If there’s anything cuter than a dog, it’s a dog in a costume. If you’re a fur baby parent who’s always looking for an excuse to stick your pup into something adorable, Halloween is your time to shine.
Whether you’re into a classic getup or a pop culture-inspired cosplay, we’ve got you covered with some fun Halloween dog costume ideas ahead.
Hot dog
Sure, a wiener dog in a hot dog costume is about as groundbreaking as florals for spring, but it’s too cute not to mention here. It’s pretty easy to find a hot dog costume at your local pet store or DIY one. If you want to be extra clever, slip an empty Wonderbread hot dog bun bag over your pup. It’s a fabulous upcycled costume idea, and you get bonus points if your dog is a dachshund!
What you’ll need: An empty Wonderbread hot dog bun bag
BRAT
Maybe instead of a bratwurst-adjacent getup, you want a BRAT costume à la Charli XCX. Even if BRAT girl summer is over, you can still have your dog bumpin’ that slime-green aesthetic for your spooky autumnal activities.
What you’ll need: A bright green dog shirt and cat-eye sunglasses
A bowl of ramen
If you have a cone of shame lying around, you can fashion it into an adorable ramen bowl. Add yellow yarn for the noodles and cut out foam pieces for the egg, mushroom, seaweed, green onions, and fish cakes. This works really well for golden, wavy-haired breeds like goldendoodles!
What you’ll need: An e-collar and colored foam sheets
Queen Charlotte from Bridgerton
Here’s a costume that would make Kate Sharma’s corgi Newton howl with envy. Bridgerton’s lavish style is perfect pupspiration for extravagant Halloween dog costumes. There are lots of gorgeous Regency-era looks to choose from, but we think that Queen Charlotte is an easy starting point for ideas because she arguably has the most eye-catching wardrobe on the show.
What you’ll need: A sky-high wig, frilly dress, and lots of bows and ribbons
Corn
Who can resist a punny corn dog costume? Channel those autumn vibes with a fun harvest outfit. Clearly, this is the perfect look for golden retrievers, and you can’t go wrong with it because, well, it’s corn!
What you’ll need: A green dog shirt, green felt sheets for leaves, and yellow and white pom poms for kernels
Carmy from The Bear
A dog cosplaying as Carmy from The Bear? Yes, chef! With such a cuddly chef working the kitchen, there’s guaranteed to be more mischief than stress in the restaurant.
What you’ll need: Child’s size white shirt, navy blue apron, and tattoo sleeves — food-shaped squeaky toys optional
Taylor Swift’s Eras tour outfit
Taylor Swift is not so secretly a cat lady, but Swiftie pup parents can still showcase their love for the superstar this Halloween. Although there are many Eras tour eras to choose from, this particular pup is flexing a bejeweled look from the Lover set. If you’re going with an era with sequins or fringe, just make sure that your dog isn’t eating anything that they shouldn’t be!
What you’ll need: A pink dog dress or shirt, gem setter, glue, and lots of rhinestones
Teddy bear
If you have an old teddy bear lying around, you can cut holes in the face and legs (morbid, we know) to create an easy-peasy bear costume for your pup. This simple costume is perfect for brown floofy dogs like doodles and terriers.
With a little creativity, you could also fashion the teddy bear into an Ewok or Chewbacca getup!
What you’ll need: An old teddy bear and scissors
Chappell Roan from Pink Pony Club
Chappell Roan is clearly a sartorial icon. The rising pop star has so many bold statement looks, and one that translates easily into a Halloween costume is her “Pink Pony Club” getup—or should we say Pink Puppy Club?
What you’ll need: A pink dog dress (or dog shirt and tulle skirt) and cowboy hat
(Instead of going with an all-pink look, you can also opt for a silver fringe and sequin number like Roan’s look in the music video.)
Beetlejuice/Betelgeuse
Your Dalmatian (or any dog with dark eyes, really) might just give Michael Keaton a run for his money with an adorable Beetlejuice costume. It’s not too hard to find a Beetlejuice pet costume online, but you could put one together with a bit of imagination.
What you’ll need: A green wig, striped shirt, and black tie
Emily in Paris
There’s a new opening for a marketing whiz at Agence Pupteau! There are sooo many statement-making looks from Emily in Paris, but you can’t go wrong with Emily’s kitschy red beret look. It would be a teensy bit more accurate to go with a gingham shirt here, but we still think this maltese’s fit is very cute.
What you’ll need: A red beret and black and white dog shirt or dress
Ambulance dog
Found yourself in a last-minute Halloween dog costume emergency? Channel the pawamedics with this easy dog costume idea. With a bit of cardboard and construction paper, you can recreate this adorable dog costume in no time.
What you’ll need: Cardboard, construction paper, and a mean howl in place of a siren
Hershey’s Kiss
If you’re in need of a sweet last-minute dog costume idea, you can’t mess up a look that’s mostly aluminum foil. While your pup might not be able to eat chocolate, who says that they can’t *be* the chocolate?
What you’ll need: Aluminum foil and paper for the “kisses” logo
The Joker/Arthur Fleck
Humans dressed up as the Joker are a dime a dozen every Halloween, but we think that dogs deserve to join in on the fun, too. Just note that the Arthur Fleck look is a bit involved, so this is a costume that might require more planning if you don’t just grab something from a rack. If you have another fur baby, be sure to double the fun with a complementing Harley Quinn ‘fit.
What you’ll need: Green wig, red (or purple) child’s blazer, green shirt, yellow vest, and clown makeup—using pet-safe fur chalk, of course
Ghost
We’ll wrap things up with this super easy ghost dog costume. Sure, a ghost costume for Halloween isn’t breaking any new ground. Still, we guarantee you that it’s going to be so gosh darn cute to see your dog puttering around in a sheet with eye and mouth holes.
What you’ll need: Literally just a white sheet and scissors!
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