Halloween Pet Costume: Business Man

Note: Measure your dog's neck before making your costume. Men's shirts vary in collar size from 14 inches up. If your dog is a smaller breed, a child's size shirt may work best.

Remove the Collar and Cuffs

First, remove the collar from the shirt by cutting as close as possible along the seam that attaches it to the shirt (Image 1). Next, use a ruler to measure 1" from the seam of the cuffs. Mark that spot and remove cuffs plus 1" from the shirt (Image 2).

Begin the Cuffs

Fold the extra fabric from the cuff at 1/2" and press with a hot iron (Image 1). Fold again onto the back of the cuff and press. Pin the fold in place and sew on the front over the existing stitches with matching thread to create a clean seam (Image 2). Remove the pins and any stray thread. Repeat for other cuff. Remove buttons from cuffs (Image 3).

Complete the Cuffs

Next, hand-sew the button over the button hole on each cuff (Image 1). Cut two 1" pieces of Velcro (Image 2) and sew it to the back of each button hole only attaching it to the back piece of fabric (Image 3). Wrap the cuff around your pet's 'wrist' to mark where the other side of the Velcro will be sewn. Hand-sew the opposite side of the Velcro where you made your mark and cut off the excess if desired. Tip: If you cut off the excess, be sure to sew the loose end shut. You can also fold over the cuff and sew the fold in place.

Create the Collar

First, remove the buttons from the collar (Image 1). Remove the placket (strip on front of shirt with button holes) by cutting it away as close to the seam as possible (Image 2). Cut the placket at the bottom after the last button hole (Image 3). Remove any extra buttons that may be sewn to the placket.

Add Collar Closure

To create a new closure for the collar, sew one end of the cut placket to the collar where the button was. Sew a 1" piece of Velcro to the back of the other end of the placket strip. Fit the collar around your pet's neck to determine where the placket strip will end and mark where the other side of Velcro will go. Sew a 1-1/2" piece of the opposite side of Velcro to the collar.

Finishing Touches

Dress your pet in the collar and cuffs. Finally, attach the clip-on tie to the collar and your well-dressed pup will be the envy of the boardroom.