My golden retriever went from terrified to total ham in a year of Halloween costumes
Last October I dressed my dog Max as a hot dog for the first time and he literally froze and wouldn't move for 20 minutes. Just stood there looking betrayed. I felt so bad I almost gave up on pet costumes entirely. But this year I tried again with a simple lion mane that just velcros around his neck. He pranced around the living room like he owned the place and even posed for photos. I think the difference was starting with something less restrictive and giving him treats every time I put it on for a week beforehand. Has anyone else had a shy pet that eventually loved dress up? How long did it take for yours to stop acting like you were punishing them?
Pugs are notorious for holding grudges over stuff like that. My neighbor's pug spent two Halloweens refusing to even look at a pumpkin, let alone wear a bandana. It took a lot of patience and some really good treats to get him to finally cooperate without the side-eye.