How to Make a Halloween Costume for Your Dog
Build a Bear
Depending on the size of your dog, most Build A Bear shops have pieces that would easily fit any dogs paws and neck. The premise behind Build A Bear is you make a stuffed animal and then dress it up with all sorts of clothes and accessories. Little tu-tus are the perfect thing to make a cute chihuahua into a ballerina. Already made with elastic, you simply need to find one you like and stretch it on! Because they are made to fit a fairly large bear, they will work beautifully on your pup and you didn’t even have to work or sew to make it happen! Ideas you can find at Build A Bear range from Cheerleader to Dancer and everything in between!
Elastic Headbands from Drug Stores
Go into any major Drug Store from CVS to Walgreens and even Walmart and Target if you wander into the hair accessory section, there is a plethora of ideas for your pooch just waiting to help you dress them up to perfection! Stretchy elastic headbands can be used around the neck as a collar to add color or frilly lace or wrapped around a paw a couple of times (not too tight of course!) to make tiny puppy leg warmers or “socks”. The soft elastic hair ties used for ponytails on little girls can go around paws or on ears as well. The stretchy elastic type that are about the width of your finger and rather puffy feeling are comfortable enough to add pizzaz to a pooch’s ears without hurting them at all. Many come adorned with flowers for your little “hippie flower child” pup or fun colors for a tie dye effect.
Backward Puppy
Costumes and decorations are many times hard to put on a dog’s face as they just don’t like the feeling of something there. However, many times they don’t notice something around their rear section as much. A hilarious costume is to make a “mask” for the rump section of the dog, so when it is walking away from someone, it gives a good belly laugh to an unsuspecting trick or treater. Something as simple as a felt pumpkin on a waddling posterior, making their tale into the “nose” can evoke gales of giggles without your pumpkin pooch even noticing it there. You could make their hind end into a snowman easily this way as well. Attach the mask you make or buy with elastic around the mid section and let the madness begin!
Most people still think cats and dogs don’t get along. But they can do so beautifully when you create the kitty! Purchase any type of Halloween stuffed cat and attach it to a piece of elastic tight enough not to squeeze your pooch too tight but enough to make the stuffed animal stay in play and an easy costume is put on and taken off. Let the “cat” ride on the dog all night long for some funny stares and easy laughs. Or go to the stuffed animal section of any Walmart or Toy store and pick up any number of silly choices. A parrot, a turtle or put quite a few on Fido’s back and call him Noah’s Ark. And if your pooch gets tired of the animals, since they are attached to elastic, simple take them off for a bit and easily put them back on whenever you are both ready to be the talk of the town once again!
Enjoy the treats of the night, but of course, don’t let your dressed up darling get any chocolate, since it is unhealthy for dogs. I’d suggest taking along their own treat bag filled with their favorite cookies that you can dole out of a plastic pumpkin carrier you can pick up at any Dollar Store. With rewards like that coming fast and furious, your furry costume companion will happily be dressed up by your side all night long!
