If you have seen a dog or cat dressed as a small pumpkin this October, you are not imagining a pattern. Pumpkin came first in US pet costume rankings based on National Retail Federation data in both 2024 and 2025. What is newer is getting the photo without the costume at all. This post covers the data, what is and is not documented about the AI side, and how a one-photo image such as Pet Halloween Costume compares with other pet Halloween looks.
Make your pet's pumpkin photo
Upload one clear photo of your dog or cat. Get a cosy autumn portrait in a pumpkin costume.
Why pumpkin is the top pet Halloween costume
The National Retail Federation surveys Halloween plans every year. Its figures, as reported by CPA Practice Advisor in October 2025, ranked pet costumes like this:
| Rank | Pet costume | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pumpkin | 9.8% |
| 2 | Hot dog | 5.4% |
| 3 | Bumblebee | 4% |
| 4 (tie) | Ghost | 3.1% |
| 4 (tie) | Superhero | 3.1% |
A year earlier, a Stacker analysis of NRF data also put pumpkin first, at about 10%. These figures describe real costumes in the US, not AI images. Still, they explain why a pumpkin is the obvious choice for a pet costume photo: it is seasonal, it suits any breed and size, and nobody needs the joke explained.
There are practical reasons too. A pumpkin suit is soft and round, and it hides nothing important about the animal's face. Many pets still dislike wearing anything, which is where an AI photo comes in.
Is the AI pet Halloween costume a trend?
As a category, yes; as a single viral moment, we could not find one.
- Tools such as HallowPaws and Media.io market an AI pet Halloween costume generator for dogs and cats, and both list a pumpkin suit among their looks. Media.io's prompt list includes one called "Pumpkin Dog Costume".
- Prompt guides such as Miraflow's AI pet Halloween costume prompts include a knitted pumpkin hat with a green stem.
We found no news coverage or creator credited with starting an AI pet pumpkin trend, so we do not claim one. The demand comes from the real-world habit above, not a single post.
Pumpkin costume vs pet ghost photoshoot
The other big pet Halloween look is the sheet ghost. According to Know Your Meme, the human ghost photoshoot spread to dogs in 2023, with one pet version passing tens of millions of views, and PetsRadar covered dogs in ghost sheets in 2022.
| Pumpkin costume photo | Pet ghost photoshoot | |
|---|---|---|
| What shows your pet | Face, ears, markings and fur | Mostly paws and tail under a sheet |
| Mood | Cosy and cute | Deadpan and funny |
| Real-life difficulty | Pet has to wear a suit | Pet has to sit under a sheet |
| Oakgen trend | Pet Halloween Costume | People only: Ghost Photoshoot |
If you want your pet to be instantly recognisable, the pumpkin wins, because the face and markings stay visible. Oakgen's Ghost Photoshoot is made for people, not animals, so it is not an option for pets.
Real costume or AI photo?
A real costume is great if your pet tolerates it and you want photos from a real day. An AI photo makes sense when:
- your pet will not keep a costume on, or should not wear one;
- you want a clean, well-lit portrait without a photo session;
- you have several pets and want matching pictures.
Oakgen's version makes one fixed image: your dog or cat in a plush orange pumpkin suit with a small green stem hat, sitting among pumpkins and fallen leaves in warm autumn light. Fur colour, markings, ears and face come from your photo. There is no costume picker, and it is made for one pet per image. Rabbits and other small pets may work, but results vary more. When you post, say the image is AI-made so nobody asks where to buy the costume.
Make your own version
For the short version of this background, read the AI pet pumpkin costume guide. Then pick a picture with the best dog or cat photo guide and follow how to make an AI pet Halloween costume photo. Check the result with the likeness check and borrow lines from the pumpkin costume caption ideas. For post concepts, see pet Halloween costume photo ideas.
Oakgen is not affiliated with the National Retail Federation or any of the tools and publications linked above.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular pet Halloween costume?
Pumpkin. National Retail Federation figures reported in October 2025 put it first at 9.8% of planned pet costumes, ahead of hot dog at 5.4% and bumblebee at 4%.
Is there a viral AI pet pumpkin trend?
We found no single viral post or creator behind it. There is a category of AI pet Halloween costume generators, and pumpkin is one of the looks they commonly offer.
Does my pet have to wear anything for the AI version?
No. You upload one clear photo of your dog or cat, and the pumpkin suit, stem hat and autumn setting are added in the image.
Continue your project
More Halloween image trends · Halloween AI photo trends guide · AI photo trend playbook
