6 Insanely Easy DIY Halloween Dog Costumes

The temperature is dropping, pumpkins are on porches, and trick-or-treaters are just around the corner. So of course it’s time to find the best dog costumes for your furry friend this Halloween.

Don’t stress about blowing out your budget on something from the store your dog might only wear once (or for just a few hours). Making a homemade Halloween dog costume can save you time, money, and last long after your last pieces of candy are gone.

Plus, a DIY dog costume can be more sustainable when you use recycled items and material that you have lying around the house. You can transform old curtains, cardboard, or dog toys into awesome and unique dog costumes this year.

To get your pup ready for their spooky debut, we’ve rounded up the best easy and sustainable DIY dog costumes.

1. Bat Dog

This super simple costume means no more late-night sewing for you, friends!

This homemade Halloween dog costume is so easy, your dog could do it (well, if they had thumbs). If you have a black dog, this bat costume look is especially adorable.

What You’ll Need:

• Hot Glue Gun + Glue
• Black Craft Foam (2 12x18” sheets)
• Scissors

How to Make It:

1. On your first piece of foam, mark 4 inches from the corner, then roll the edge of your foam diagonally angled until you hit the mark. Hot glue the foam down in sections.
2. Measure about 12 inches from the tip of your bat wing.
3. Draw a line from the bottom of the wing to where you just marked, creating the shape of the bat wing.
4. Make 2 curved lines to detail the bat wing, then add a scalloped bottom to the wing.
5. Cut out the bat wing shape and use this as a template for the second wing out of the remaining foam from that piece.
6. To make your base, use the last piece of foam to draw a square shape around your dog’s harness.
7. Fold the base in half as a guide and glue a wing on each side, making sure to glue them evenly.
8. Slip your bat wing base underneath your dog’s harness and enjoy!

You can easily detach the wings from the base, store them, and save it for next Halloween to be even more sustainable.

Get your pup ready to save Gotham this Halloween >

2. “Cereal” Killer

Who doesn’t love a good pun?

This dog costume idea is perfect for small dogs (and lazy humans). With this easy and silly getup, no matter where you and your dog go this Halloween, you’ll win all the awards for best costume.

What You’ll Need:

• Empty cereal box
• Scissors
• Hot Glue Gun + Glue
• Black, silver, and red paint

How to Make It:

1. Cut holes on the bottom of your empty cereal box (arm holes and an open tummy area — like a dog sweater is cut).
2. Take off flaps of top and bottom of cereal box. Trace the shape of a kitchen knife on each flap.
3. Paint both sides of the fake knife black, adding metallic details if desired.
4. Glue the knife onto the cereal box and hold steady until the glue dries and the knife stands upright.
5. Add red paint around the knife area, and add some red splatter around the box for added gore!

3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Dog

Got any leftover foil turkey pans from last year? Put them to good use with this adorable and easy homemade dog costume that your kids will love.

As turkey pans tend to be quite large, this dog costume works great for big breeds like golden retrievers, labs, and any pup over 50 pounds.

What You’ll Need:

• Foil Turkey Pan
• Hole Punch
• Large T-shirt
• Scissors
• Hot Glue Gun + glue
• Mod Podge
• Markers, paint, and brush
• Ribbon, leftover fabric strips

How to Make It:

1. Paint your shell and allow to dry for 20 minutes.
2. Sew the shell to the T-shirt around the neck and bottom of the shell. Tie the ribbon around their waist.
3. You can add a matching bandana or use old fabric to make a mask or tie the fabric gently around your dog’s neck.
4. Optional: add matching cuffs!

Make your pup into your favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle this Halloween >

4. Dog Sushi

Alright, dog moms and dads, this one’s for those real last-minute Halloween planners. For little dogs and for minimal effort, this dog DIY costume will be an instant hit at parties or answering the door for Trick-or-Treaters.

What You’ll Need:

• Small pillow
• White stuffing (or a small blanket)
• Adjustable Belt

How to Make It:

1. Get your dog to sit still (if you can) and attach the small pillow on their back, with the white fluff (the “rice” of the sushi) underneath.
2. Fasten with your belt and voilà: You’ve got an edible Halloween pup!

If your dog is a little too interested in what’s on their back, just make sure they don’t eat that fluffy rice. But speaking of stuffing, if your dog demolishes toys, you can at least put all that dog toy fluff to good use.

5. Hey Arnold!

This one goes out to all the millennial dog owners. For those of you that remember the show from the 90s, this creative dog costume will give you the ultimate throwback to your childhood.

What You’ll Need:

• White poster paper or cardboard
• Markers or paint
• A small T-shirt (blue or green)
• Plaid button-up shirt
• Elastic straps or string

How to Make It:

1. Draw a basic football shape on your cardboard, adding ears on the side, the classic Arnold hair, and a blue baseball cap. Color it all in.
2. Measure your dog’s face and create a hole big enough for their face to fit through comfortably.
3. Attach elastic straps or string to the back of the cardboard to fasten it to your dog’s face.
4. Put them in their little Arnold outfit and they’re ready to go.

Caution: Trick-or-Treaters these days probably won’t know who your pup is dressed as, but that makes for a great opportunity to educate them.

6. Harry Pupper

Who doesn’t love the boy who lived from the Harry Potter series? This classic dog Halloween costume is so quick to create, it’ll be done before your pup can say “It’s Levi-OH-sah, not Levio-SAH” (Hermione reference, anyone?)

What You’ll Need:

• Scarf (red and gold)
• Circular glasses
• Yellow pipe cleaner
• Tape

How to Make It:

1. Make a lightning bolt shape with your pipe cleaner and tape it to the bridge of the glasses.
2. Bundle your pup up in the scarf and slap the glasses on and poof: “You’re a wizard, Harry!”

We know you’ve got old Harry Potter garb in your closet, which makes this DIY costume creation both convenient and sustainable. Now all that’s left to do is to put on a Harry Potter marathon and wait for little witches and wizards come ring your door bell.

Give Your Dog the Best Halloween Treats

Halloween means treats!

Chocolate is off the table for your dog because of its high toxicity levels for canines. But that doesn’t mean you can’t reward your good boy or girl for keeping their cute costume on with some tasty and healthy dog treats this Halloween.

Try our recipe for healthy homemade peanut butter dog treats >