As the spooky season draws near, the compulsion to decorate your house with cobwebs and pumpkins grows stronger. If you’re looking for Halloween decorations with a unique twist, why not focus on doggy-themed décor?
Finding the perfect canine-inspired decorations can be a challenge, which is why many dog lovers tend to search for DIY dog Halloween decoration plans. If you’re feeling crafty this fall season, take a look at these 14 DIY plans and see if any of them satisfy your spooky side and puppyish personality!
The 14 DIY Dog Halloween Decorations
1. Ghost Dog Decoration
Materials:
Tomato cage, styrofoam head, dog mask, large plastic sheet, gauge wire, Halloween candy bucket, white lights (optional)
Tools:
Black Sharpie pen, white Sharpie pen, transparent packaging tape, hot glue gun, masking tape
Difficulty Level:
Moderate
It’s impossible to go wrong with a classic Halloween decoration like a ghost, so why not put a doggy spin on it? With this ghost dog decoration plan, you can craft a kid-friendly Halloween decoration with an adorable, puppyish charm.
You’ll need to plan a shopping trip to pick up some of these materials, such as a styrofoam head and a dog mask, whereas other materials may be found around your home. Skills such as sewing or woodworking aren’t necessary for this project, and most of the tools you’ll need to use will be fairly intuitive. However, there are several steps to this project, making it moderately difficult.
2. Halloween Bat Dog Costume
Materials:
Dog harness, black craft foam, white paint
Tools:
Hot glue gun, ruler, black pen, scissors, paintbrush
Difficulty Level:
Easy
Instead of creating a fake dog decoration, what if you turn your real dog into the decoration? With this adorable Halloween bat dog costume, you can dress your pet up for the spooky season so they can join in with the fall festivities.
This is a fairly simple project; however, it does require precise measuring, folding, and cutting to make it look just right. You’ll want to be patient to ensure that you are crafting two symmetrical bat wings rather than two misshapen ones. Once you have your wings cut out, you will attach them to your dog’s harness to create a wearable canine costume.
3. Spooky Pet Silhouette
Materials:
Printed silhouette template, cardboard box, acrylic black paint
Tools:
X-Acto knife, gluestick, paintbrush
Difficulty Level:
Easy
If you want a fun and easy DIY plan that doesn’t directly involve your pet, then this spooky pet silhouette plan is the perfect fit for you. This plan provides three different pet-themed Halloween stencils for your use, so check them out and decide which is your favorite before beginning.
Once you have your printed stencil template, glue it to a piece of cardboard and let it dry. Once it’s ready, start cutting around the design with the X-Acto knife. Then, you can paint the cut out black to make it look like a true silhouette.
4. Harry Potter Doggy Costume
Materials:
Black felt, white felt, red felt, yellow felt, black pipe cleaners
Tools:
Scissors, measuring tool, hot glue gun
Difficulty Level:
Easy to Moderate
The challenge with DIY costumes is that so many of them require sewing. If you aren’t handy with a needle and thread, then don’t fret–this Harry Potter doggy costume does not require any sewing whatsoever.
You’ll need multiple colors of felt for this project (specifically, whatever Harry Potter house you wish to mimic). This plan used red and yellow to recreate the Griffindor’s iconic look. If you want to create a costume for the titular character himself, then you will also need black pipe cleaners to create his round spectacles.
While this plan requires no sewing, it does require a lot of precise measuring and cutting, making it somewhat moderate in difficulty.
5. Mini Ghost Dog Decoration
Image Credit: Instructables
Materials:
Newspaper, water, flour, toilet paper, cornstarch, clay, yarn
Tools:
Scissors, masking tape, whisk, liquid starch or glue, butter knife, large bowl, black marker, paintbrush
Difficulty Level:
Difficult
If you like the ghost dog decoration from earlier but don’t like how big it is, then take a look at this mini ghost dog decoration instead. While smaller, this project requires more time and crafting skills, making it better suited for practiced DIYers.
You’ll need the proper materials for paper mache, such as newspaper, water, and flour. You’ll also need molding clay to form the dog’s eyes and nose and paint to design the dog’s mouth. Plan to set aside a day or more for this project, as allowing the paper mache to dry can be time-consuming.
6. Painted Puppy Pumpkin
Materials:
Pumpkin, paint, burlap
Tools:
Sharpie pen, paint markers
Difficulty Level:
Easy
If you want a festive decoration that’s more cute than scary, then you shouldn’t ignore this painted puppy pumpkin decoration plan. This is an easy DIY Halloween decoration, with the only tools being a marker pen and a paint marker.
The materials you’ll need to gather include a pumpkin, burlap, and your desired colors of paint. If you purchase an orange pumpkin, you’ll need to use a lot of paint to cover up the bright color. However, if you buy a white pumpkin, then you only need to paint an occasional spot on the pumpkin to make it look like a puppy face.
7. Doggy Jack-O-Lantern
Materials:
Pumpkin
Tools:
Sharpie pen, carving knife, spoon
Difficulty Level:
Easy
Artists with a talent for drawing on all surfaces will love this doggy jack-o-lantern project. If you have a marker, pumpkin carving tools, and the ability to draw on a pumpkin, then this DIY plan will be a breeze.
In the sample, the creator uses a reference picture to draw a puppy paw print on their pumpkin. If you want to do the same, you can follow along with the video and get some excellent tips as you go. However, you can also choose to reference a different image if you are looking for a unique challenge.
