Dressing up your dog in funny outfits is a secret pleasure that we’re all guilty of.
Must see: Pictures Of Dogs Wearing Halloween Costumes
As long as the costume is not restrictive or uncomfortable, many dogs can learn to love their fun outfits and enjoy the extra attention that comes with being dressed up.
Halloween is the best time of year to dress your dog in a hilarious costume that will get him lots of extra hugs and dog treats.
6 Low-Stress DIY Dog Halloween Costumes
#1 – The Chia Pet Dog Planter
Remember those terracotta figurines from the Chia Pet commercials?
Everyone does — which means everyone will get the reference when you dress up your dog as a Chia Pet planter!
It’s an easy dog costume to make.
- Best For: Small to medium dogs who tolerate light shirts.
- Materials Needed: 1 orange baby sleeper or t-shirt, Dollar Store faux greenery, fabric glue or safety pins.
- No-Sew Assembly: Cut the feet off an orange baby sleeper and add an oversized potty hole. Lay the fabric flat and map out your leaf placement across the back and shoulder areas. Fasten the soft fabric leaves closely together using fabric glue or safety pins pinned from the inside to ensure no metal points scratch your dog’s skin.
LYNNETTE’S BONUS TIP: If your dog is too large to fit in a baby sleeper, a large, modified t-shirt should work well.
This video shows how to make it yourself:
#2 – The “Lego Block” Dog Costume
- Best For: Highly calm, steady dogs who are already used to wearing winter coats or backpacks.
- Materials Needed: 1 lightweight cardboard shoebox, 6 plastic cups, non-toxic spray paint, soft elastic craft straps, Velcro tape.
- No-Sew Assembly: Glue 6 identical plastic cups to the top of an appropriately sized shoebox, then spray paint the entire unit a single bright primary color. Once completely dry, attach soft elastic straps to the bottom corners of the box using Velcro tape for a quick-release setup.
LYNNETTE’S BONUS TIP: Why not dress up as a Lego figure for Halloween yourself? Your pup’s dog Lego block costume will make an adorable addition to your building set!
This video shows how to make a Lego costume for humans. Basically, you just choose a smaller box size to make a Lego costume for your dog:
#3 – Horse Jockey Costume For Dogs
This one is a classic! Your dog is the racehorse and a doll is the jockey.
- Best For: Dogs who already wear a full-body walking harness daily.
- Materials Needed: 1 lightweight fabric doll, 1 colorful scrap fabric square, Velcro tape.
- No-Sew Assembly: Cut a square of bright fabric to act as your saddle, map a big race number on the side, and place it over your dog’s back. Take a lightweight, floppy fabric doll and secure Velcro tape to its hands. Wrap the doll’s arms around the top handle or straps of your dog’s daily harness and lock the Velcro.
LYNNETTE’S BONUS TIP: This dog costume is cute with a head halter. Keep in mind, head halters are a training tool, so it works best as a costume accessory if your dog is already accustomed to wearing one.
#4 – The California Roll Dog Sushi
Like sushi? Then you’ll love dressing up your dog as a California Roll.
- Best For: Small, low-to-the-ground breeds like Dachshunds.
- Materials Needed: 1 white baby onesie, white packing peanuts, fabric scraps (green, pink, orange), black stretchy fabric or faux leather strip.
- No-Sew Assembly: Dress your dog in a simple white baby onesie. Use non-toxic fabric glue to attach white packing peanuts across the back to replicate rice. Layer your colorful fabric scraps in the center to look like salmon and avocado fillings. Secure the entire look by loosely wrapping a wide, stretchy band of black fabric around their midsection to act as the seaweed sheet.
Here’s another example of a pet sushi roll costume, as demonstrated by a cat:
#5 – Smurf Dog Costume
You will have to dye your dog’s fur blue temporarily for this costume. There are many safe ways to dye dog fur.
- Best For: Small and medium dogs that don’t mind wearing hats.
- Materials Needed: Blue hair dye for dogs, 1 white infant hat with elastic strap.
- No-Sew Assembly: Use a veterinary-approved dog hair dye to safely color your dog’s fur blue. Add a white baby hat (or modified sock) to create that classic Smurf hat look. A white infant tank top also makes a great Smurfette dress.
LYNNETTE’S BONUS TIP: You might see old internet hacks recommending unsweetened Kool-Aid mixed with conditioner to dye your dog’s fur blue. Do not do this! Koolaid contains citric acid which can severely irritate a dog’s skin, and if your dog licks their fur while the mixture sits, it can cause severe gastric distress. Use ONLY specifically formulated, veterinary-approved temporary dog hair paints. If your dog has any history of skin sensitivities, allergies, or seasonal dander issues, skip the fur coloring completely and use a simple blue t-shirt and a hat instead.
#6 – The Spider Dog Costume
- Best For: Larger dogs or dark-furred breeds who don’t mind extra attachments on their sides.
- Materials Needed: 1 lightweight black dog t-shirt, 1 large store-bought spider prop OR black toddler socks stuffed with shredded paper and flexible wire.
- No-Sew Assembly: Take a lightweight black dog t-shirt that fits your pup comfortably. Cut the long, bendable legs off a large store-bought spider prop. Align the legs along the side seams of the black shirt and secure them using heavy-duty safety pins from inside the fabric. Bend the legs upward so they bounce naturally when your dog walks. Finally, add a black antenna headband, if desired.
LYNNETTE’S BONUS TIP: Basically, you can wrap any furry black/brown material around something soft and bendable (like a wire framed bandanas or black socks stuffed with shredded paper) to make the legs. If you’re up for a little more sewing, follow Martha Stewart’s step-by-step instructions for making a spider dog costume.
It’s honestly one of the funniest (and most realistic) dog Halloween costumes I’ve ever seen:
Tips For Getting Your Dog To Wear A Costume
Of course, your dog’s comfort and safety should be prioritized over his cuteness.
So be sure to practice before Halloween by lavishing your dog with treats whenever he wears his costume without fussing.
Give your dog frequent costume breaks and a few extra treats so they can have just as much fun on Halloween as the kids do.
Here’s how to get your dog used to wearing a costume.
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