Help me dress my dog for Halloween!

October 17, 2011 12:01 PM

Help me come up with an awesome Halloween costume for my dog!

Boone is a 1 1/2-year old, 50-lb. lab mix dog (obligatory photos) I adopted last year. Like his namesake, Daniel Boone, my fella is adventurous and independent, having never met a stranger. He's is a big dog who thinks he can fit in my lap, affectionate, and generally a great dog. (Yes, I'm biased.)

Occasionally (limited because of financial obligations) Boone goes to a doggy day care. They are having a costume contest for Halloween -- post a picture on their facebook page, and the dog with the most likes wins a choice of 10 days of daycare or a spot in one of their training classes! Boone couldn't care less if he won, he's just happy to play! My competitive nature (and wallet) would love to win.

The problem: I have absolutely no ideas of what to do for a costume. I would like to dress him up in something that suits not only his somewhat large dog body, but also his lovable, adventurous personality. I have searched Petsmart and online sources for a pre-made outfit, but there are fewer costume options for larger dogs. Besides, I would rather do something more exciting than buy a pre-made, cheap looking costume that would fall apart the minute Boone starts being, well, Boone. I'd be willing to make an outfit, but I don't know how to sew. I do have mad taping and cutting skills, and a willingness to sew by hand, if needed.

Please MeFi hive mind, help me design / find a Halloween outfit for Boone!

posted by southpaw to pets & animals (26 answers total)

Lobster dog so he can join the meme.
posted by TheBones at 12:06 PM on October 17, 2011

I have no idea where the original is from, but if you're up to some very simple sewing, I bet you could pull this costume together fairly quickly.
posted by specialagentwebb at 12:08 PM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Behold, the power of the lobster dog.
posted by TheBones at 12:08 PM on October 17, 2011

Two options:
1. cat costume
2. dress Boone up as a human (you!), and you as a lab mix (Boone!)
posted by easily confused at 12:09 PM on October 17, 2011

I also came in to suggest lobster dog.
posted by whalebreath at 12:16 PM on October 17, 2011

Making a dog into a tiger is a good costume - and it looks like Boone has light enough fur to pull it off.
You can buy easy to apply dog hair dye, and then paint him up.

The advantage of doing a custome like this is: the dog is not wearing anything to will annoy him. He will barely even notice the dye on his fur
posted by Flood at 12:22 PM on October 17, 2011

oops - forgot to include the links -
here is an example of a tiger dog
and here is dog hair dye
posted by Flood at 12:24 PM on October 17, 2011

You can try for McGruff, and take a bit out of crime. Something like this i guess.

Shark-dog is always fun too.
posted by pyro979 at 12:24 PM on October 17, 2011

My first thought was to dress him up as Daniel Boone. That would involve finding a coon-skin cap though, and I don't know where you'd get one. If you wen to a costume store you might be able to find a kids costume of a Native American and use the top half as some sort of buckskin jacket. That with the cap would be all you'd need.

I also thought it'd be cool to dress him up as Steve Irwin. You said he's adventurous! I'd hit a second hand store and buy a pair of kids khaki shorts and cut out the crotch area to leave room for him to potty, and find a similar colored short sleeved khaki shirt. You could then pin a crocodile stuffed animal to him if you wanted.
posted by TooFewShoes at 12:29 PM on October 17, 2011

I love a dog in a cat costume, but I have seen that often. How about something ridiculous like a mouse?
posted by Yellow at 12:30 PM on October 17, 2011

Behold: The Chia Pet
posted by mochapickle at 12:38 PM on October 17, 2011 [2 favorites]

No suggestions, but please follow up with a pic showing whatever you decide. Dogs in costumes are just too funny.
posted by lampshade at 12:44 PM on October 17, 2011

Lobster dog is a great meme, but unlikely to win such a competition unless you get the meme people to vote. I love the lion costume though and think it looks awesome!

