Halloween is just around the corner! Do you know what your dog will be this year? Instead of wearing the same, boring costume every year, give your furry friend a fresh look without breaking the bank! Here are our Top 3 favorite (and most original!) DIY dog costume ideas.
3 Amazing Homemade Dog Halloween Costumes
Vampire Bat Wings: Turn your pet into a creature of the night with just some felt, pipe cleaners, and a little bit of adhesive tape or glue from the craft store.
- Start by printing out a wing-shape template. Here is our easy-access template for bat-shaped wings.
- Depending on the size of your dog, measure about a ½ yard of crafting felt - choose from black bat wings, white angel wings, or get creative with green dragon wings!
- Trace your template onto your felt and cut along the lines carefully. Repeat this so that you have two sets of wings. Cut a 1-inch slit in the center of each set so that your dog’s leash can slip through and hook onto the collar.
- To give the felt wing cutouts rigidity and flexibility, bend and glue pipe cleaners to the outside edges of the wings. Glue the second set on top, sealing the pipe cleaner “boning” into place.
- Now that your wings are constructed, pull the ring of your dog’s collar through the center slit and connect their leash to keep the wings in place!
Three-Headed Dog: Dig through your old toy bins to find two stuffed animals you are willing to part with or hit up a local yard sale for some well-loved stuffies. You'll also need a harness vest.
- Choose two stuffed doggies that are about the size and color of your own pup’s head. Equal size is more important - to match color, you can just use fabric spray paint!
- Using sharp scissors, carefully cut along the base of the stuffed animals’ necks so that you are getting a few inches of workable fabric below the heads. Try to keep as much stuffing in as possible to get the best effect!
- Take your old (or cheap) harness collar, and make two small incisions to the left and right shoulders of the harness where you want to attach your extra heads.
- Pull some of the extra neck fabric through the harness incision and affix to the inside of the harness using fabric glue, tape, or a safety pin. Repeat on the other side.
- Try the harness on your pup and make sure the heads are peeking over your dog’s shoulders. Once they sit in the right places, your dog is ready to scare the neighbors!
Beanie Baby: Children of the 90s will love seeing a real, live Beanie Baby taking the streets on All Hallow’s Eve. This costume is our easiest one yet—without losing any of the cute factor!
- Print out a “TY Toy” heart-shaped tag on cardstock or thick printer paper. You can also laminate regular paper after printing to give the tag more stability.
- Cut out your tag and punch a hole in the top left corner.
- Attach to your pup’s collar. Ta-da! Beanie Baby dog!
- For bonus points, print two tags and tape them together at the left edge - so that it opens like a book. On the inside of the tag, you can write your dog’s name, a cute rhyming bio, and fun facts about your limited-edition Beanie Baby!
Remember, never leave your dog alone in a costume. While wearing your masterpiece, always keep your dog on a leash and when you take the costume off, ensure it is out of reach to prevent chewing or eating the costume.
Also, keep pups away from candy! Many children like to spread candy out on the floor. Have your kids use the counter or table. Chocolate candy is not the only candy to worry about. Hard candies can be a choking hazard, while chewy candies can get stuck in your dog’s teeth and are not easily digested. Candy wrappers can also pose a problem. If you suspect your dog got into your candy stash, consult your veterinarian immediately.
Have fun creating these easy DIY dog costumes and have a safe and Happy Halloween!
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