8. Spooky Dog Diorama
Materials:
Artificial carving pumpkin, false moss, Halloween figurines, 3-D stickers, false sticks, mini LED lights, dog silhouette
Tools:
Carving knife, hot glue gun
Difficulty Level:
Easy to moderate
Diorama decorations offer you the chance to express your individuality through the figures you place inside. With this spooky dog diorama plan, you can do just that while creating a festive Halloween decoration at the same time.
This plan suggests that you cut into an artificial pumpkin and place objects such as fake moss and Halloween figurines inside. However, the beauty of this DIY plan is that it is highly customizable. You can pick and choose the objects that are placed inside of your diorama to create the perfect seasonal décor for your home.
9. Doggy Pumpkin Hat
Materials:
Orange fabric, green felt, black felt, cotton, twine, plastic bands
Tools:
Hot glue gun, scissors, dinner plate
Difficulty Level:
Easy to moderate
If you’re a fan of puppy Halloween costumes, then we have another one for you to check out. This doggy pumpkin hat costume allows your pet to be festive and adorable at the same time!
This plan doesn’t require any sewing, making it a good introduction to creating costumes for new DIYers. At the same time, you will need to cut, measure, and tie pieces carefully, so this project isn’t a complete walk in the park.
When creating this doggy pumpkin cat, be sure to measure your dog’s head. If the hat is too small or too large for your dog, it may be uncomfortable or even dangerous.
10. Eerie Chihuahua Pumpkin Carving
Materials:
Chihuahua stencil, tissue paper, pumpkin
Tools:
Fine pen, hand wood carving chisels, lino cutter
Difficulty Level:
Difficult
Many of the DIY plans on this list lean toward the adorable side of Halloween. But if you want to create something truly spooky, then take a shot at this eerie Chihuahua pumpkin carving plan. Completing this project is going to require precise work and practiced pumpkin carving skills, making it a good challenge for a DIY veteran.
To start this project, you will first need an eerie Chihuahua stencil. The creator of this plan includes a tutorial on how to make pumpkin carving stencils, so check that out for some tips and pointers. You will need specific tools to carve this design, including a fine pen, a lino cutter, and some hand wood carving chisels. Plan to set aside a significant amount of time for this project, as such highly detailed carving takes patience.
11. Howl-O-Ween Ribbon Wreath
Materials:
Styrofoam wreath, various Halloween-themed ribbons, chalk paint, plush dog toy
Tools:
Paintbrush, scissors, pins
Difficulty Level:
Easy
Christmas isn’t the only season that describes a wreath. This Halloween, you can make a doggy-themed decoration with the howl-o-ween ribbon wreath plan.
The materials are simple enough. All you will need is a styrofoam wreath, an assortment of Halloween or dog-themed ribbons, black chalk paint, and a plush dog toy. You’ll start by painting the styrofoam wreath black, so that none of the white styrofoam can be seen. Then, you’ll tie strips of the various ribbons all around the wreath until it is full. Once done, you will pin the plush dog toy to the wreath, completing the look.
While this plan takes time, it is fairly simple. If you like, you can enjoy watching a scary movie while you work on this project.
12. Pug Pumpkin
Materials:
Two large googly eyes, glitter, light brown acrylic paint, dark brown acrylic paint, white fabric paint, black fabric paint, cardboard, masking tape, pumpkin
Tools:
Paintbrush, glue/sealer/finish formula, dish, scissors
Difficulty Level:
Moderate
This pug pumpkin plan is a whimsical way to celebrate the holiday. With a pumpkin, some glitter, and two large googly eyes, you can create the most adorable pumpkin in your neighborhood.
In this plan, the creator uses an orange pumpkin and covers it in light brown paint. You can also choose to find a white pumpkin and cover it in light brown paint, which should require fewer coats of paint. From there, you will add accents of dark brown and cut out sections of cardboard covered in glitter to create the pug’s face.
The large googly eyes add the finishing touch to make this plan a hilarious and adorable decoration.
13. Mad Hatter Dog Costume
Image Credit: Craft Your Happiness
Materials:
Craft foam sheets, glitter (optional)
Tools:
Hot glue gun, scissors, cloth tape measurer, clothespins (optional), markers
Difficulty Level:
Easy
The mad hatter dog costume is a great way to include your pet in the Halloween spirit. The creator of this costume also includes instructions for other costumes such as a flower, an angel, and a superhero, so check those out to pick your favorite one.
We chose the mad hatter costume because it’s adorable and easy to make. With some craft foam sheets, scissors, and a hot glue gun, you can construct a wearable hat and tie for your dog. When creating these costume pieces, don’t forget to take your dog’s measurements so that they will be comfortable and safe while wearing their costume.
14. Halloween Dog Bandana
Image Credit: Spoonflower Blog
Materials:
Halloween fabric, bandana template
Tools:
Sewing machine, rotary blade, thread, pins
Difficulty Level:
Easy to moderate
If you want a DIY Halloween project that’s more lowkey, then check out this Halloween dog bandana. For this project you will need to pick out your favorite Halloween-themed fabric so you can craft your dog’s bandana with the template.
You will also want a sewing machine, a rotary blade, and other key sewing tools. While this plan is fairly straightforward, it requires you to have some familiarity with sewing, which is why the difficulty ranges from easy to moderate.
Final Thoughts
Halloween is a special time of year, allowing people to decorate their houses with adorable, spooky, or hilarious décor. We hope that this article has inspired you to find the DIY dog Halloween decoration plan that suits your style, whether you are carving a jack-o-lantern, creating a costume, or inventing something entirely unique.
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Featured Image Credit: Olha Yefimova, Shutterstock
