Introduction: Captain Zeelo-Bulldog Pirate With Ship and Accessories

I truly believe the set up/background makes the photo but the hard part might also be coming up with a theme.  I always think about the age of my dog, personality and at the time what they are into.  Zeelo is just a little over a year and seems to be into everything, not to mention trying to eat everything.  I always ask him what treasures has he found really being anything that is left out at home or his latest any crickets or bugs he can catch in his mouth while playing outside.  The costume idea was easy....the hard part getting it to all come together.  

Idea: Pirate with Ship, what types of things to pirates have-knife, sand, water, message bottle, lots of gold and other treasures, sign showing their territory, eye patch, beaded hair.  

Costume: I have the help of my amazing grandmother when my idea comes together she helps me to sew the things that can't be done with a glue gun.  The costume body was cut out with newspaper to get the size right before cutting into the black/white pirate material.  If you have seen the dog jackets that are out to buy this is an easy way to get a pattern should you not have something you can go off of.  In my case my dogs have always been too big for the costumes and clothes that are store bought so you have to figure out a way to make something.  I will normally put velcro along the chest area to hold the costume on around the front and then again under the belly to keep it from sliding from one side to the other.  Loops were put along the collar to pull the bandanas through to give more of a pirate look.  Boots are black pleather that I cut into squares and then glued the gold trim around the top, crossbones are cut out of white felt, again draw it first then cut them out to get the bone size right.  To close the boots you can use the double sided velcro to get them to hold when wrapped around the foot.  Zeelo's hat is actually a baseball cap that I cut the bill off of.  I used felt for the front to give it a fuller look along with stiffening so that it would stay up and not flop down in his face.  The eye patch is also black felt and is has a string attaching it to the underneath of the hat.  

Background/Props: A black sheet is used as the backdrop to give a night effect with a cut out moon, spray paint to get the color.  Boat was purchased since I am not a woodworker but my dad did weld wheels to the bottom which cannot be seen in the photograph.  I used blue pleather to cover them giving the water effect for my photo.  Kids play sand is what covers the ground to give the beach look where a pirate would be, treasure chest could be any wooden box, and then any thing can be spray painted gold to look like pirate treasure.  Message bottle, any old bottle will do and can be covered with construction paper or colored paper  to say whatever you want.  If you don't have an old map not to worry they can be printed off of the internet and then to give it an old look you can cut or darken the sides.  

Please feel free to email with any questions.  Thanks, and happy costume making!!

Halloween Photo Instructable Contest

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Halloween Photo Instructable Contest

Halloween Easy Costumes Contest

Participated in the
Halloween Easy Costumes Contest