We like to include our pets in all parts of our lives, and that includes holiday fun. And with Halloween coming up, you can start thinking about your pet’s costume along with your own! After all, they want to strut their stuff just as much as you do. Here are a few fun and easy DIY pet costumes to get you started.
Big dog costumes
With a big dog comes big costume expectations, so here are a few DIY costumes that work well for bigger dogs.
Lion
Don’t want to cover up your pup’s beautiful fur coat? There’s no need — this costume only adds to their luscious locks!
- Tie a piece of elastic around your dog’s head, from the top of its head to underneath its chin to size it. Remove the elastic from your pup.
- Cut a few different shades of brown yarn into pieces that are between five and seven inches long. Tie the pieces to the elastic until it’s completely covered.
- Trim the yarn as necessary, and put the elastic back onto your dog’s head like a lion mane
Ghost
This one is simple and spooky at the same time!
- Take an old sheet and cut out holes for the eyes and snout
- Put the sheet over your dog and put their snout through the nose hole
- Trim at the bottom so they can walk without dragging or pulling off the sheet
UPS driver
Everyone gets excited when they see a UPS driver bring a package to their doorstep, but this one is much cuter than the rest (no offense to actual UPS drivers)!
- Put your dog into a brown vest or jacket
- Get a brown baseball cap. Print and cut out a UPS logo and attach it to the front of the cap with hot glue. Using hot glue, put a piece of elastic on either side of the cap to create a chin strap that will keep the hat on your dog’s head.
- Attach a small cardboard box to hang from your dog’s collar or onto the side of their vest or jacket
Little dog costumes
Don’t forget the small stuff! Just because your pup is petite doesn’t mean they need to be forgotten on Halloween.
Beanie Baby
If you remember anything about the ’90s, it’s got to be Beanie Babies. Bring back a blast from the past and remind everyone of their favorite collectible.
- Cut out a large heart shape using a sheet of red craft foam
- Using white craft foam, cut out the letters “t” and “y”
- Cut out a small star in yellow craft foam
- Glue the letters and the star onto the heart so it looks like a Beanie Baby tag
- Attach the heart tag to your pup’s collar
Superhero
Turn your pooch into a neighborhood crime fighter!
- Take a cape for a doll or child and tie it around your dog’s neck
- Take an old sleep mask and cut eye holes
- Put the mask over your dog’s face and tighten in the back so it stays on
Pineapple
Now you can finally show everyone how “sweet” your pup really is!
- Draw a criss-cross pattern on a yellow T-shirt that will fit your dog
- Cut out triangles that are three inches tall in green felt. Hot glue the triangles together at the base and roll them into a circle at the base. Attach a piece of elastic that goes from one side of the felt crown to the other to form a chin strap and put it onto the top of your pup’s head.
Chia pet
What’s better than making your dog look like it’s sprouted a new coat to replace its hair?
- Wrap orange felt around each of your dog’s legs, and secure the ends of the felt together using safety pins
- Use hot glue to secure fake green plant pieces to a small T-shirt that fits your dog. Make sure the plant pieces you choose aren’t too heavy!
Cat costumes
If you’re one of the lucky ones and can get your cat to wear anything at all, here are a few fun ones that will (hopefully) stay on them the whole night!
Wendy’s fast food
This costume is easy and minimal, so hopefully you’re kitty doesn’t notice it too much once you put it on them. And even if they do, hopefully, you get a few laughs out of it before they tear it off their head!
- Cut red yarn into pieces that are about a foot long. Tie them together in the center using a piece of yarn.
- Braid both sides of the yarn, and tie each end off with a blue ribbon
- Attach a piece of elastic to either side as a chin strap
- Attach a small Wendy’s frosty cup onto your cat’s collar using a piece of yarn
Mummy
We’ve all had to cat-proof our apartments after walking into the bathroom to find that the cat has undone an entire roll of toilet paper. Now it’s time for them to look like they’re wrapped in it! Wrap your cat in strips of white fabric. If you don’t have any white fabric, just use toilet paper!
Bat
This easy costume works especially well if you have a black cat, but is still great no matter what type of cat you have.
- Cut two wings out of black craft foam
- Hot glue the wings onto an elastic band that fits around your cat’s neck, like a collar
- Secure the elastic band by using either safety pins to keep the ends together or attaching velcro to each end. Make sure it’s not too tight, but that it’s tight enough to stay in place!
Don’t overthink your DIY pet costume
Although it’s not required, dressing up your pet for Halloween is always fun. But don’t overthink things and feel like you need to come up with an elaborate costume that costs a lot. Sometimes, the simplest DIY pet costumes end up being the best. And who knows — the right costume could turn your pet into a social media star!
