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Pet Costumes

spooky looks for your furry fiends

Dogs

big or small, every good boy deserves a halloween look

Hot Dog

The classic that never gets old. Strap a bun on your wiener dog (or any dog, really) and watch the neighborhood lose it.

You need: tan felt or fabric, stuffing, velcro straps, yellow fabric paint for the mustard squiggle

Keep the belly open so they can breathe and move freely. No tight straps around the chest.

Giant Spider

Strap extra legs to a black harness and let your dog terrify the whole block. Works best on dark-furred dogs or with a black t-shirt underneath.

You need: black pipe cleaners or pool noodles wrapped in black fabric, a harness, zip ties or hot glue

Make sure extra legs point outward and don't drag on the ground where they can trip your pup.

Sheet Ghost

It is a dog under a sheet. Dead simple and hilarious every single time. Cut eye holes, let them wander around bumping into things.

You need: an old white sheet, scissors, a marker for drawing spooky eyes (optional)

Cut the sheet short so it only covers their back and head. Never cover their nose or block their vision for real.

Pumpkin Pup

Wrap an orange vest around your dog and add a green stem hat. Instant jack-o-lantern. Bonus points if you draw a face on the vest.

You need: orange felt or an old orange t-shirt, green felt for the stem, fabric marker, velcro

Use lightweight fabric. Heavy costumes overheat dogs fast, especially thick-coated breeds.

Skeleton Bones

A black shirt or onesie with a white bone pattern painted on. Zero effort, maximum spook. Your dog will look like they crawled out of a pet cemetery.

You need: black dog shirt or onesie, white fabric paint or glow-in-the-dark paint, a bone stencil (or just wing it)

Let the paint dry completely before putting it on. Wet paint plus fur is a combo nobody wants.

Bat Wings

Attach felt wings to your dog's harness and they become a creature of the night. Small dogs look especially ridiculous with oversized wings.

You need: black felt, wire for structure (coat hangers work), hot glue, velcro or clips for the harness

Attach wings to the harness, not directly to fur. Keep wings lightweight so they don't pull or sag.

Cats

they will judge you for this but do it anyway

Witch Hat Cat

Black cat plus a tiny witch hat equals peak Halloween. If your cat is not black, it still works. Every cat has witch energy.

You need: mini witch hat (craft stores sell them), elastic chin strap, hot glue for decoration

Use a loose elastic, not a tight one. Most cats will knock it off in 30 seconds anyway, so get your photos fast.

Vampire Cape

A little red-lined black cape around the collar and maybe some stick-on fangs (the fangs will last about 0.5 seconds). Cats already have the brooding stare down.

You need: black fabric scrap, red satin lining, velcro closure, optional tiny felt fangs

Capes should drape loosely over the back and never wrap around the front. If your cat freezes and falls over, remove it.

Lion Mane

Not strictly Halloween, but a cat in a lion mane is too funny to leave off this list. They look furious and majestic at the same time.

You need: faux fur or yarn, elastic band to fit around the head, scissors

Make sure the mane sits behind the ears, not over them. Cats rely on their ears to navigate and stay calm.

Little Devil

Red horns on a headband, maybe a forked tail attachment. Your cat already has the personality for this one.

You need: red felt, headband, wire for horns, red fabric strip for forked tail tip

Headbands that clip behind the ears work better than full-circle ones. Skip it entirely if your cat hates head stuff.

Mummy Wrap

Loosely wrap some torn fabric strips around a cat shirt. Leave the face mostly open so those glowing eyes peek through the bandages.

You need: old white t-shirt cut into strips, a cat shirt or harness to attach strips to, safety pins

Never wrap anything directly around your cat. Attach all strips to a base garment so nothing tightens if they squirm.

Bat Cat

Wings on a cat. That is it. Black cats look like actual bats. Other colors just look like confused bats, which is honestly funnier.

You need: black felt, thin wire, harness clips or velcro, scissors

Wings should be small and light. Cats are more sensitive to weight on their back than dogs. Remove if they start army-crawling.

Small Pets

hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other tiny ghouls

Pumpkin Hamster

Hamsters are already round. Put a little orange felt wrap around them and they become the world's smallest pumpkin. Add a green stem hat if they tolerate it.

You need: a tiny piece of orange felt, green pipe cleaner for the stem, patience

Hamsters stress easily. Just drape the felt for a quick photo and remove it right away. Do not leave it on.

Unicorn Bunny

Okay, not strictly spooky, but a bunny with a tiny horn between its ears is pretty magical. Call it a "cursed unicorn" if you need the Halloween angle.

You need: gold or silver felt, a tiny headband or clip, cotton for stuffing the horn

Bunnies hate things on their heads. Clip the horn to the space between the ears gently and be ready to remove it fast.

Pirate Guinea Pig

A tiny eye patch and maybe a paper hat. Guinea pigs already look like they have opinions about treasure. Lean into it.

You need: black felt for eye patch, thin elastic, black paper for the hat, gold marker

Skip the eye patch if it covers the eye for real. A hat resting between the ears is usually enough for the look.

Dragon (for Lizards)

Your bearded dragon or gecko already looks like a tiny dragon. Add some felt wings and spikes and now it is a proper one. Honestly, they were born for this.

You need: red or black felt for wings, tiny harness or body band, hot glue for felt spikes

Reptiles are sensitive to fabric weight and texture. Use the lightest material you can find and remove it after photos.

Ghost Ferret

Ferrets are already long and wiggly and weird. Drape a small white cloth over them and they become the funniest ghost you have ever seen as they zoom around.

You need: small piece of white fabric, scissors for eye holes, that is literally it

Ferrets move nonstop, so this will last about 10 seconds. Have your camera ready and keep the fabric loose.

Spider Hamster

Pipe cleaner legs on a round hamster. They are already the right shape for it. The legs will bounce around as they waddle and it is incredible.

You need: black pipe cleaners, a tiny harness or fabric band, tape or glue

Attach legs to a loose band, not to the hamster. Remove immediately if they try to chew the pipe cleaners.

Pet Safety on Halloween

Keep all candy out of reach. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats. Xylitol (in sugar-free candy) is even worse. If your pet gets into the stash, call your vet right away.
Watch for signs of stress. Doorbell ringing all night, strangers in weird outfits, loud noises. If your pet is hiding, panting, or pacing, give them a quiet room away from the action.
Reflective gear for walks. If you take your dog out on Halloween night, put reflective tape on their collar or leash. Drivers are distracted by trick-or-treaters and visibility matters.
Skip the costume if they hate it. Some pets love costumes. Some will never forgive you. If your pet tries to rip it off, goes stiff, or stops moving, just take it off. A bandana around the neck is always a solid backup.
Secure your doors. With the front door opening and closing all night, pets can bolt. Keep dogs and cats in a separate room or use a baby gate near the entrance.
Glow sticks and decorations. Cats love batting at glow sticks. The liquid inside is not super toxic but it tastes terrible and causes drooling and irritation. Keep them up high.