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Why not include your pet in on the fun? Buy your pet a costume or make one yourself. The choice is yours, but if you consider your pet a part of your family, they should be included in all of your fun family activities. To make your decision easier, here’s a list of the best pet costumes you can buy or make yourself that will make your pet stand out from the crowd.

THE WIZARD OF OZ

The Wizard of Oz has always been a tried a true group costume idea. If you have a Scottish Terrier, this is an easy Toto costume.

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As seen in the above picture, your dog can be any character you or your dog chooses. These costumes can easily be found on-line or in pet stores and will make for a great family picture.

BEANIE BABY

Beanie Babies were and still are a collector’s item. They are all different species so you can make any of your pets, including your bird or lizard, a ty Beanie Baby. The only supplies you need are paper, paint, cardboard, string, scissors, a stencil, and glue.

Reese Witherspoon’s Dog, Hank. Instagram/Reese Witherspoon/

For the logo, you can print it out and paste it or use a stencil and paint and follow these simple steps: Cut out a heart from cardboard that is about the size of your pet’s head. Use a stencil to trace a small letter t and y on one side of the heart. Paint the heart on both sides red and the letters white. Hole punch or use a sharp knife to poke a hole at the top of the heart. Measure out a foot of string. This will give you plenty of string to loop through the hole you just made and attach to your pet’s collar. Your pet is now a beanie baby!

IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR

For some, Halloween means group-themed costumes. Whether it’s with your best friend or your family, people put a lot of thought and effort into creating a great theme for their group.

Reese Witherspoon’s French Bulldog Instagram/reesewitherspoon

If you’re one of those people or want to be, why not think of a theme that can include your furry family members.

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD

Who’s afraid of the big, bad wolf? Not Little Red Riding Hood, when the wolf is her family pet. You can comfortably dress your dog in a bonnet and a shawl to make them the wolf disguised as the grandma.

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This can be easy enough using old clothes lying around the house. Or you can do a role reversal and have your dog be Little Red, and you can play the big bad wolf.

SUPERHEROES

What’s not to love about superheroes? There are so many to choose from, and most of them have a pet and human costume. You can be a family of Incredibles or all of The Avengers.

Justin’s Dog, Esther.  Instagram/justinbieber

You can even be a character from the other universe and be Batman or Superman. Or even Underdog! The options are endless. All you need is a cape, and you can create your superhero. Just don’t forget your mask, for secrecy.

LIONS, TIGERS, BEARS, OH MY!

Some dogs have features that make them look like other animals. Maybe they have a lot of fur around their face that you can shape into another animal, like a lion or a bear. Others have the same coloring, the only thing you may need to add are spots or stripes. That can be quickly done using pet-safe paint or non-toxic face paint.

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An example of. An example of this is in the picture above, where the owners patterned their dog to make it look like a tiger. You can also make your dog into a deer or a giraffe. Whether you groom your dog or use paint, it will turn heads.

Skeleton Dog

Using similar techniques as the previous example, you can use pet-safe paint to make your dog look like a skeleton. You may need to use a stencil, as bones are a little more intricate than stripes or spots. But the result will be similar.

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If you can get glow in the dark non-toxic face paint, that would be even better. Especially if you’re taking your dog with you trick or treating. This will help you and your family be seen while out and about at night. Also remember, when using paint, make sure that it’s non-toxic and safe for your pet.

THREE-HEADED DOG

Another great do it yourself pet costume, is making your dog into a three-headed one, like Cerberus in Greek mythology, or Fluffy in Harry Potter. You can easily do this by finding a dog stuffed animal that looks similar to your dog.

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1. Cut off the heads of the dogs.
2. Attach the heads to each side of your dog’s collar using glue or Velcro.

This will be a great crowd pleaser as it’s very creative and exciting.

Zombie Dog 

Think Pet Semetary or a similar movie or television show. All you need to create this look is some dye and bandages. Add black paint to make stitches and red paint for blood. Place them around the neck, body, and on the legs. Then add some bandages around the head and paws.

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You can even add a fake eye that pops out like in the picture. Or go one extra step and make paper bolts and attach them to your pets’ collar, and now you have a Frankenstein pet.

Ghost Dog 

Making a ghost may be the simplest costume, for humans and pets.

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1. Take a white sheet.
2. Measure the size of your put and cut off the access.
3. Find where your pet’s eyes will be on the sheet and draw holes with a marker.
4. Draw a circle where your pet’s nose is.
5. Cut out the holes for the eyes and nose.
6. You now have a terrifying ghost dog or cat!

Guilty Dog

Have you ever seen those memes where animal owners post pictures of their dogs with their crimes of the day? They may say, “I got into the garbage can,” or “I killed the couch monster.” This would be an excellent costume for your dogs on Halloween.

