DogTails

Every Veterans Day, we recognize the day as a chance to honor the brave men and women who have served in each branch of our military forces. The DogWatch team joins in this salute and extends a heartfelt thanks to all veterans for their courageous service.

With so many heroes to praise, we turn our attention to the subject we know best: dogs. Here are the stories of five of these heroic military working dogs, whose bravery, dedication, and strength are an inspiration to us all.

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For the 12th year in a row, the DogWatch® Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest brought us a month of unforgettable pet costumes! Thank you to everyone who entered and to all the pets who patiently posed. Your creativity made this contest a true treat.

After much deliberation (and lots of laughs), we’re excited to announce the winners of the 2025 DogWatch® Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest!

THIRD PLACE: Roxy as “Ozzy Paws-borne”

Photo by Syl Eve via Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Marty as Mr. Mayor

Photo by Lauren Briggs via Facebook

FIRST PLACE: Barkley James as Albark Einstein

Photo by @barkleyjames.doodle on Instagram

HONORABLE MENTIONS

In addition to our top three winners, we also wanted to give a shout out to some of other favorites this year! Here are our 2025 Howl-O-Ween Honorable Mentions:

Birdie as the Big Bad Wolf and Bogey, Putt Putt and Cookie as the Three Little Pigs (Photo by Jenn Gren)

Simba the Tiger (Photo by Kim Watson)

Aspen the Formula One Driver (Photo by @aspentheminipolarbear on Instagram)

Cookie as a Labubu (Photo by @doggypunks on Instagram)

Howie the Basset Hound mix as a Cowboy. He’s available for adoption via The Foster Dog House in Charlotte, NC! (Photo by Kate Heitmann)

THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this year’s DogWatch Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest! And if you don’t already, follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@dogwatchfence) for more fun, informative and adorable pet content all year long.

Calling all Halloween-loving pet parents: The 12th Annual DogWatch Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest is here! Share a photo of your dog in his or her costume and you could win a prize for you AND your favorite pet charity. 

To enter, post your pet’s Halloween photo in the comments on the post on our Facebook page or via Instagram using the hashtag #DogWatchHalloween2025. You can also enter by emailing your pet’s photo to us.

For the first place winner, we’ll make a $500 donation in your name to the pet charity of your choice, plus you will receive either a gift basket filled with $75 worth of dog treats, toys and goodies OR your choice of a DogWatch Dog Training Collar. It’s a win-win!

Cats and other pet photos are welcome too. Please also include your pet’s name and breed. On Halloween day, we’ll announce the winners! Selected runners-ups will also receive prizes and have their photos shared on our blog and social media, so stay tuned.

The contest ends at 11:59PM EST on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. Winners will be announced on Friday, October 31, 2025 on Facebook, Instagram, and right here on DogTails. Check out previous years’ submissions for inspiration. We look forward to seeing your dogs in their Halloween finery!

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Jack-o-lanterns, trick-or-treating, decorations, haunted houses, and scary movie marathons. Yes, Halloween is without a doubt one of the most exciting and fun holidays of the year. And, as with everything else, pet owners love to get their four-legged family members in on the festivities. Typically, this means dressing your dog or cat up in a funny, spooky, or cute costume. Before you decide on which costume to dress your pet in, consider these important safety tips!
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