Halloween is only days away – kids and adults alike are finishing their costumes, hanging decorations and, of course, gathering candy. But what about your furry friends? Lots of animals do not enjoy being dressed up, but if they do – let them get in the Halloween spirit! But don’t waste money on animal costumes from the store. You can easily make one of these fun pet costumes made from recycled and reused materials!
Ghost Dog
The classic white sheet ghost has been around for ages and it can easily be adjusted for a pup. Take a gently-used white twin-size sheet out of the linen closet, then gather elastic, a sewing kid and a black pen. Begin by placing the sheet over the dog, ensuring it hangs evenly around them. Mark where the sheet where it meets the dog’s feet – pin this spot so you’ll know where to cut for length. Next, mark the spots with the pen where the dog’s neck, snout, eyes and ears. Remove the sheet and cut accordingly. Finish the costume by attaching the elastic around the hole for the neck. Boo!
Mummy
Another simple yet adorable costume is a classic mummy. Take a large roll of white cotton gauze and wrap it around your pet’s body, ensuring plenty of open areas for legs, tails, heads and, of course, bottoms. Add a tinge of fake blood or dust to make the mummy feel real. Remember not to wrap too tightly – think authentic but comfortable. Check out PetMD for more inspiration.
Business Man
This costume can be crafted for cats or dogs, although many dogs already look stoic enough to be atop the corporate ladder. While this project requires a bit of sewing knowledge, it’s fairly simple and the outcome is too cute for words. The idea is to remove the collar and cuffs from an old dress shirt. Measure your dog’s neck to determine what collar size you’ll need. Men’s dress shirts tend to have collar sizes starting at 14 inches and going up. If your pup is smaller, a child’s shirt would work best. Once you know the size you’ll need, remove the collar and cuffs from the shirt. After a bit of sewing, attach a clip-on tie to the collar. Talk about a captain of industry! Read the step-by-step instructions here.
Poop Factory
Okay, so the costume name may be a bit crass, but making a factory costume complete with smokestacks is easy and fun. Grab a cardboard box and cut out three sides, with the two sides that hang down shortened to your dog’s height. Paint the cardboard to look like an old-school factory – think red bricks. You can draw on windows or attach some made from construction paper. Add smokestacks made out of toilet paper tubes painted black or covered with black paper. Glue to the top of the box, adding a touch of polyester filling sticking out for the “smoke.” Attach straps to the bottom made of ribbon, felt or Velcro, and your little poop factory is ready to go! See the full tutorial here.
Dinosaur
A dinosaur is a classic pet costume, and this version by Martha Stewart is both simple and impressive. Find a green child-sized tank top – if you do not have kids, you can always grab one from a thrift shop. You’ll also need one 18-by-18 inch square of wool felt, preferably in a lighter green than the tank top. Print out the templates from the tutorial and follow the pattern – you won’t even need to sew! The 3D spikes made from felt are a riot.
Teddy Bear
Nearly everyone has a few extra stuffed bears laying around, especially if there are kids in the house. Take one of those teddy bears and turn it into for your four-legged friend! Since most teddy bears are smaller, this costume is better for smaller dogs and cats. Try to find a bear that is similar in color and size to your pet. Remove the face from the bear, then cut the bottoms of the feet off and cut open the back. The dog will wear the teddy bear on their head and front legs, with the rest of their body exposed. See the full step-by-step guide here.
Halloween is only days away – kids and adults alike are finishing their costumes, hanging decorations and, of course, gathering candy. But what about your furry friends? Lots of animals do not enjoy being dressed up, but if they do – let them get in the Halloween spirit! But don’t waste money on animal costumes from the store. You can easily make one of these fun pet costumes made from recycled and reused materials!
Ghost Dog
The classic white sheet ghost has been around for ages and it can easily be adjusted for a pup. Take a gently-used white twin-size sheet out of the linen closet, then gather elastic, a sewing kid and a black pen. Begin by placing the sheet over the dog, ensuring it hangs evenly around them. Mark where the sheet where it meets the dog’s feet – pin this spot so you’ll know where to cut for length. Next, mark the spots with the pen where the dog’s neck, snout, eyes and ears. Remove the sheet and cut accordingly. Finish the costume by attaching the elastic around the hole for the neck. Boo!
Mummy
Another simple yet adorable costume is a classic mummy. Take a large roll of white cotton gauze and wrap it around your pet’s body, ensuring plenty of open areas for legs, tails, heads and, of course, bottoms. Add a tinge of fake blood or dust to make the mummy feel real. Remember not to wrap too tightly – think authentic but comfortable. Check out PetMD for more inspiration.
Business Man
This costume can be crafted for cats or dogs, although many dogs already look stoic enough to be atop the corporate ladder. While this project requires a bit of sewing knowledge, it’s fairly simple and the outcome is too cute for words. The idea is to remove the collar and cuffs from an old dress shirt. Measure your dog’s neck to determine what collar size you’ll need. Men’s dress shirts tend to have collar sizes starting at 14 inches and going up. If your pup is smaller, a child’s shirt would work best. Once you know the size you’ll need, remove the collar and cuffs from the shirt. After a bit of sewing, attach a clip-on tie to the collar. Talk about a captain of industry! Read the step-by-step instructions here.
Poop Factory
Okay, so the costume name may be a bit crass, but making a factory costume complete with smokestacks is easy and fun. Grab a cardboard box and cut out three sides, with the two sides that hang down shortened to your dog’s height. Paint the cardboard to look like an old-school factory – think red bricks. You can draw on windows or attach some made from construction paper. Add smokestacks made out of toilet paper tubes painted black or covered with black paper. Glue to the top of the box, adding a touch of polyester filling sticking out for the “smoke.” Attach straps to the bottom made of ribbon, felt or Velcro, and your little poop factory is ready to go! See the full tutorial here.
Dinosaur
A dinosaur is a classic pet costume, and this version by Martha Stewart is both simple and impressive. Find a green child-sized tank top – if you do not have kids, you can always grab one from a thrift shop. You’ll also need one 18-by-18 inch square of wool felt, preferably in a lighter green than the tank top. Print out the templates from the tutorial and follow the pattern – you won’t even need to sew! The 3D spikes made from felt are a riot.
Teddy Bear
Nearly everyone has a few extra stuffed bears laying around, especially if there are kids in the house. Take one of those teddy bears and turn it into for your four-legged friend! Since most teddy bears are smaller, this costume is better for smaller dogs and cats. Try to find a bear that is similar in color and size to your pet. Remove the face from the bear, then cut the bottoms of the feet off and cut open the back. The dog will wear the teddy bear on their head and front legs, with the rest of their body exposed. See the full step-by-step guide here.
