Pickle is eleven pounds of Chihuahua and roughly forty pounds of opinion. He has never once agreed with a closed door, a vacuum cleaner, or the idea that the kitchen counter is off-limits. So when Dana came home from the grocery store and set the bags down for exactly ninety seconds to hang up her coat, she should have known better.
The bananas were gone. Not eaten — Pickle has standards — but relocated. All six of them, dragged one at a time across the living room rug and deposited in a careful pile behind the couch, where he stood guard over his hoard like a very small dragon with very large ears.
Dana laughed until she cried, took nine photos, and then spent twenty minutes negotiating the return of the bananas. Pickle surrendered five. The sixth he kept, and it stayed behind the couch for three days until Dana finally extracted it during a cleaning spree.
That was in June. By September, the story had become family legend, and Dana had an idea.
The Costume That Wrote Itself
Some pets need a costume chosen for them. Pickle chose his own, months in advance, by committing petty theft.
The Banana Costume Hoodie arrived in size XS, which for an eleven-pound Chihuahua with a barrel chest turned out to be exactly right — Dana measured him first rather than guessing, which our sizing guide will always tell you to do. The fleece is soft, the hood has a little curved stem, and the whole thing goes on over the head with two front legs through the sleeves.
Pickle, who objects to most things, did not object to this. He wore it for forty minutes the first evening and fell asleep in it on the arm of the couch, which is the highest endorsement a Chihuahua can give.
When the Joke Needs to Be Spookier
A banana is funny in June. By late October, the neighborhood wants something with a bit more menace, and Dana found that out the first year she took Pickle trick-or-treating in fruit.
For a dog Pickle's size, the spider pet costume is the easy answer — eight plush legs on a felt back panel, one neck strap, size S fits chests from 14 to 20 inches. It takes about five seconds to put on and comes off just as fast, which matters for a dog who decides mid-evening that he is done. The bat wings costume is the same idea in a different silhouette, and it runs S through L so it also works for the bigger dogs in the group.
Both ship from China in 7 to 14 business days, so order by 12 October if you want it on your dog for Halloween. Everything else lives in the Halloween collection.
And Then December Happens
Pickle's banana hoodie does not read as festive, and Dana wanted a Christmas card photo. Small dogs have it easy here: the Merry Christmas fleece hoodie comes in six designs and is genuinely warm — the kind of thing a shivery eleven-pound dog will actually keep on. The Santa Claus dog costume runs XS to XL and turns him into the whole holiday at once, and the Santa riding dog costume is the one that makes people stop on the sidewalk — a little stuffed Santa appears to be riding your dog, and at Pickle's size the illusion is absurd in the best way.
If your dog is more dress than sweater, the ruffled bow dress comes in red and navy and works all winter, not just in December. The full Christmas collection is here. Same 7 to 14 business day shipping — order by 5 December to be safe.
What We Learned From Pickle
- The best costume is the one your pet already has a story about. It makes the photo mean something, and it makes you likelier to actually put it on him.
- Measure, don't guess. Small dogs vary wildly in chest depth. Pickle wears XS in the hoodie and S in the spider — different products, different cuts.
- Short first wears win. Forty minutes on night one beats three hours of resentment.
- Keep the food out of reach. This one is not costume advice. It is just advice.
Shop the Banana Costume Hoodie →
Sizes XS-2XL · Free US shipping · 30-day returns
Pickle still steals bananas. Dana has moved them to a cupboard, and he has learned to open the cupboard. Some battles are not winnable. The least you can do is dress the victor appropriately.
FAQ
1. What size fits an eleven-pound Chihuahua?
In the fruit hoodie, XS (12.6in/32cm bust, 7.9in/20cm back) or S (15.0in/38cm bust, 9.8in/25cm back) depending on chest depth — measure around the widest part of the ribcage and compare. In the spider and bat wings costumes, size S covers a 14 to 20 inch chest, which fits most Chihuahuas comfortably.
2. Will a small dog tolerate a costume with sleeves?
Many will, but sleeves are the hardest part for dogs who dislike having their legs handled. If yours pulls away, the spider and bat wings costumes have no sleeves at all — they drape over the back and fasten at the neck.
3. How long does shipping take on the Halloween and Christmas costumes?
The bat wings, spider, Santa riding, Santa Claus, fleece hoodie and ruffled dress ship from China in 7 to 14 business days. Order by 12 October for Halloween and by 5 December for Christmas.
4. Is the banana hoodie warm enough for winter walks?
It's soft polar fleece, so yes for mild cold — but for real winter on a small short-coated dog, the Merry Christmas fleece hoodie or the ruffled bow dress give more coverage.
5. Can I wash it?
Yes. Gentle machine cycle, air dry. Which you will need, because small dogs find mud.