Once a year, every pet parent gets a pass to dress their dogs in the most adorable, ridiculous, hilarious, spooktacular costumes ever, and thank the pumpkin gods, that time is now!
Considering the fact that, well, you know, dogs don’t exactly love wearing those princess dresses you stuff ‘em in and will inevitably scratch their way out (or worse, poop their way out), we rounded up the best DIY dog Halloween costumes. They’re are cute and easy to make without breaking the bank.
DIY Dog Costumes for All Shapes and Sizes
Harry Pawter
Pipe-cleaner glasses, a makeshift scar, and a crimson-and-gold-striped scarf should do just fine, but the more you add to this look, the better it gets. Add a wizard hat! A sweater! A wand! And maybe a little bit of magic, too, in hopes your dog will tolerate it the entire evening. This dog costume is straight-up magical.
Unicorn
Amazing Japan-based knitter Hiroko Fukatsu knitted one of the most magical, beautiful dog Halloween costumes that’s ever existed: A unicorn mask, gold horn and all, for her seriously sweet black Shiba Inu. If you’re a knitter and you don’t recreate this look for your dog, you’re doing Halloween all wrong.
Beanie baby
The only thing better than a Beanie Baby is a live-action Beanie Baby, and if you’re in the market for small dog costumes, this is totally the look for you. Simply attach a homemade TY tag to your pal’s ears, and you’ll be set with a super easy but equally impressive DIY dog costume. Pro tip: This look works best on a long-haired dog—try using bobby pins to affix the tag to your dog’s ear.
ET
If you’ve got a bike with a basket and an ET-esque furry friend (we’re looking at you, pugs and Frenchies), wrap your dog in a white towel or blanket, secure him in said bike basket, and tell him to just hold on, you’re goin’ home. We’ll be extra impressed if you can get Frenchie to do the finger thing. That’s a trick that’s guaranteed extra treats.
Frida Kahlo
For the sophisticated, art-minded dog. Step 1: Create a unibrow with a pet-friendly marker or dye. Step 2: Transform yarn into the ultimate Frida Kahlo updo. Step 3: Garnish with all of the flowers. All of them!
Chewbacca
All you need is a whole lot of hairspray and that box-lined belt Chewbacca wears (we have no idea what Chewie carries in his, but we suggest you put treats in yours), and you’re all set. May the force be with you! Bonus points if you get him to carry around a Yoda chew toy like this guy.
Chia Pet
It’s a chia, it’s a pet! Dog sweater + plastic greenery = the most literal DIY dog costume ever (besides a hot dog, which is another fun choice). It’s especially great for those of you who are having a hard time finding large dog Halloween costumes because really, there’s no shortage of plastic greenery.
Cereal killer
If you want to take the classic campy-scary Halloween route and have a little pun in the process, look no further than this getup, which you can probably make without even having to run to the store, therefore making it the ultimate last-minute costume. Just make sure you don’t use a real knife, OK guys? Check it out!
More amazing dog costume inspiration
King Pug
Rocky and Bullwinkle
A canine firefighter
Batman