Nowadays, there’s an endless amount of dog Halloween costumes to buy. But there’s nothing quite as special as creating a costume from scratch with your own two hands. With these DIY dog costume ideas, you can experience the fun (and likely chaos) of crafting a Halloween costume for your pup!
Most of these DIY costumes can be made with supplies found in your home or with cheap craft supplies, making them perfect last-minute options for all us procrastinators out there. And if crafting isn’t for you, don’t worry. We’ve included links to purchase similar dog costumes online in case your homemade attempt doesn’t work out.
When crafting your dog’s costume, be sure to keep their safety in mind. Make sure the homemade costume is not too heavy or limits your dog’s movements. Take off the costume immediately if it causes them distress. Also, keep choking hazards or small pieces out of reach and off your pet. And to celebrate spooky season safely, never leave your dog unsupervised in a costume!
19 DIY Dog Halloween Costumes You Can Make At HomeMartini Glass
If your dog needs to wear a cone this Halloween, incorporate it in their costume! This adorable DIY option will turn your dog’s cone of shame into a martini glass. Create “olives” by adding a red circle to a few green floral foam balls. Then, stick them onto a light wooden dowel and safely balance in your pup’s cone for a quick picture.
Supply List:
6-Pack Green Floral Foam Spheres, $14; amazon.com
Unfinished Hardwood Sticks for Crafts and DIYers, $16; amazon.com
Buy it instead: Dirty Puptini Martini Dog & Cat Costume, $15; petcostumecenter.com
Ghost
Ghost costumes are a classic for a reason! They’re easy, inexpensive, and super quick to throw together at the last minute. Just cut a few holes in a white sheet for your pup’s eyes and snout. If you want Fido to go trick-or-treating with you, make sure to cut the sheet small enough so he can walk.
Supply List:
LiveComfort Flat Sheet, $12; amazon.com
Lego Brick
If you spent your childhood building Legos, this DIY costume is perfect for your pups. Cut out holes in a shoebox and glue in plastic cups to create a lego shape. Then, give the whole costume a coat of paint to make it all one color. Attach the costume to your dog’s favorite harness, and he’ll be ready to win the costume contest.
Supply List:
AmazonCommercial Plastic Cups, $15; amazon.com
Beanie Baby
Just like your favorite 90s toy, your pup is priceless. Turn your pup into an adorable Beanie Baby by attaching an oversized tag onto his or her collar. Creating one is easy: cut a piece of cardboard or poster board into a heart and paint the iconic TY tag.
Supply list:
10pk 28″ x 22″ Poster Board, $5; target.com
Buy it instead: Pet Puppy Beanie Fur Babies Tag Pack of 3, $7; amazon.com
Business Person
No time to craft? If your dog is large enough, lend him a button-down shirt and tie from your closet. Take the costume further by adding three black circles on the left side of the shirt, turning your pup into Three Hole Punch Jim.
Buy it instead: VEDEM Dog Necktie Pet Tuxedo Cotton Collar with Black Tie, $11; amazon.com
Harry Potter
Potterheads, this one’s for you. Turn your pup into the famous wizard by making pipe cleaner glasses and tying on a Hogwarts scarf. For an extra magical touch, attach a yellow pipe cleaner in the shape of a lightning bolt onto the glasses to resemble Harry’s iconic scar.
Supply List:
Anvin Pipe Cleaners 100 Pcs, $7; amazon.com
Harry Potter Scarf, $10; amazon.com
Buy it instead: Coomour Halloween Dog Costume Pet Wizard, $14; amazon.com
Grapes
If you want your dog to look like he walked straight out of a Fruit of the Loom commercial, this DIY costume is for you. Attach a bunch of green or purple balloons to a shirt or harness. Finish off the look with a few green felt leaves. While the costume is adorable, real grapes are toxic to dogs, so stick to other treats on Halloween night.
Supply List:
Blank Dog Shirts for printing, vinyl, embroidery, $7; etsy.com
Maylai 50 Pack Pearl Purple Balloons, $9; amazon.com
FabricLA Acrylic Felt Fabric, $8; amazon.com
Spider
Turn your dog into a scary spider with this super easy DIY. All you need is a giant chenille pipe cleaner! Cut the pipe cleaner into 8 even pieces. Then, just bend them each into a spider leg and wrap around your dog’s collar or harness.
