The 12th Annual Great PUPkin

This has easily become my favorite neighborhood event of the year. The local Park Users and Pets Society (PUPS) hosts an annual dog costume contest around Halloween.  Over 103 dogs (up from 82 last year) were in this year's show.  There are wide stairs up the side of a hill in the park, making a perfect, and packed, viewing area on a fine Autumn afternoon.

I thought some black lab owners would appreciate the irony of this one.

"Lindsey Lohan" in her prison garb.

Green Dog Days getting loaded into their float complete with drum kit. 

This little guy was my neighbor on the viewing stairs.  He seemed a little too high-strung to enter the contest.

Original hand-made costumes received more accolades, but this little one WORKED the judges and crowd.

Brooklyn's Finest, complete with handcuffs.

King Kong and Fay Wray

This was one of the crowd favorites and received an honorable mention.

Lady Gaga in her meat dress. There was another Gaga, and a Snookie too.

Shark Attack!  And it was cold!

Children admiring the gold fish.

I can't believe she carried off all that tulle!

This group, Peewee's Playhouse, was another winner.

One of my favorites - a clever mouse trap - received another honorable mention.

Bull-riding.  This worked beautifully - as the dog trotted around the stage, that rider and his hat bobbed just like a real rider on a bull.

Another winner - the little guy was digging the ride.

The grand prize winner - A Tree Grow-els in Brooklyn.  Beautiful, and the dog was a pro.  He was mobbed by photographers, and he gracefully posed for everyone.  The tree is on a table with wheels, so he just pushed it along with his shoulders.  I overheard two people saying this man's wife complains that he spends all his time on the dog's costume, and none on the kids'!  I think most kids these days prefer store-bought anyway.  

Part of the viewing crowd.

After the show, one dog seemed very puzzled by another dog's third head.  

After all was said and done, this dog seemed to be having the best time of all.

I didn't see him in the contest.