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Get a white or black pet shirt and paint on stripes in the opposing colors to make a prison outfit. Then add a custom sign using cardboard or paper and some string. Think of the funniest or outrageous thing your pet has done and write it down. It will draw attention to your pup and may even win the best costume.

DIY COSTUMES

Maybe you don’t have the budget to buy a costume, or perhaps you’re just a crafty person and enjoy making things yourself. Consider making your pet their own Halloween costume. Here are a few simple options that may be able to help you choose.

Amanda Seyfried and Finn    Instagram/mingey

Some items you will need, you may be able to find around your house. Some items you may need to purchase. Either way, these costumes are sure to make your pet stand out.

PETER PAN

Peter Pan is a timeless fairytale of never having to grow up. Who does? What better chance to never grow up than to dress up on Halloween? Your pet can be Peter Pan to your Tinkerbell. Or you can dress your dog as Nana and have you and your family dress as the Darlings, Peter, Captain Hook, and Tinkerbell.

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Your family can also wear as the Lost Boys, having your pet be one of the Lost Boys right alongside you. You can easily find these costumes online or in pet stores, or make your own.

FOOD GROUPS

If you have never seen a dog in a pizza or hot dog costume, you should. It is one of the cutest things. They have many food-based costumes for animals and humans, including a taco, which was discussed earlier. You can create your food-themed costume group or do something a little different.

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They have costumes for ketchup and mustard — or you can make your costume by using paint and red and yellow t-shirts. With the ketchup and mustard costumes, dress your dog as a hot dog and hamburger, and you have a cute family costume.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

Turtles in a half shell, turtle power! Give your pet some turtle power by making them one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. You can even dress up with them! Costumes can be found online or in pet stores. Or you can make your turtle costume using an aluminum baking dish and fabric in the color you want.

Amanda Seyfried’s Dog, Finn

Paint the baking dish green and produce the outline of the shell using brown paint. Cut the fabric into strips. Use the strips to make an eye mask — remember to cut out eye holes — and to strap the shell onto your pets back.

STANDALONE COSTUMES

These costumes hardly need any introduction. Your dog will stand out in a crowd, no matter. These are silly and classic costumes. Ones that will stand the test of time for ages.

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They will transform your pets into something different from what they are every day or expand on their personality even more. Every animal has its personality, just like people. What do you think your pet wants to be to show their inner self?

MEXICAN FIESTA

When you think Mexican Fiesta, you think tacos, mariachi bands, and bright colors. This would be a great family costume for you and your pet. You can buy Mariachi costumes for your whole family, including your pets, and dress up like they did in the picture.]

Instagram/Mario Lopez

Another option would be to dress your dog in a taco costume, and you are dressing up in a sombrero and poncho. To be funny, you can wear a taco costume, and your dog can wear the sombrero.

STAR WARS

Star Wars is very popular and has been for ages. Your pet could easily be transformed into an Ewok, Chewbacca, an AT-AT, or even Yoda. You can find costumes online or in pet stores. Ewok and Chewbacca are more common for dogs because they have fur and Shih-tzus have that bear quality to them.

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The best part is you can dress up with your dog. Be Han Solo to your dog’s Chewie. Or even Luke Skywalker and Yoda. The possibilities are endless and out of this world.

HARRY POTTER

Another popular franchise is Harry Potter. There are so many characters to choose from, that it would be hard to pick. But here are some suggestions:

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1. Transform your cat into Crookshanks or even McGonagall. You can also make your cat one of Umbridge’s’ many cat plates.
2. Make your pet a student at Hogwarts. Maybe their Harry Potter or Luna Lovegood. Whatever the character, add a pair of glasses and paint a lightning bolt scar for HP, or find a couple of purple glasses for Luna. Add a mini house scarf, and the outfit is complete.

THE RED BARON

One of the most famous dog characters is Snoopy from the Peanuts comics. You can easily make your dog Snoopy by turning him into his alter-ego, the Red Baron. All you need is dog-sized goggles and a red scarf.

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If you can find a leather jacket for a bomber jacket, that would be an added addition but is not necessary. To make your group costume complete, make sure you have a Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Linus.

THE SCOOBY GANG

Another famous dog character is Scooby-Doo. You can easily create the whole crew by including your dog and having your family and friends be Daphne, Fred, Velma, and Shaggy. Your dog won’t need a lot to their costume except a blue-collar and some black spots — you can use non-toxic face paint or pet-friendly paint.

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Everyone grabs outfits that are similar to their characters, which you can find at Goodwill or the same second-hand store, and your group will be all set for Halloween.

Minions Dog Costume 

For some, minions are the cutest characters, besides our pets. Why not combine the two and make them one? You can get a minions costume on-line or in pet stores. They even have minion costumes where it fits around the front part of the dogs’ body.

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The dogs’ front paws are in the pants of the costume. When your dog runs, it will look like a little minion is running towards you.