Supply List:
Giant Chenille Pipe Cleaner by Creatology™, $3; michaels.com
Buy it instead: Musuos Halloween Dogs Cats Costume Simulation Spider, $13; walmart.com
Paint Palette
Embrace your pup’s inner artist by turning her into an adorable paint palette. Cut a piece of styrofoam into a palette with a circle in the middle for your dog’s head. Then, add blobs of paint around the palette. If you want to make this an adorable DIY matching dog costume, dress as Bob Ross!
Supply List:
Silverlake Craft Foam Block, $16; amazon.com
Craft Smart Acrylic Paint Set Value Pack, $17; amazon.com
Tissue Box
Whether it’s for seasonal allergies or a sad movie, we all need our dog and box of tissues by our side. Small dogs can rock this DIY costume by fitting an actual tissue box onto their harness. For larger dogs, create a tissue box with a cardboard box and white wrapping tissue paper!
Supply List:
Hallmark White Tissue Paper, $10; amazon.com
Jake from State Farm
Besides your dog, Jake from State Farm is the only person your husband should be talking to in the middle of the night. This Halloween, dress your pup up as the iconic commercial character with a red shirt and a name tag. Want to go the extra mile? Buy your pup a pair of dog khakis to perfect the look.
Supply List:
Blank Dog Shirts for printing, vinyl, embroidery, $7; etsy.com
C-Line Pressure Sensitive Peel and Stick Badges, $7; amazon.com
Dog Trousers, $24; etsy.com
Football
This year, Halloween falls on a Sunday, which means football-themed costumes are a must. If you’re dressing up as your favorite quarterback, match with your dog by creating a DIY football costume. All you need is a brown shirt and white tape to replicate a football’s laces.
Supply List:
Blank Dog Shirts for printing, vinyl, embroidery, $7; etsy.com
Duct Industrial Tape White, $3; target.com
Buy it instead: Football Pet Costume Halloween Costumes for Dogs, $16; amazon.com
Loofah
Turn your pup into an adorably fluffy loofah this Halloween! Create the bath time look by bunching up tulle in the color of your choice and attaching it to a matching shirt. Add a short loop of white rope and a rubber duck to complete the bubbly costume.
Supply List:
Tulle Roll Spool Fabric for Sewing, $9; amazon.com
Blank Dog Shirts for printing, vinyl, embroidery, $7; etsy.com
80 ft. Diamond Braid Polypropylene All Purpose Flagline Rope, $10; amazon.com
Munchkin White Hot Safety Bath Ducky, $3; amazon.com
Buy it instead: Midlee Loofah Dog Halloween Costume, $20; amazon.com
Starbucks Cup
Love to treat your dog to puppuccinos? Turn them into one with this easy DIY costume. First, print a Starbucks logo and glue it onto a piece of cardboard. Then, draw on the recipe of your favorite drink. Lastly, treat yourself to a warm drink and save the lid to top off the costume.
Buy it instead: Latte Dog Costume, $17; amazon.com
Sunflower
Transform your pup into an adorable sunflower this Halloween! Measure a strip of brown felt to snugly wrap around your dog’s head. Then, cut and glue yellow felt petals around the center, layering to achieve the classic sunflower look. Finally, add a few green felt leaves on the bottom to complete the costume.
Supply List:
FabricLA Acrylic Felt Fabric, $8; amazon.com
Buy it instead: Rubie’s Pet Costume, Large, Sunflower, $10; amazon.com
Bat
There’s no need to buy a bat costume for your dog this spooky season. To make the classic costume yourself, cut bat wings fit for your pup out of black poster board and add details to the wings using a metallic marker. Attach the wings to your pup’s collar or harness and they’ll be good to go!
Supply List:
Pen+Gear Black Poster Board, $1; walmart.com
Sharpie® Metallic Marker Set of 2, Silver, $3; walmart.com