My poor dog gets dressed up in the same costume every year as a devil dog (with horns and a cape), so I'm obviously not very creative. However, you could take my son's costume idea and make him a firetruck with a fire dog sticking out the top (just sub your dog into this picture homemade fire truck costume of awesomeness)
posted by katers890 at 1:23 PM on October 17, 2011

This one never fails to crack me up (of course, it doesn't have to be pink).
posted by vers at 1:27 PM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Also, Blue Buffalo has a dog Halloween costume contest online -- easy to look through for more ideas.
posted by vers at 1:35 PM on October 17, 2011

To everyone suggesting the lobster dog - I considered it, but I don't think it could beat out some of the other super cute little dog outfits already posted, including a lobster dog. Boone just can't pull that off as well as I could hope.

specialagentwebb and Flood - lions and tigers, very cute. Definitely in the running (although dying Boone's hair may be more work than I want to do).

TooFewShoes - I LOVE the idea of Daniel Boone! (And why didn't I think of it?!) Already researching where I can get a coonskin hat (assuming Boone would tolerate a hat). The Steve Irwin idea is great too, and probably more doable, including the stuffed crocodile.

katers890 - the fire truck costume is great! Not sure Boone would tolerate it long enough to take a picture, but keeping it in mind.

lampshade - will definitely follow up on the costume, once chosen and done.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Happy to take more, if you've got them. :)
posted by southpaw at 1:43 PM on October 17, 2011

He looks regal, so I suggest you dress him like a King-Tut-style pharaoh.
posted by Greg Nog at 2:34 PM on October 17, 2011

He looks like he'd be a good Sherlock Bones, but i have no ideas on creating the costume. he looks like a great dog.
posted by theora55 at 3:18 PM on October 17, 2011

I don't know if you're a Doctor Who fan, but my little guy is going as the Dog-tor. The outfit has a little fez, a bowtie and a sonic screwdriver.
posted by julie_of_the_jungle at 4:29 PM on October 17, 2011

Find some striped tights and a jumper. Also, lots of red dye. You go as Emily Elizabeth, Boone goes as Clifford the Big Red Dog.
posted by Ostara at 6:41 PM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

I love the dog being ridden by the headless horseman! Midway down the page :)
posted by brilliantine at 7:18 PM on October 17, 2011

Sad Etsy Dog is probably too obscure?
posted by peagood at 7:26 PM on October 17, 2011

Krypto
ace the bathound
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 8:38 PM on October 17, 2011

I think if you get more creative (and even better, play off of a news event or something) you are sure to win. My girlfriend, well her dog Lloyd really, regularly wins the annual costume contest at his doggy daycare. Last year he was Michael Jackshound (pic). I think she got the jacket at a Goodwill or something and the rest of the costume came together (ie. sparkly glove from a kid's Michael Jackson costume).

The year before that he was a CU cheerleader. His short yellow skirt came from an adult shop's costumes. This year he is going to be a squid in a completely custom outfit.

So, to sum up....be creative (do something completely different), explore children's costumes or children's clothes for ideas. Have fun!
posted by fieldtrip at 9:25 PM on October 17, 2011

I was thinking that simple is often best, and that maybe your dog could pass for another famous dog rather than making the costume the elaborate part. And then, I realized who: Max!

Make a plush (or toilet paper tube wrapped in yellow hockey tape) antler (you can affix it to a felt disk for stability, secure it with a bit of wig tape) with a string to hold it, add a red collar and there it is! You could also do the stomach harness...but everyone should get it, really. The nostalgia factor alone should win it for you. Maybe darken his ears with some brow powder... trails off, looks across room and eyes own unsuspecting dog...

Or, he could just go with a guilty look, and an empty pack of kitty cat treats (make a cardboard penalty box and play that song?)...
posted by peagood at 11:35 AM on October 18, 2011

Got some cardboard? Boone's got the legs for a nice AT-AT. It doesn't sound like he's got the control for the march, but it might be too cute to resist.
posted by therewolf at 9:28 PM on October 18, 2011