Dog ID Collar loves Halloween, and we came up with our favorite DIY Halloween dog costumes. Halloween is that one special night of the year that kids and adults alike are expected to dress up in fun, scary, cute, crazy and cool costumes! We dress up and venture out to visit our family, friends, and neighbors for yummy treats! Along the way, we are sure to see some fantastic costumes! And, a few positively fantastic pets dressed up as well! After all, there is nothing cuter than kids and pets dressed up on Halloween. Even though your furry friend may not understand what Halloween is, they will love the extra attention they get from dressing up for Halloween.
Now I know that there are tons of websites with super cute costumes for pets, but do it yourself, DIY Halloween dog costumes can be fun and easy! Below are some super fun and creative costume ideas that will make your dog stand out in the Halloween crowd. Your neighbors will adore your dog and may even throw some extra candy in your bucket.
Top 6 DIY Halloween Dog Costumes
The Lion’s Mane
This is probably the easiest costume you can make. But, you need to have some knitting skills. This is one of those rare costumes that doesn’t require too much effort. The design itself is so attractive that everyone will keep staring at your dog as he/she walks around the neighborhood. You won’t need a lot of things to make this costume.
Gather some medium-weight yarn, a crochet hook, and circular knitting needles. Measure the side of your dog’s neck. Make sure you don’t go too far down. The costume should cover his/her neck. Ideally, you should keep it at least three to four inches from his/her eyes and no more. Use the circular knitting needles to make the lion’s mane. You need to cut lots of yarns. Keep them at least 4-inches long. This will make the mane look furry. Also, be sure to choose a tan or brown yarn.
Once you make a circular shape with the yarn, use the crochet hook to keep the costume together. Slide the costume on to your dog’s face and place it just ahead of its ears. Your neighbors will look shocked when they see your dog walk with that luscious mane of yarn!
The Unicorn
One of our favorite DIY Halloween dog costumes is turning your dog into a mythical animal! Dress him/her as a unicorn, and everyone will come along to cuddle your dog. Like the lion’s mane, the unicorn costume is also easy to make. The best part of Dog ID Collars DIY Halloween dog costumes, is you don’t need to spend a fortune or think of high-end ideas for him/her to look unique.
Get some colorful yarn and shiny gold fabric. Cut the yarns into small pieces. You should be careful about the size of the yarns; otherwise, your dog may feel uncomfortable as the yarns tend to come in front of their eyes. Approximately 4 inches is the standard size that you should keep, depending on the size of your dog. You can use a clip to keep the yarns together. Make sure you have equal quantities on both sides. Take a few hair clips and attach the yarns. They would look like a set of extra hair on his/her face.
Next, take some cotton and stuff it inside the gold shiny fabric. Fold the fabric like a horn. It should look like a slick cone. Sew the end of the fabric so that it stands up correctly. You can use your dog collar to attach this costume. Hook the hair clip along with the yarns on the dog collar. Next, you can either stitch or use a strong adhesive to attach the horn on the collar so that it stands erect. Slip the collar on your dog, and it will look like the cutest unicorn on earth.
The Devil’s Look
Are you dressing up as Dracula or something along that line? Have you thought about 
matching DIY Halloween costumes for dogs and their humans? You can pair your dog with a similar outfit. This is a last-minute DIY idea that doesn’t require much skill or supplies to create. Collect some hot glue, pipe cleaners or elastic, ribbon, and felt. First, cut out some red felt. Make it look like a devil’s horns. If the felt is too thin, layer a few of them together using glue. It should be thick and stable enough to sit firmly on your dog’s head. Measure the pipe cleaner around the neck of your dog. Cut the appropriate length of the pipe cleaner and make it into a circle. Try trying both ends loosely. This helps to fit the costume on your dog easily.
Your next step is to attach the devil’s ears you prepared earlier. This one is slightly tricky, and there are two different methods.
- Punch holes on either end of the felt paper to allow the pipe cleaner to pass through each.
- Sew the paper from underneath on to the pipe cleaner.
Once you finish attaching the ears, it’s time for the final touch-up. Take a black ribbon and tie a standard knot. You can attach it at the bottom of the dog’s neck along with the pipe cleaner or elastic using double-sided tape or some strong adhesive. Be careful not to get adhesive on your dog’s skin or fur. Make sure the ribbon sticks firmly. Slip the costume down your dog’s head and take him/her for a walk. Your furry friend will be the envy among the rest of the dogs in the neighborhood with these DIY Halloween costumes for dogs.
Dress Your Dog Up Like Grandma
This costume is by far the simplest of all our DIY Halloween costumes for dogs and is quite adorable! All you need is a pair of old glasses and a scarf. Make sure that the lenses are removed from the glasses so that your dogs’ vision is not restricted in any way.
To attach the glasses, use a piece of elastic. Measure your dog's head and then tie the elastic to the end of the earpiece on each side of the glasses. This should secure the glasses so that they do not fall off.
Now for the scarf. Fold the scarf so that it creates a triangle. Tie the scarf around your dog’s head in a firm knot. Make sure that the scarf is not too tight and make sure to cover his/her ears, leaving space at the top of your dog's head. You don’t want the scarf too low on your dog’s face as it could irritate or bother your pup.
The Mummy Dog
Making your dog into a mummy is simple! All you need is rolled gauze or an old white sheet. If you are using a sheet you will want to cut or rip the sheet into strips and time them all together end to end. You will want to soak the gauze or sheet in either coffee or strong tea. This will give the material an old and tattered look. Be sure to dry the material completely before Halloween night so that you do not stain or irritate your dog’s skin or fur.
Start wrapping your pet with the gauze or sheet strips making sure that you don’t wrap your dog too tight. Be sure to leave your dog’s ears, nose, paws, tails, and bottom unwrapped. You can secure the end by either tucking or tying the end of the material to another section on the material.
The Bat Dog
Are you dressing up as Batman this Halloween? Instead of making your dog Robin, 
why not dress him/her up as Batman too? An easy DIY Halloween Costume for your dog! For the mask, take a piece of black fabric, felt works best, and a piece of ribbon, string or elastic. Cut out Batman’s mask on the felt paper. Don’t forget to take appropriate measurements of your dog’s face before doing so. Once you finish cutting the mask, punch holes on either side. This will help to attach the ribbon, string or elastic to the mask. Slowly, slide the mask on your dog’s face and place it on top of his/her eyes. Make sure he/she can see through the cutouts in the mask. You can adjust the mask according to your dog’s comfort. Next, you will want a larger piece of fabric for a cape. Cut the fabric so that it is angled on one end like a square that has two corners removed. Spread the fabric over your dog’s back so that it flows down to resemble Batman’s cape. The narrower end of the fabric should be secured around your dog’s neck with a ribbon, or string. You can also attach it to your dog’s collar. What’s better than two superheroes walking down the street!? Especially when one of them is man’s best friend!
So now that you have a few DIY Halloween costumes for dogs, get creative! The costume possibilities are endless! We recommend dressing your dog up based on their personality! To add even more character to their costume, check out Dog ID Collars embroidered dog collars and leashes to accessorize their Halloween look. Happy costume making and be safe this Halloween season!