, after all!).

People have been dressing up their pets in costumes or clothing without an official holiday for decades. In fact, the use of collars for pets first originated in ancient Egypt around 3100 BC.

In 2011, a dog fashion show was held in New York entitled “Last Bark and Bryant Park.” Since then, the market for pet clothing lines has skyrocketed.

When we think of dressing up our pets, we usually think of putting dogs in a costume. However, you can probably dress up your cat, hamster, or even bird! (Good luck on a pet goldfish, though.)

We want to point out that National Dress Up Your Pet Day first began to encourage pets’ wellbeing and promote bonding between pets and their owners. Please don’t force your pet into doing something they’ll fight you on. (We’re looking at you, cat owners!)

Once you’ve got your pet dressed up, hold a photo shoot! You can even dress up in a matching costume yourself (or even just put the pair of you in suit coats or formal dresses). Share the photos (along with this post) on social media to encourage your friends to join in the fun!