Punk Rock Star

Almost everyone has a dream of becoming a rock star, or at least someone famous. I’m sure your pets do too. For Halloween, you can make their dreams come true by turning them into a rock star.

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There are plenty of costumes on-line that include Elvis, punk rockers, and one where your pet looks like it’s holding a guitar. This costume will be sure to rock!

Shark Costume 

Sharks are always popular. There’s an entire week about them, and there’s even a kids’ song. So why not make your dog into a shark. It will be sure to be a splash, make sure they’re not near any pools or bodies of water unless, of course, they’re wearing a life jacket, like this pup in the picture.

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You can find a costume on-line or in a pet store. Maybe you can join your pet by wearing a lifeguard costume or be the shark’s victim.

OTHER ANIMALS

There are a lot of different costumes your pet can choose from that aren’t part of the same species. Why not make them into a different animal, instead of dressing them up like something similar to themselves?

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You can either buy a costume in a pet store or online or groom your dog to look like another animal. Some popular costumes are pandas, rabbits, and teddy bears. You can get a costume, similar to the minion’s costume, that makes it look like a panda or bunny is running towards you.

MEDIEVAL TIMES

Knights of the Round Table or Vikings are also great Halloween costumes. There are some costumes that you can get for your dog so that they can be your knight in shining armor or a fierce Viking warrior.

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If your dog doesn’t like to wear clothes, you can get a helmet to attach to his head. Make sure there’s enough room for their ears. Add a shield, sword, or battle ax, and their outfit is complete.

WHERE’S WALDO?

When searching for the perfect costume for your pet, why not consider the most searched character in the world, Waldo.

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You can find this costume in stores or on-line and have people wondering, where’s Waldo? The costume comes with a striped hat and shirt and a pair of glasses.

COWBOY RIDER

One of the funniest costumes I’ve seen for pets is the cowboy rider costume. The costume fits like a harness does on your pet. Attached to the harness is a plush cowboy, so it looks like it’s riding your animal.

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There’s a similar costume to this for Star Wars lovers. It’s a costume that turns your pet into a Bantha, a creature from the Star Wars universe, with a Tuskan Raider on top, instead of a cowboy. It’s adorable and fun to watch your pet run around the yard with a cowboy, or raider, holding on for dear life.

PIRATE

Pirates are always a fun costume to be on Halloween. But have you ever seen a dog or a cat as a pirate? It is one of the cutest things.

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Costumes are easy to find. You can even add some accessories, like an eye patch or a sword. If you have a pet parrot, he could ride on your dog’s shoulder for an extra effect. Or attach a stuffed parrot to your dog.

ANGEL & DEVIL

If you have ever thought that your pet is your guardian angel, think again. Sometimes they are the devil. Right? Depending on the day, your pet can be one or both. Why not use that for a Halloween costume.

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You can find angel wings at any pet store along with devil horns. They even have full costumes at pet stores or online, complete with halo and a pitchfork. If you have two pets, split up the costumes, so one is the angel, and the other is the devil.

IT’S A BUGS LIFE

What could be cuter than putting wings on your dog or cat and turning them into a beautiful butterfly or a lovely ladybug or even a buzzing bumblebee? Nothing. One of these costumes will be sure to make your pet shine.

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Most costumes will fit like a shirt or dress, depending on the style. The wings are attached to the shirt or dress, or they can come separately. Buyers choice.

CLOWN

Clowns can be considered funny or scary, depending on the person. Making your dog or cat into a clown may persuade the latter to enjoy clowns. You can find full clown costumes on-line, or buy a hat and ruffle collar. There’s even a Pennywise pet costume from the movie It.

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The Pennywise costume is walking, so if you’re scared of clowns, you are not going to want your pet to wear this and then run towards you. It may make you afraid of your pet, and we wouldn’t want that.

CLASSIC

What do you think of when you think of Halloween? Do you think of witches, goblins, and vampires? If so, then that would be the perfect costume for your pet.

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Most of these costumes can be found in pet stores, but you can also find them on-line. Find a witches hat or a black cape for a simple witch and vampire costume. Or purchase a full costume in stores to get the full effect.

ROYALTY

Make your pet royalty by putting them in a prince or princess costume. Or turn them into a king or queen. These costumes can be easily found online, or you can do it yourself.

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Find a tiara or crown and a tutu skirt for the princess. For the prince or king, find a robe, and you’ve got yourself a simple prince and princess costume for your pet.

PET COSTUMES 

If you are a lover of Halloween, you should celebrate it with every member of your family and friends, including your pet. Halloween should be fun, and you shouldn’t have to stress about what you or your family members should wear.

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Hopefully, with the help of this article, you will find the perfect costume that is right for both you and your pet. Whether you make it yourself or you buy it in-store or on-line, the costume should speak to you and your pet. Happy Halloween!